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GitHub Repository: mohamedkhallouq/content
 Path: blob/main/files/en-us/mozilla/add-ons/webextensions/api/browsingdata/index.md
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---
title: browsingData
slug: Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/browsingData
page-type: webextension-api
tags:
  - API
  - Add-ons
  - Extensions
  - Non-standard
  - Reference
  - WebExtensions
  - browsingData
browser-compat: webextensions.api.browsingData
---

{{AddonSidebar}}

Enables extensions to clear the data that is accumulated while the user is browsing.

In the browsingData API, browsing data is divided into types:

  • browser cache

  • cookies

  • downloads

  • history

  • local storage

  • plugin data

  • saved form data

  • saved passwords

You can use the {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.remove()")}} function to remove any combination of these types. There are also dedicated functions to remove each particular type of data, such as {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.removePasswords()", "removePasswords()")}}, {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.removeHistory()", "removeHistory()")}} and so on.

All the browsingData.remove[X]() functions take a {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.RemovalOptions")}} object, which you can use to control two further aspects of data removal:

  • how far back in time to remove data

  • whether to remove data only from normal web pages, or also from hosted web apps and add-ons. Note that this option is not yet supported in Firefox.

Finally, this API gives you a {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.settings()")}} function that gives you the current value of the settings for the browser's built-in "Clear History" feature.

To use this API you must have the "browsingData" API permission.

Types

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.DataTypeSet")}}

    • : Object used to specify the type of data to remove: for example, history, downloads, passwords, and so on.

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.RemovalOptions")}}

    • : Object used to specify how far back in time to remove data, and whether to remove data added through normal web browsing, by hosted apps, or by add-ons.

Methods

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.remove()")}}

    • : Removes browsing data for the data types specified.

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.removeCache()")}}

    • : Clears the browser's cache.

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.removeCookies()")}}

    • : Removes cookies.

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.removeDownloads()")}}

    • : Removes the list of downloaded files.

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.removeFormData()")}}

    • : Clears saved form data.

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.removeHistory()")}}

    • : Clears the browser's history.

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.removeLocalStorage()")}}

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.removePasswords()")}}

    • : Clears saved passwords.

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.removePluginData()")}}

    • : Clears data associated with plugins.

  • {{WebExtAPIRef("browsingData.settings()")}}

    • : Gets the current value of settings in the browser's "Clear History" feature.

Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}

{{WebExtExamples("h2")}}

Note: This API is based on Chromium's chrome.browsingData API.