chrome.idle

Description

Use the chrome.idle API to detect when the machine's idle state changes.

Permissions

idle

Manifest

You must declare the "idle" permission in your extension's manifest to use the idle API. For example:

{
  "name": "My extension",
  ...
  "permissions": [
    "idle"
  ],
  ...
}

Types

IdleState

Chrome 44+

Enum

"active"

"idle"

"locked"

Methods

getAutoLockDelay()

Promise Chrome 73+ ChromeOS only 
chrome.idle.getAutoLockDelay(
  callback?: function,
)

Gets the time, in seconds, it takes until the screen is locked automatically while idle. Returns a zero duration if the screen is never locked automatically. Currently supported on Chrome OS only.

Parameters

  • callback

    function optional

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (delay: number) => void

    • delay

      number

      Time, in seconds, until the screen is locked automatically while idle. This is zero if the screen never locks automatically.

Returns

  • Promise<number>

    Chrome 116+

    Promises are only supported for Manifest V3 and later, other platforms need to use callbacks.

queryState()

Promise 
chrome.idle.queryState(
  detectionIntervalInSeconds: number,
  callback?: function,
)

Returns "locked" if the system is locked, "idle" if the user has not generated any input for a specified number of seconds, or "active" otherwise.

Parameters

  • detectionIntervalInSeconds

    number

    The system is considered idle if detectionIntervalInSeconds seconds have elapsed since the last user input detected.

  • callback

    function optional

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (newState: IdleState) => void

Returns

  • Promise<IdleState>

    Chrome 116+

    Promises are only supported for Manifest V3 and later, other platforms need to use callbacks.

setDetectionInterval()

chrome.idle.setDetectionInterval(
  intervalInSeconds: number,
)

Sets the interval, in seconds, used to determine when the system is in an idle state for onStateChanged events. The default interval is 60 seconds.

Parameters

  • intervalInSeconds

    number

    Threshold, in seconds, used to determine when the system is in an idle state.

Events

onStateChanged

chrome.idle.onStateChanged.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Fired when the system changes to an active, idle or locked state. The event fires with "locked" if the screen is locked or the screensaver activates, "idle" if the system is unlocked and the user has not generated any input for a specified number of seconds, and "active" when the user generates input on an idle system.

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (newState: IdleState) => void