browserAction.setIcon()

var settingIcon = browser.browserAction.setIcon(
  details         // object
)

Parameters

details

object. An object containing either imageData or path properties, and optionally a tabId property.

imageDataOptional

browserAction.ImageDataType or object. This is either a single ImageData object or a dictionary object.

Use a dictionary object to specify multiple ImageData objects in different sizes, so the icon does not have to be scaled for a device with a different pixel density. If imageData is a dictionary, the value of each property is an ImageData object, and its name is its size, like this:

{
  16: image16,
  32: image32
}

The browser will choose the image to use depending on the screen's pixel density. See Choosing icon sizes for more information on this.

pathOptional

string or object. This is either a relative path to an icon file or it is a dictionary object. 

Use a dictionary object to specify multiple icon files in different sizes, so the icon does not have to be scaled for a device with a different pixel density. If path is a dictionary, the value of each property is a relative path, and its name is its size, like this:

{
  16: "path/to/image16.jpg",
  32: "path/to/image32.jpg"
}

The browser will choose the image to use depending on the screen's pixel density. See Choosing icon sizes for more information on this.

tabIdOptional

integer. Limits the change to when a particular tab is selected. Automatically resets when the tab is closed.

If each one of imageData and path is one of undefined, null or empty object, then the tab-specific icon is removed so that the tab inherits the global icon in case a tabId is specified, otherwise the global icon is reverted to the default value.

Return value

A Promise that will be fulfilled with no arguments once the icon has been set.

The compatibility table in this page is generated from structured data. If you'd like to contribute to the data, please check out https://github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data and send us a pull request.

The code below uses a browser action to toggle a listener for webRequest.onHeadersReceived, and uses setIcon() to indicate whether listening is on or off:

function logResponseHeaders(requestDetails) {
  console.log(requestDetails);
}

function startListening() {
  browser.webRequest.onHeadersReceived.addListener(
    logResponseHeaders,
    {urls: ["<all_urls>"]},
    ["responseHeaders"]
  );
  browser.browserAction.setIcon({path: "icons/listening-on.svg"});
}

function stopListening() {
  browser.webRequest.onHeadersReceived.removeListener(logResponseHeaders);
  browser.browserAction.setIcon({path: "icons/listening-off.svg"});
}

function toggleListener() {
  if (browser.webRequest.onHeadersReceived.hasListener(logResponseHeaders)) {
    stopListening();
  } else {
    startListening();
  }
}

browser.browserAction.onClicked.addListener(toggleListener);

The code below sets the icon using an ImageData object:

function getImageData() {
  var canvas = document.createElement("canvas");
  var ctx = canvas.getContext("2d");

  ctx.fillStyle = "green";
  ctx.fillRect(10, 10, 100, 100);
 
  return ctx.getImageData(50, 50, 100, 100);
}

browser.browserAction.onClicked.addListener(() => {
  browser.browserAction.setIcon({imageData: getImageData()});
});

The following snippet updates the icon when the user clicks it, but only for the active tab:

browser.browserAction.onClicked.addListener((tab) => {
  browser.browserAction.setIcon({
    tabId: tab.id, path: "icons/updated-48.png"
  });
});

Example extensions

• bookmark-it

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//
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// modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
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//
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//    * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
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// in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
// distribution.
//    * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
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// this software without specific prior written permission.
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// LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
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// OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.