Secure context
This feature is available only in secure contexts (HTTPS), in some or all supporting browsers.
The Geolocation API allows the user to provide their location to web applications if they so desire. For privacy reasons, the user is asked for permission to report location information.
WebExtensions that wish to use the Geolocation
object must add the "geolocation"
permission to their manifest. The user's operating system will prompt the user to allow location access the first time it is requested.
Concepts and usage
You will often want to retrieve a user's location information in your web app, for example to plot their location on a map, or display personalized information relevant to their location.
The Geolocation API is accessed via a call to navigator.geolocation
; this will cause the user's browser to ask them for permission to access their location data. If they accept, then the browser will use the best available functionality on the device to access this information (for example, GPS).
The developer can now access this location information in a couple of different ways:
Geolocation.getCurrentPosition()
: Retrieves the device's current location.Geolocation.watchPosition()
: Registers a handler function that will be called automatically each time the position of the device changes, returning the updated location.
In both cases, the method call takes up to three arguments:
- A mandatory success callback: If the location retrieval is successful, the callback executes with a
GeolocationPosition
object as its only parameter, providing access to the location data. - An optional error callback: If the location retrieval is unsuccessful, the callback executes with a
GeolocationPositionError
object as its only parameter, providing access information on what went wrong. - An optional
PositionOptions
object, which provides options for retrieval of the position data.
For further information on Geolocation usage, read Using the Geolocation API.
Interfaces
Geolocation
- The main class of this API — contains methods to retrieve the user's current position, watch for changes in their position, and clear a previously-set watch.
GeolocationPosition
- Represents the position of a user. A
GeolocationPosition
instance is returned by a successful call to one of the methods contained insideGeolocation
, inside a success callback, and contains a timestamp plus aGeolocationCoordinates
object instance. GeolocationCoordinates
- Represents the coordinates of a user's position; a
GeolocationCoordinates
instance contains latitude, longitude, and other important related information. GeolocationPositionError
- A
GeolocationPositionError
is returned by an unsuccessful call to one of the methods contained insideGeolocation
, inside an error callback, and contains an error code and message. Navigator.geolocation
- The entry point into the API. Returns a
Geolocation
object instance, from which all other functionality can be accessed.
Dictionaries
PositionOptions
- Represents an object containing options to pass in as a parameter of
Geolocation.getCurrentPosition()
andGeolocation.watchPosition()
.
Examples
In the following example the Geolocation API is used to retrieve the user's latitude and longitude. If sucessful, the available hyperlink is populated with an openstreetmap.org
URL that will show their location.
body { padding: 20px; background-color:#ffffc9 } button { margin: .5rem 0; }
HTML
<button id = "find-me">Show my location</button><br/> <p id = "status"></p> <a id = "map-link" target="_blank"></a>
JavaScript
function geoFindMe() { const status = document.querySelector('#status'); const mapLink = document.querySelector('#map-link'); mapLink.href = ''; mapLink.textContent = ''; function success(position) { const latitude = position.coords.latitude; const longitude = position.coords.longitude; status.textContent = ''; mapLink.href = `https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/${latitude}/${longitude}`; mapLink.textContent = `Latitude: ${latitude} °, Longitude: ${longitude} °`; } function error() { status.textContent = 'Unable to retrieve your location'; } if(!navigator.geolocation) { status.textContent = 'Geolocation is not supported by your browser'; } else { status.textContent = 'Locating…'; navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(success, error); } } document.querySelector('#find-me').addEventListener('click', geoFindMe);
Result
Specifications
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
Geolocation API | Recommendation |
Browser compatibility
Desktop | Mobile | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Geolocation | Chrome Full support 5 | Edge Full support 12 | Firefox
Full support
3.5
| IE Full support 9 | Opera Full support 10.6 | Safari Full support 5 | WebView Android Full support ≤37 | Chrome Android Full support 18 | Firefox Android Full support 4 | Opera Android Full support 11 | Safari iOS Full support 5 | Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0 |
clearWatch | Chrome Full support 5 | Edge Full support 12 | Firefox Full support 3.5 | IE Full support 9 | Opera Full support 10.6 | Safari Full support 5 | WebView Android Full support ≤37 | Chrome Android Full support 18 | Firefox Android Full support 4 | Opera Android Full support 11 | Safari iOS Full support 5 | Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0 |
getCurrentPosition | Chrome Full support 5 | Edge Full support 12 | Firefox Full support 3.5 | IE Full support 9 | Opera Full support 10.6 | Safari Full support 5 | WebView Android Full support ≤37 | Chrome Android Full support 18 | Firefox Android Full support 4 | Opera Android Full support 11 | Safari iOS Full support 5 | Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0 |
Secure context required | Chrome Full support 50 | Edge Full support ≤79 | Firefox Full support 55 | IE No support No | Opera Full support 37 | Safari Full support Yes | WebView Android
Full support
51
| Chrome Android Full support 50 | Firefox Android Full support 55 | Opera Android Full support 37 | Safari iOS Full support Yes | Samsung Internet Android Full support 5.0 |
watchPosition | Chrome Full support 5 | Edge Full support 12 | Firefox Full support 3.5 | IE Full support 9 | Opera Full support 10.6 | Safari Full support 5 | WebView Android Full support ≤37 | Chrome Android Full support 18 | Firefox Android Full support 4 | Opera Android Full support 11 | Safari iOS Full support 5 | Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0 |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support
- No support
- No support
- See implementation notes.
- See implementation notes.
Availability
As WiFi-based locationing is often provided by Google, the vanilla Geolocation API may be unavailable in China. You may use local third-party providers such as Baidu, Autonavi, or Tencent. These services use the user's IP address and/or a local app to provide enhanced positioning.