chrome.mediaGalleries

This API is part of the Chrome Apps platform, which was deprecated in 2020. It remains supported for Enterprise and Education customers on ChromeOS until at least Jan 2025. Learn more about migrating your app.

Description
Use the chrome.mediaGalleries API to access media files (audio, images, video) from the user's local disks (with the user's consent).
Permissions
mediaGalleries

Summary

Types
AddGalleryWatchResult
GalleryChangeDetails
GalleryChangeType
GetMediaFileSystemsInteractivity
GetMetadataType
MediaFileSystemMetadata
MediaFileSystemsDetails
MediaMetadata
MediaMetadataOptions
StreamInfo
Methods
addGalleryWatch
addUserSelectedFolder
getMediaFileSystemMetadata
getMediaFileSystems
getMetadata
removeGalleryWatch
Events
onGalleryChanged

Types

AddGalleryWatchResult

Properties

galleryId
string
success
boolean

GalleryChangeDetails

Properties

galleryId
string
Identifies the modified gallery.
type
GalleryChangeType
Type of change event.

GalleryChangeType

Enum

"contents_changed"
The contents of the gallery have changed.

"watch_dropped"
The watch has been dropped because the device has been detached, the gallery permission has been removed, or any other reason.

GetMediaFileSystemsInteractivity

Enum

"no"
Do not act interactively.

"yes"
Ask the user to manage permitted media galleries.

"if_needed"
Ask the user to manage permitted galleries only if the return set would otherwise be empty.

GetMetadataType

Enum

"all"
Retrieve the mime type, metadata tags, and attached images.

"mimeTypeAndTags"
Retrieve only the mime type and the metadata tags.

"mimeTypeOnly"
Retrieve only the mime type.

MediaFileSystemMetadata

Properties

deviceId
string optional
If the media gallery is on a removable device, a unique id for the device while the device is online.
galleryId
string
A unique and persistent id for the media gallery.
isAvailable
boolean
True if the device is currently available.
isMediaDevice
boolean
True if the device the media gallery is on was detected as a media device. i.e. a PTP or MTP device, or a DCIM directory is present.
isRemovable
boolean
True if the media gallery is on a removable device.
name
string
The name of the file system.

MediaFileSystemsDetails

Properties

interactive
GetMediaFileSystemsInteractivity optional
Whether to prompt the user for permission to additional media galleries before returning the permitted set. Default is silent. If the value 'yes' is passed, or if the application has not been granted access to any media galleries and the value 'if_needed' is passed, then the media gallery configuration dialog will be displayed.

MediaMetadata

Properties

album
string optional
Defined for audio and video.
artist
string optional
attachedImages
Blob[]
The images embedded in the media file's metadata. This is most often used for album art or video thumbnails.
comment
string optional
copyright
string optional
disc
number optional
duration
number optional
Defined for audio and video. In seconds.
genre
string optional
height
number optional
Defined for video. In pixels.
language
string optional
mimeType
string
The browser sniffed mime type.
rawTags
StreamInfo[]
All the metadata in the media file. For formats with multiple streams, stream order will be preserved. Container metadata is the first element.
rotation
number optional
Defined for video. In degrees.
title
string optional
track
number optional
width
number optional

MediaMetadataOptions

Properties

metadataType
GetMetadataType optional
Specifies which subset of the metadata to retrieve. Defaults to 'all' if the option is omitted.

StreamInfo

Properties

tags
object
An unfiltered string->string dictionary of tags for the stream.
type
string
Describes format of container or codec of stream, i.e. "mp3", "h264".

Methods

addGalleryWatch


          
          
            chrome.mediaGalleries.addGalleryWatch(

        galleryId:
  string,

        callback?:
  function,

      
    )

Promise

Adds a gallery watch for the gallery with the specified gallery ID. The given callback is then fired with a success or failure result.

Parameters

galleryId
string
callback
function optional
The callback parameter looks like: (result: AddGalleryWatchResult) => void
- result
  AddGalleryWatchResult

Returns

Promise<AddGalleryWatchResult>
Chrome 116+
Promises are supported in Manifest V3 and later, but callbacks are provided for backward compatibility. You cannot use both on the same function call. The promise resolves with the same type that is passed to the callback.

addUserSelectedFolder


          
          
            chrome.mediaGalleries.addUserSelectedFolder(

        callback:
  function,

      
    )

Present a directory picker to the user and add the selected directory as a gallery. If the user cancels the picker, selectedFileSystemName will be empty. A user gesture is required for the dialog to display. Without a user gesture, the callback will run as though the user canceled.

Parameters

callback
function
The callback parameter looks like: (mediaFileSystems: DOMFileSystem[], selectedFileSystemName: string) => void
- mediaFileSystems
  DOMFileSystem[]
- selectedFileSystemName
  string

getMediaFileSystemMetadata


          
          
            chrome.mediaGalleries.getMediaFileSystemMetadata(

        mediaFileSystem:
  DOMFileSystem,

      
    )

Get metadata about a specific media file system.

Parameters

mediaFileSystem
DOMFileSystem

Returns

MediaFileSystemMetadata | undefined

getMediaFileSystems


          
          
            chrome.mediaGalleries.getMediaFileSystems(

        details?:
  MediaFileSystemsDetails,

        callback?:
  function,

      
    )

Promise

Get the media galleries configured in this user agent. If none are configured or available, the callback will receive an empty array.

Parameters

details
MediaFileSystemsDetails optional
callback
function optional
The callback parameter looks like: (mediaFileSystems: DOMFileSystem[]) => void
- mediaFileSystems
  DOMFileSystem[]

Returns

Promise<DOMFileSystem[]>
Chrome 116+
Promises are supported in Manifest V3 and later, but callbacks are provided for backward compatibility. You cannot use both on the same function call. The promise resolves with the same type that is passed to the callback.

getMetadata


          
          
            chrome.mediaGalleries.getMetadata(

        mediaFile:
  Blob,

        options?:
  MediaMetadataOptions,

        callback?:
  function,

      
    )

Promise

Gets the media-specific metadata for a media file. This should work for files in media galleries as well as other DOM filesystems.

Parameters

mediaFile
Blob
options
MediaMetadataOptions optional
callback
function optional
The callback parameter looks like: (metadata: MediaMetadata) => void
- metadata
  MediaMetadata

Returns

Promise<MediaMetadata>
Chrome 116+
Promises are supported in Manifest V3 and later, but callbacks are provided for backward compatibility. You cannot use both on the same function call. The promise resolves with the same type that is passed to the callback.

removeGalleryWatch


          
          
            chrome.mediaGalleries.removeGalleryWatch(

        galleryId:
  string,

      
    )

Removes a gallery watch for the gallery with the specified gallery ID.

Parameters

galleryId
string

Events

onGalleryChanged


          
          
            chrome.mediaGalleries.onGalleryChanged.addListener(

        callback:
  function,

      
    )

Fired when a media gallery is changed or a gallery watch is dropped.

Parameters

callback
function
The callback parameter looks like: (details: GalleryChangeDetails) => void
- details
  GalleryChangeDetails