Manifest V2 file format for extensions

For new code, use Manifest V3 instead of V2. For Manifest V3, see Manifest file format for extensions.

To migrate a Manifest V2 extension to Manifest V3, see Migrate an extension from Manifest V2 to V3.

Format of manifest.json for extensions

The following code shows the fields that are supported in manifest.json for extensions, for a Manifest V2 package.

For reference information about each field, see Manifest file format (V2) and then click the links on the fields.

{
  // Required
  "manifest_version": 2,
  "name": "My V2 Extension",
  "version": "versionString",

  // Recommended
  "default_locale": "en",
  "description": "A plain-text description",
  "icons": {...},

  // Pick one or none
  "browser_action": {...},
  "page_action": {...},

  // Optional
  "action": ...,
  "author": ...,
  "automation": ...,
  "background": {
    // If `background` is included, `persistent` is recommended
    "persistent": false,
    // If `background` is included, `service_worker` is optional
    "service_worker": ...
  },
  "chrome_settings_overrides": {...},
  "chrome_url_overrides": {...},
  "commands": {...},
  "content_capabilities": ...,
  "content_scripts": [{...}],
  "content_security_policy": "policyString",
  "converted_from_user_script": ...,
  "current_locale": ...,
  "declarative_net_request": ...,
  "devtools_page": "devtools.html",
  "differential_fingerprint": ...,
  "event_rules": [{...}],
  "externally_connectable": {
    "matches": ["*://*.contoso.com/*"]
  },
  "file_browser_handlers": [...],
  "file_system_provider_capabilities": {
    "configurable": true,
    "multiple_mounts": true,
    "source": "network"
  },
  "homepage_url": "http://path/to/homepage",
  "host_permissions": ...,
  "import": [{"id": "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"}],
  "incognito": "spanning, split, or not_allowed",
  "input_components": ...,
  "key": "publicKey",
  "minimum_chrome_version": "versionString",
  "nacl_modules": [...],
  "natively_connectable": ...,
  "oauth2": ...,
  "offline_enabled": true,
  "omnibox": {
    "keyword": "aString"
  },
  "optional_permissions": ["tabs"],
  "options_page": "options.html",
  "options_ui": {
    "chrome_style": true,
    "page": "options.html"
  },
  "permissions": ["tabs"],
  "platforms": ...,
  "replacement_web_app": ...,
  "requirements": {...},
  "sandbox": [...],
  "short_name": "Short Name",
  "storage": {
    "managed_schema": "schema.json"
  },
  "system_indicator": ...,
  "tts_engine": {...},
  "update_url": "http://path/to/updateInfo.xml",
  "version_name": ...,
  "web_accessible_resources": [...]
}

---

See also

• Migrate an extension from Manifest V2 to V3
• Manifest file format (V3) - Chrome Extensions > Reference.
• Manifest file format (V2) in Chrome Extensions > Reference.

Note

Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The original page is found here.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.