Web/API/CryptoKey

Secure contextThis feature is available only in secure contexts (HTTPS), in some or all supporting browsers.

The CryptoKey interface of the Web Crypto API represents a cryptographic key obtained from one of the SubtleCrypto methods generateKey(), deriveKey(), importKey(), or unwrapKey().

For security reasons, the CryptoKey interface can only be used in a secure context.

Properties

CryptoKey.type: String which may take one of the following values:

"secret"

This key is a secret key for use with a symmetric algorithm.
"private": This key is the private half of an asymmetric algorithm's CryptoKeyPair.
"public": This key is the public half of an asymmetric algorithm's CryptoKeyPair.

CryptoKey.extractable: Boolean indicating whether or not the key may be extracted using SubtleCrypto.exportKey() or SubtleCrypto.wrapKey().

true

The key may be extracted.
false The key may not be extracted. exportKey() or wrapKey() will throw an exception if used to extract this key.

CryptoKey.algorithm: An object describing the algorithm for which this key can be used and any associated extra parameters.

AesKeyGenParams if the algorithm is any of the AES variants. RsaHashedKeyGenParams if the algorithm is any of the RSA variants. EcKeyGenParams if the algorithm is any of the EC variants. HmacKeyGenParams if the algorithm is HMAC.

CryptoKey.usages: An Array of strings, indicating what can be done with the key. Possible values for array elements are:

"encrypt"

The key may be used to encrypt messages.
"decrypt": The key may be used to decrypt messages.
"sign": The key may be used to sign messages.
"verify": The key may be used to verify signatures.
"deriveKey": The key may be used in deriving a new key.
"deriveBits": The key may be used in deriving bits.
"wrapKey": The key may be used to wrap a key.
"unwrapKey": The key may be used to unwrap a key.

Examples

The examples for SubtleCrypto methods often use CryptoKey objects. For example:

SubtleCrypto.generateKey()
SubtleCrypto.deriveKey()
SubtleCrypto.importKey()
SubtleCrypto.exportKey()
SubtleCrypto.wrapKey()
SubtleCrypto.unwrapKey()
SubtleCrypto.encrypt()
SubtleCrypto.decrypt()
SubtleCrypto.sign()
SubtleCrypto.verify()

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
Web Cryptography APIThe definition of 'CryptoKey' in that specification.	Recommendation	Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet
`CryptoKey`	Chrome Full support 37	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 34	IE No support No	Opera Full support 24	Safari No support No	WebView Android Full support 37	Chrome Android Full support 37	Firefox Android Full support 34	Opera Android Full support 24	Safari iOS No support No	Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0
`algorithm`	Chrome Full support 37	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 34	IE No support No	Opera Full support 24	Safari No support No	WebView Android Full support 37	Chrome Android Full support 37	Firefox Android Full support 34	Opera Android Full support 24	Safari iOS No support No	Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0
`extractable`	Chrome Full support 37	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 34	IE No support No	Opera Full support 24	Safari No support No	WebView Android Full support 37	Chrome Android Full support 37	Firefox Android Full support 34	Opera Android Full support 24	Safari iOS No support No	Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0
Secure context required	Chrome Full support 60	Edge Full support 79	Firefox Full support 75	IE No support No	Opera Full support 47	Safari No support No	WebView Android Full support 60	Chrome Android Full support 60	Firefox Android No support No	Opera Android Full support 47	Safari iOS No support No	Samsung Internet Android Full support 8.0
`type`	Chrome Full support 37	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 34	IE No support No	Opera Full support 24	Safari No support No	WebView Android Full support 37	Chrome Android Full support 37	Firefox Android Full support 34	Opera Android Full support 24	Safari iOS No support No	Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0
`usages`	Chrome Full support 37	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 34	IE No support No	Opera Full support 24	Safari No support No	WebView Android Full support 37	Chrome Android Full support 37	Firefox Android Full support 34	Opera Android Full support 24	Safari iOS No support No	Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0

Legend

Full support: Full support
No support: No support