Web/API/PushManager/subscribe

This is an experimental technologyCheck the Browser compatibility table carefully before using this in production.

The subscribe() method of the PushManager interface subscribes to a push service.

It returns a Promise that resolves to a PushSubscription object containing details of a push subscription. A new push subscription is created if the current service worker does not have an existing subscription.

Syntax

PushManager.subscribe(options).then(function(pushSubscription) { ... } );

Parameters

options Optional

An object containing optional configuration parameters. It can have the following properties:

userVisibleOnly: A boolean indicating that the returned push subscription will only be used for messages whose effect is made visible to the user.
applicationServerKey: A Base64-encoded DOMString or ArrayBuffer containing an ECDSA P-256 public key that the push server will use to authenticate your application server. If specified, all messages from your application server must use the VAPID authentication scheme, and include a JWT signed with the corresponding private key. This key IS NOT the same ECDH key that you use to encrypt the data. For more information, see "Using VAPID with WebPush".

Note: This parameter is required in some browsers like Chrome and Edge.

Returns

A Promise that resolves to a PushSubscription object.

Example

this.onpush = function(event) {
  console.log(event.data);
  // From here we can write the data to IndexedDB, send it to any open
  // windows, display a notification, etc.
}

navigator.serviceWorker.register('serviceworker.js');

// Use serviceWorker.ready to ensure that you can subscribe for push
navigator.serviceWorker.ready.then(
  function(serviceWorkerRegistration) {
    var options = {
      userVisibleOnly: true,
      applicationServerKey: applicationServerKey
    };
    serviceWorkerRegistration.pushManager.subscribe(options).then(
      function(pushSubscription) {
        console.log(pushSubscription.endpoint);
        // The push subscription details needed by the application
        // server are now available, and can be sent to it using,
        // for example, an XMLHttpRequest.
      }, function(error) {
        // During development it often helps to log errors to the
        // console. In a production environment it might make sense to
        // also report information about errors back to the
        // application server.
        console.log(error);
      }
    );
  });

Responding to user gestures

subscribe() calls should be done in response to a user gesture, such as clicking a button, for example:

btn.addEventListener('click', function() {
  serviceWorkerRegistration.pushManager.subscribe(options)
  .then(function(pushSubscription) {
    // handle subscription
  });
})

This is not only best practice — you should not be spamming users with notifications they didn't agree to — but going forward browsers will explicitly disallow notifications not triggered in response to a user gesture. Firefox is already doing this from version 72, for example.

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
Push APIThe definition of 'subscribe()' in that specification.	Working Draft	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
`subscribe` Experimental'	Chrome Full support 42 Notes' Full support 42 Notes' Notes' The `options` parameter with a `applicationServerKey` value is required.	Edge Full support 16 Disabled' Full support 16 Disabled' Disabled' From version 16: this feature is behind the `Enable service workers` preference. Full support 17	Firefox Full support 44 Notes' Full support 44 Notes' Notes' Extended Support Releases (ESR) before Firefox 78 ESR do not support service workers and the Push API. Notes' From Firefox 72 onwards, can only be called in response to a user gesture such as a `click` event.	IE No support No	Opera Full support 29	Safari No support No	WebView Android No support No	Chrome Android Full support 42	Firefox Android Full support 48 Notes' Full support 48 Notes' Notes' Push enabled by default.	Opera Android Full support 29	Safari iOS No support No	Samsung Internet Android Full support 4.0

Legend

Full support: Full support
No support: No support
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.': Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
See implementation notes.': See implementation notes.
User must explicitly enable this feature.': User must explicitly enable this feature.

PushManager.subscribe() by Mozilla Contributors is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.5.