Web/API/URL/createObjectURL

The URL.createObjectURL() static method creates a DOMString containing a URL representing the object given in the parameter. The URL lifetime is tied to the document in the window on which it was created. The new object URL represents the specified File object or Blob object.

To release an object URL, call revokeObjectURL().

Note: This feature is available in Web Workers.

Note: This feature is not available in Service Workers due to its potential to create memory leaks.

Syntax

const objectURL = URL.createObjectURL(object)

Parameters

object: A File, Blob, or MediaSource object to create an object URL for.

Return value

A DOMString containing an object URL that can be used to reference the contents of the specified source object.

Examples

See Using object URLs to display images.

Usage notes

Memory management

Each time you call createObjectURL(), a new object URL is created, even if you've already created one for the same object. Each of these must be released by calling URL.revokeObjectURL() when you no longer need them.

Browsers will release object URLs automatically when the document is unloaded; however, for optimal performance and memory usage, if there are safe times when you can explicitly unload them, you should do so.

Using object URLs for media streams

In older versions of the Media Source specification, attaching a stream to a <video> element required creating an object URL for the MediaStream. This is no longer necessary, and browsers are removing support for doing this.

Important: If you still have code that relies on createObjectURL() to attach streams to media elements, you need to update your code to simply set srcObject to the MediaStream directly.

Specifications

Specification Status Comment

File APIThe definition of 'createObjectURL()' in that specification. Working Draft Initial definition.

Media Source ExtensionsThe definition of 'URL' in that specification.

Recommendation

MediaSource extension.

Older versions of this specification used createObjectURL() for MediaStream objects; this is no longer supported.

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
`createObjectURL` Experimental'	Chrome Full support 19	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 19 Notes' Full support 19 Notes' Notes' `createObjectURL()` is no longer available within the context of a `ServiceWorker`.	IE Full support 10 Notes' Full support 10 Notes' Notes' If the underlying object does not have a content type set, using this URL as the `src` of an `img` tag fails intermittently with error DOM7009.	Opera Full support 15	Safari Full support 6	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support 25	Firefox Android Full support 19 Notes' Full support 19 Notes' Notes' `createObjectURL()` is no longer available within the context of a `ServiceWorker`.	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support 6	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.5
No longer accepts `MediaStream` object	Chrome ? Notes' ? Notes' Notes' See here for progress on deprecation.	Edge ? Notes' ? Notes' Notes' See here for progress on deprecation.	Firefox Full support 62	IE ?	Opera ? Notes' ? Notes' Notes' See here for progress on deprecation.	Safari ? Notes' ? Notes' Notes' See here for progress on deprecation.	WebView Android ? Notes' ? Notes' Notes' See here for progress on deprecation.	Chrome Android ? Notes' ? Notes' Notes' See here for progress on deprecation.	Firefox Android Full support 62	Opera Android ? Notes' ? Notes' Notes' See here for progress on deprecation.	Safari iOS ? Notes' ? Notes' Notes' See here for progress on deprecation.	Samsung Internet Android ? Notes' ? Notes' Notes' See here for progress on deprecation.

Legend

Full support: Full support
Compatibility unknown: Compatibility unknown
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.': Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
See implementation notes.': See implementation notes.