HTML5 Notification not working in Mobile Chrome
I'm using the HTML5 notification API to notify the user in Chrome or Firefox. On desktop browsers, it works. However in Chrome 42 for Android, the permission is requested but the notification itself is not displayed.
The request code, works on all devices:
if ('Notification' in window) {
Notification.requestPermission();
}
The sending code, works on desktop browser but not on mobile:
if ('Notification' in window) {
new Notification('Notify you');
}
Solution 1:
Try the following:
navigator.serviceWorker.register('sw.js');
Notification.requestPermission(function(result) {
if (result === 'granted') {
navigator.serviceWorker.ready.then(function(registration) {
registration.showNotification('Notification with ServiceWorker');
});
}
});
That should work on Android both in Chrome and in Firefox (and on iOS in Safari, too).
(The sw.js file can just be a zero-byte file.)
One caveat is that you must run it from a secure origin (an https URL, not an http URL).
See https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/API/ServiceWorkerRegistration/showNotification.
Solution 2:
Running this code:
if ('Notification' in window) {
Notification.requestPermission();
}
Console in Chrome DevTools shows this error:
Uncaught TypeError: Failed to construct ‘Notification’: Illegal constructor. Use ServiceWorkerRegistration.showNotification() instead
A better approach might be:
function isNewNotificationSupported() {
if (!window.Notification || !Notification.requestPermission)
return false;
if (Notification.permission == 'granted')
throw new Error('You must only call this \*before\* calling
Notification.requestPermission(), otherwise this feature detect would bug the
user with an actual notification!');
try {
new Notification('');
} catch (e) {
if (e.name == 'TypeError')
return false;
}
return true;
}
Function Source: HTML5Rocks
Solution 3:
If you already have a service worker registered, use this:
navigator.serviceWorker.getRegistrations().then(function(registrations) {
registrations[0].showNotification(title, options);
});
Solution 4:
I had no trouble with the Notification API on Windows Desktop. It even worked without issues on Mobile FF. I found documentation that seemed to indicate Chrome for Android was supported too, but it didn't work for me. I really wanted to prove the API could work for me on my current (2019) version of Chrome (70) for Android. After much investigation, I can easily see why many people have had mixed results. The answer above simply didn't work for me when I pasted it into a barebones page, but I discovered why. According to the Chrome debugger, the Notification API is only allowed in response to a user gesture. That means that you can't simply invoke the notification when the document loads. Rather, you have to invoke the code in response to user interactivity like a click.
So, here is a barebones and complete solution proving that you can get notifications to work on current (2019) Chrome for Android (Note: I used jQuery simply for brevity):
<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript" src="libs/jquery/jquery-1.12.4.min.js"></script>
<script>
$( function()
{
navigator.serviceWorker.register('sw.js');
$( "#mynotify" ).click( function()
{
Notification.requestPermission().then( function( permission )
{
if ( permission != "granted" )
{
alert( "Notification failed!" );
return;
}
navigator.serviceWorker.ready.then( function( registration )
{
registration.showNotification( "Hello world", { body:"Here is the body!" } );
} );
} );
} );
} );
</script>
</head>
<body>
<input id="mynotify" type="button" value="Trigger Notification" />
</body>
</html>
In summary, the important things to know about notifications on current (2019) Chrome for Android:
- Must be using HTTPS
- Must use Notification API in response to user interactivity
- Must use Notification API to request permission for notifications
- Must use ServiceWorker API to trigger the actual notification