Calling Javascript Notification API on Google Chrome for Android not working directly from a web page Calling Javascript Notification API on Google Chrome for Android not working directly from a web page google-chrome google-chrome

Calling Javascript Notification API on Google Chrome for Android not working directly from a web page


On Chrome for Android you can only open a notification via a Service Worker. A service worker is a script that runs alongside the browser and can be loaded even when the page or browser are currently closed.

The main reasoning behind the service worker requirement is that a notification can outlive the length of the browser's lifetime (i.e, the user can close the browser) and the notification will still be active, therefore when a user clicks on the notification Android needs to wake "something" up, this "something" is the Service Worker.

This Notification Guide is a good introduction to the current state of Notifications on the Web and in Chrome - it focuses a little on Push messaging but also has all the details of how to trigger a notification from the Service Worker.

This might seem like an extra hoop to jump through but it actually is a net benefit: your notification will still work when clicked even when the browser is closed.


Check this for compatibility: http://caniuse.com/#feat=notifications

"Partial Support" Although as Kinlan mentioned, it's possible with Web Service Workers.

navigator.serviceWorker.register('sw.js');Notification.requestPermission(function(result) {  if (result === 'granted') {    navigator.serviceWorker.ready.then(function(registration) {      registration.showNotification('Notification with ServiceWorker');    });  }});

The sw.js file can just be a zero-byte file.

Credit Due: HTML5 Notification not working in Mobile Chrome