Bug-1773681 Showing Paste button for navigator.clipboard.readText() #42263

rebloor · 2025-12-05T18:04:47Z

Description

This change addresses the dev-docs-needed requirement of Bug 1773681 Enable showing "Paste" button for navigator.clipboard.readText() when called from Addons which don't have clipboardRead permssion.

The changes include:

a release note.
an update to the Interact with the clipboard article. In addition to aligning the documentation with this change, references to the deprecated document.execCommand methods were removed.
an update to the clipboard section on the Pesmissions page to remove references to the deprecated document.execCommand methods.
an update to the Clipboard API overview page's Security consideration section to align the documentation with this change.

Related issues and pull requests

Notes in the BCD updated in mdn/browser-compat-data#28587

github-actions · 2025-12-05T18:27:31Z

This pull request has merge conflicts that must be resolved before it can be merged.

…or.clipboard.readText()

github-actions · 2025-12-07T16:03:59Z

Preview URLs

Flaws (1)

Note! 3 documents with no flaws that don't need to be listed. 🎉

URL: /en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/Interact_with_the_clipboard
Title: Interact with the clipboard
Flaw count: 1

broken_links:
- Link /en-US/docs/Web/Security/Secure_Contexts is a redirect

External URLs (1)

URL: /en-US/docs/Mozilla/Firefox/Releases/147
Title: Firefox 147 release notes for developers (Beta)

https://bugzil.la/1773681 (1 time) (Note! This may be a new URL 👀)

(comment last updated: 2026-01-02 17:59:29)

dotproto

Be aware that this change does not accurately reflect how to work with the clipboard in extensions across browsers. Specifically, Chrome does not expose navigator.clipboard to extension service workers and offscreen documents cannot access navigator.clipboard due to the API's document focus requirements. As a result, Chrome extensions have to fall back to using the deprecated document.execCommand() APIs in an offscreen document or using navigator.clipboad in a different context (content scripts or extension pages).

While I strongly feel that we should target cross-browser extension develpment, I don't want to block this PR or require a rewrite at the moment. That said, if we don't integrate cross-browser develpment in this revision, we may need to revise this article again in the coming months. @rebloor, do you have any preferences on how we should proceed?

…d.readText()' of ssh://github.com/rebloor/content into Bug-1773681-Showing-Paste-button-for-navigator.clipboard.readText()

…or.clipboard.readText()

rebloor · 2025-12-11T17:19:46Z

@dotproto I've added the additional Chrome information. I'd checked for any additional information prior to making the changes and couldn't find anything suggesting there were any further considerations. Do you have a link to any Chrome documentation?

Rob--W

Besides the feedback below, also some browser compatibility notes:

clipboardWrite permission enables writing to the clipboard from all extension contexts and content scripts in Firefox. In Chrome and Safari, the clipboardWrite permission is only supported in extension contexts (not content scripts).
clipboardRead permission enables writing to the clipboard from all extension contexts and content scripts in Firefox. In Chrome, the clipboardRead permission is only supported in extension contexts (not content scripts). Safari does not support the clipboardRead permission at all.

Rob--W · 2025-12-30T17:14:53Z

files/en-us/mozilla/add-ons/webextensions/interact_with_the_clipboard/index.md

-
-> [!NOTE]
-> The `clipboard-write` permission name is not supported in Firefox, only Chromium browsers.
+The Clipboard API write methods {{domxref("Clipboard.readText", "navigator.clipboard.readText()")}} and {{domxref("Clipboard.writeText", "navigator.clipboard.writeText()")}} write arbitrary content to the clipboard. The methods are available from a secure context after the extension's user has performed {{Glossary("Transient Activation","transient activation")}}. However, with the [`"clipboardWrite"` permission](/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/manifest.json/permissions#clipboardwrite) the methods are available without transient activation.


readText -> write.

available -> rephrased, because "methods are available" could imply that the API method is missing if the conditions have not been met. However, the methods are always there, they just reject if the requirements have not been met.

Suggested change

The Clipboard API write methods {{domxref("Clipboard.readText", "navigator.clipboard.readText()")}} and {{domxref("Clipboard.writeText", "navigator.clipboard.writeText()")}} write arbitrary content to the clipboard. The methods are available from a secure context after the extension's user has performed {{Glossary("Transient Activation","transient activation")}}. However, with the [`"clipboardWrite"` permission](/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/manifest.json/permissions#clipboardwrite) the methods are available without transient activation.

The Clipboard API methods {{domxref("Clipboard.write", "navigator.clipboard.write()")}} and {{domxref("Clipboard.writeText", "navigator.clipboard.writeText()")}} write arbitrary content to the clipboard. The methods are available from a secure context, but are only functional after the extension's user has performed {{Glossary("Transient Activation","transient activation")}}. However, with the [`"clipboardWrite"` permission](/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/manifest.json/permissions#clipboardwrite) transient activation is not required.

Please apply a similar edit to the other section.

Rob--W · 2025-12-30T17:22:19Z

files/en-us/mozilla/add-ons/webextensions/interact_with_the_clipboard/index.md

 }
 ```

-### Using execCommand()


Could you restore the full examples here? They are more helpful than the replacements that you added. The original explanation is more tutorial-like and a walkthrough with all relevant details (including a highlight of the difference of running with and without user interaction).

And although execCommand has been deprecated, I do not see it going away realistically, due to its long history, prevalent use, and supporting capabilities that are not available in the clipboard API.

For that reason, instead of rewriting the example, I'd suggest to restore the execCommand examples.

Rob--W · 2025-12-30T17:24:03Z

files/en-us/mozilla/firefox/releases/147/index.md


 ## Changes for add-on developers

+- When using [navigator.clipboard.readText()](/en-US/docs/Web/API/Clipboard/readText) or [navigator.clipboard.read()](/en-US/docs/Web/API/Clipboard/read) without the `clipboardRead` permission, a clipboard paste button is displayed to obtain user confirmation. If the extension has `clipboardRead` permission, it reads the clipboard data without user confirmation. For more information on working with the clipboard in extensions, see [Interact with the clipboard](/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/Interact_with_the_clipboard). ([Firefox bug 1773681](https://bugzil.la/1773681))


Suggested change

- When using [navigator.clipboard.readText()](/en-US/docs/Web/API/Clipboard/readText) or [navigator.clipboard.read()](/en-US/docs/Web/API/Clipboard/read) without the `clipboardRead` permission, a clipboard paste button is displayed to obtain user confirmation. If the extension has `clipboardRead` permission, it reads the clipboard data without user confirmation. For more information on working with the clipboard in extensions, see [Interact with the clipboard](/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/Interact_with_the_clipboard). ([Firefox bug 1773681](https://bugzil.la/1773681))

- When using [navigator.clipboard.readText()](/en-US/docs/Web/API/Clipboard/readText) or [navigator.clipboard.read()](/en-US/docs/Web/API/Clipboard/read) without the `clipboardRead` permission, a clipboard paste button is displayed to obtain user confirmation. If the extension has `clipboardRead` permission, it continues to read the clipboard data without user confirmation, as before. For more information on working with the clipboard in extensions, see [Interact with the clipboard](/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/Interact_with_the_clipboard). ([Firefox bug 1773681](https://bugzil.la/1773681))

…ance and add additional compatibility details.

Rob--W · 2026-01-02T17:04:22Z

files/en-us/mozilla/add-ons/webextensions/interact_with_the_clipboard/index.md

+
+In Firefox:
+
+- The availability of the Clipboard API read methods on the user's response to a paste prompt became available in Firefox 127. Before that, the methods were only available when the extension set the `"clipboardRead"` permission.


Suggested change

- The availability of the Clipboard API read methods on the user's response to a paste prompt became available in Firefox 127. Before that, the methods were only available when the extension set the `"clipboardRead"` permission.

- The availability of the Clipboard API read methods on the user's response to a paste prompt became available in Firefox 127 in web pages, but only in extensions from Firefox 147. In content Before that, the methods were only available when the extension set the `"clipboardRead"` permission.

Rob--W · 2026-01-02T17:05:14Z

files/en-us/mozilla/add-ons/webextensions/manifest.json/permissions/index.md

+Two permissions enable an extension to interact with the clipboard:

 - `clipboardWrite`
-  - : Write to the clipboard using {{DOMxRef("Clipboard.write()")}}, {{DOMxRef("Clipboard.writeText()")}}, `document.execCommand("copy")` or `document.execCommand("cut")`


Keep mention of execCommand. The permissions still unlock functionality on these APIs.

github-actions · 2026-01-02T17:54:50Z

This pull request has merge conflicts that must be resolved before it can be merged.

…or.clipboard.readText()

Bug-1773681 Showing Paste button for navigator.clipboard.readText()

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rebloor requested review from Rob--W and dotproto December 5, 2025 18:04

rebloor self-assigned this Dec 5, 2025

rebloor requested review from a team as code owners December 5, 2025 18:04

rebloor added the Content:WebExt WebExtensions docs label Dec 5, 2025

rebloor requested review from pepelsbey and sideshowbarker and removed request for a team December 5, 2025 18:04

github-actions bot added Content:WebAPI Web API docs Content:Firefox Content in the Mozilla/Firefox subtree size/m [PR only] 51-500 LoC changed labels Dec 5, 2025

rebloor mentioned this pull request Dec 5, 2025

Bug-1773681 updated navigator.clipboard read and write notes mdn/browser-compat-data#28587

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Merge branch 'main' into Bug-1773681-Showing-Paste-button-for-navigat…

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…or.clipboard.readText()

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rebloor added 3 commits December 12, 2025 06:15

Additional note on Chrome behavior

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Merge branch 'Bug-1773681-Showing-Paste-button-for-navigator.clipboar…

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…d.readText()' of ssh://github.com/rebloor/content into Bug-1773681-Showing-Paste-button-for-navigator.clipboard.readText()

Merge branch 'main' into Bug-1773681-Showing-Paste-button-for-navigat…

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…or.clipboard.readText()

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rebloor deleted the Bug-1773681-Showing-Paste-button-for-navigator.clipboard.readText() branch December 31, 2025 17:45

rebloor restored the Bug-1773681-Showing-Paste-button-for-navigator.clipboard.readText() branch December 31, 2025 17:47

rebloor reopened this Dec 31, 2025

Various updates based on feedback, mainly to restore execCommand guid…

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…ance and add additional compatibility details.

rebloor requested a review from Rob--W January 1, 2026 17:45

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Bug-1773681 Showing Paste button for navigator.clipboard.readText() #42263

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		## Changes for add-on developers

		- When using [navigator.clipboard.readText()](/en-US/docs/Web/API/Clipboard/readText) or [navigator.clipboard.read()](/en-US/docs/Web/API/Clipboard/read) without the `clipboardRead` permission, a clipboard paste button is displayed to obtain user confirmation. If the extension has `clipboardRead` permission, it reads the clipboard data without user confirmation. For more information on working with the clipboard in extensions, see [Interact with the clipboard](/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/Interact_with_the_clipboard). ([Firefox bug 1773681](https://bugzil.la/1773681))


		In Firefox:

		- The availability of the Clipboard API read methods on the user's response to a paste prompt became available in Firefox 127. Before that, the methods were only available when the extension set the `"clipboardRead"` permission.

Bug-1773681 Showing Paste button for navigator.clipboard.readText() #42263

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Bug-1773681 Showing Paste button for navigator.clipboard.readText() #42263

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