Link to chrome:// url from a webpage

javascript google-chrome google-chrome-extension hyperlink google-chrome-devtools

16,701

Solution 1

Nope, there is no way to do it from a webpage.

chrome:// is a privileged origin, and any attempt to open it will result in a redirect to about:blank.

Chrome does that to reduce the attack surface: even though just opening those URLs should be harmless, it's better not to allow websites and external programs to even try.

Besides, it's not that harmless, e.g. debug URLs like chrome://crash, chrome://hang (careful, those really do what you expect).

Obviously, you can't use chrome.tabs as it's an extension API not exposed to websites. It is, however, capable of opening privileged origins.

Solution 2

Below works for me;

manifest.json

 {
  "manifest_version": 2,

  "name": "Redirection Sample",
  "description": "Test Redirection",
  "version": "1.0",

  "browser_action": {
    "default_icon": "icon.png",
    "default_popup": "popup.html"
  },
  "permissions": [
    "activeTab",
    "https://ajax.googleapis.com/"
  ]
}

popup.html

<!doctype html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Redirection Popup</title>
    <script src="popup.js"></script>
  </head>
  <body>
  <a href="#" id="test">test</a>
  </body>
</html>

popup.js

  document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
        document.getElementById('test').addEventListener('click', function() {
            chrome.tabs.update({ url: 'chrome://chrome/extensions' });
        });
    });

icon.png

Add a customized one or download a sample from this link

Include all these 4 inside one directory and load unpack the extension to chrome. It should work!

16,701

Author by

mancestr

Updated on June 03, 2022

Comments

mancestr almost 2 years
UPDATE

chrome://about/ has direct links to chrome://settings and others, so it can be done.

How can I link/redirect to a chrome:// URL in a webpage? For example, chrome://settings. When attempting to click a link to a chrome:// URL,
```
<a href="chrome://settings">link</a>
```
I get an error in the console:
```
Not allowed to load local resource: chrome://settings/
```
According to this answer, it is possible:

Link to chrome://chrome/extensions from extension options page

I've tried this script:
```
<a href="#" id="test">test</a>
<script>
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
    document.getElementById('test').addEventListener('click', function () {
        chrome.tabs.update({
            url: 'chrome://chrome/extensions'
        });
    });
});
</script>
```
And also this one:
```
<a href="#" onclick="chrome.tabs.create({url:'chrome://settings/clearBrowserData'});">click me</a>
```
Neither works. In addition to those, I've tried:
- Linking to it using <a href="chrome://newtab">
- Redirect the user using window.location.
However, I believe there may be a JavaScript workaround. When the user presses a link, is it possible to change the URL to chrome://settings? The user would have to press Enter after, but this seems like the best I'd get.
mancestr over 7 years

Hi- sorry about this, but I'm not looking for extensions, because my workplace blocks us from using any. I'd rather make a solution that works for any user without extensions
f-CJ almost 4 years

Thank you, I had to change 'chrome://chrome/extensions' to 'chrome://extension'