Feature request: Permissions API

[RendijsSmukulis]

There's currently no way to list or manage site permissions (e.g. geolocation, camera, microphone) apart from handling the PermissionsRequested event.

To create meaningful indicators of permissions for the users we'd need to:

• Be able to list what permissions have been set for a given site (allow/deny/query)
• Be able to programmatically change and reset them

There's a couple ways this can be enabled:

• Quick-win: add a flag to WebView2 parameters that ensures the PermissionsRequested is fired every time a permission is requested by site. This would allow us to manage the permissions entirely in our code, and decide which ones are cached and when they're reset
• Alternatively, add a proper API that allows listing permissions that have been granted, denied, set to query; and modify/erase them.

AB#39482825

[victorthoang]

Thanks for the feedback RendijsSmukulis! We've added this as a scenario on our backlog!

[deeringc]

It's definitely not supported or even advisable to make any changes to these files, but it seems that the EBWebView\Default\Preferences json file stores the relevant information.

				"media_stream_camera": {
					"https://webcamtests.com:443,*": {
						"expiration": "0",
						"last_modified": "13298647470739859",
						"model": 0,
						"setting": 1
					}
				},
				"media_stream_mic": {},

[nishitha-burman]

Hi @RendijsSmukulis,

Can you describe the scenarios you are trying to light up by managing site permissions?

Thanks,
Nishitha

[RendijsSmukulis]

Can you describe the scenarios you are trying to light up by managing site permissions?

• We want to provide the ability for our users to list what sites they have set non-default permissions on (e.g. always allow)
• We want to provide a way to modify or clear these permissions settings
• We want to provide a way to indicate to the user what permissions the user has granted to the currently open page, and modify said permissions

[nishitha-burman]

Hi @RendijsSmukulis,

Thank you for your reply. Other follow up questions:

1. Do you want to programmatically reset permissions for a given site or control all permissions for all sites? Or both?
2. Does this list cover all the permissions you are interested in: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/microsoft.web.webview2.core.corewebview2permissionkind?view=webview2-dotnet-1.0.1185.39?

Thank you

[q71114]

Hi @nishitha-burman

1. We want the former (to control permissions for any given site). That being said once that's done by monitoring which sites have permission set we can achieve the latter as well.
2. The most critical ones that we need to have access to are
   • Geolocation
   • Camera
   • Microphone
   • Screen Share <- this one is missing

[nishitha-burman]

Hi @q71114,

Do you want to be able to permissions for any site at any given time? E.g. be able to change permissions for a site even though you're not on that site?

Thanks,
Nishitha

[q71114]

Hi @nishitha-burman,

Yes, we want the option to change the permission for any site at any given time although the scope for this is limited.

E.g. be able to change permissions for a site even though you're not on that site?

We only want to do this when clearing allowed / rejected permission so next time the permission request is raised again for this site.

[nishitha-burman]

Hi @q71114,

Can you describe the end user scenario where you would do this?

Thank you,
Nishitha

[q71114]

Can you describe the end user scenario where you would do this?

Hi @nishitha-burman,

We offer option to clear all data for specific domains. When selected all user data will be cleared for those domains including any permissions previously allowed / rejected by the user.

[CoenraadS]

I also have a similar request. e.g. when using window.showDirectoryPicker, a prompt is shown asking the user if they want to give the browser permission to the folder.

This doesn't trigger the permissions request, would be great to have a way to programmatically accept it.

[nishitha-burman]

Hi @CoenraadS,

Is there an Edge (edge://settings/content) or web permission you are referring to that you would like to see triggered in this scenario?

[CoenraadS]

@nishitha-burman

Actually I found another issue already for similar to this bug I mentioned: #1039

Mainly just want the user to interact with the filesystem api, without having to click through the security popup boxes the browser shows. I'm not sure if chrome/edge exposes something for this, which is why I thought perhaps the permissions event would provide some solution.

I made a new issue here: #3121

[vickiez]

Hi all, we added some experimental Permission Management APIs in the new prerelease package, 1.0.1619-prerelease.

• SavesInProfile property on PermissionRequestedEventArgs
• SetPermissionState and GetNonDefaultPermissionSettings on the profile
• New permission types: local font list, automatic downloads, media autoplay, file editing, system exclusive MIDI messages

You can read more here: https://github.com/MicrosoftEdge/WebView2Feedback/blob/main/specs/PermissionManagement.md. Please try these out and let us know if you run into any issues!

Steps for testing upcoming APIs/ features: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/how-to/set-preview-channel.

[q71114]

Hi @vickiez, I can confirm that we can achieve what @RendijsSmukulis requested using the SavesInProfile property on PermissionRequestedEventArgs. Thanks for adding these APIs.

What is your timeline for having them in the stable release?

[vickiez]

Thanks for confirming @q71114. The APIs will be stable in next month's prerelease package, and then they will become part of the 111 release package that is tentatively scheduled for 3/9/23

[vickiez]

Hi all, the extended permission APIs are available in the latest release package, 1.0.1661.34. Closing this issue as completed but feel free to reactivate if needed. Thanks!