Window: external property

{{APIRef}} {{deprecated_header}}

The external property of the {{domxref("Window")}} API returns an instance of the External interface, which was intended to contain functions related to adding external search providers to the browser. However, this is now deprecated, and the contained methods are now dummy functions that do nothing as per spec.

Instance methods

The External object has the following methods:

<table class="fullwidth-table"> <tbody> <tr> <th>Method</th> <th>Description</th> </tr> <tr> <td> <code>AddSearchProvider(descriptionURL)</code> </td> <td> Dummy function; does nothing. Used to <a href="/en-US/docs/Web/XML/Guides/OpenSearch">register search descriptions</a>. </td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>IsSearchProviderInstalled()</code></td> <td>Dummy function; does nothing.</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>getHostEnvironmentValue(name)</code> {{non-standard_inline}}</td> <td>Microsoft Edge proprietary API. See <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/internet-explorer/ie-developer/platform-apis/mt795399(v=vs.85)">Microsoft docs</a> for more information.</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Specifications

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Browser compatibility

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