← Sensors & Location
Magnetometer
Probing…Magnetometer is a web platform capability in the Sensors & Location category. Magnetic field readings — a compass. available behind a flag in Chromium; not available in Firefox and Safari. Requires a secure context (HTTPS or localhost) and a user gesture such as a click or tap.
Secure contextUser gesture
Permission magnetometer: unknown
Try it
Loading demo…
Code
const sensor = new Magnetometer({ frequency: 10 })
sensor.addEventListener('reading', () => {
// magnetic field in microtesla
const heading = Math.atan2(sensor.y, sensor.x) * 180 / Math.PI
console.log(sensor.x, sensor.y, sensor.z, heading)
})
sensor.addEventListener('error', e => console.warn(e.error))
sensor.start()Browser support
Chromium
Behind a flag
Firefox
No
Safari
No
Frequently asked questions
Which browsers support Magnetometer?
available behind a flag in Chromium; not available in Firefox and Safari.
Does Magnetometer require HTTPS?
Yes. Magnetometer needs a secure context, so it only works over HTTPS (or on localhost during development).
What is Magnetometer used for?
Magnetic field readings — a compass.
Can I try Magnetometer in my browser?
Yes. shwcs.net runs a live Magnetometer demo that probes your current browser and lets you try the API. Everything runs locally — nothing is sent anywhere.