/tauri-v2

Tauri v2+ Capabilities & Permissions Reference

Contents

• Security Model: v1 vs v2
• Overview
• Capability File Structure
• Core Permissions
• Plugin Permissions
• Scopes
• Permission Sets
• Window and Webview Targeting
• Capability Best Practices
• Common Capability Patterns
• Anti-Patterns

Security Model: v1 vs v2

Tauri v2 replaces the v1 allowlist with a capabilities-first security model. In v1, you listed allowed API calls in tauri.conf.json's allowlist. In v2, permissions must be explicitly granted via capability files in src-tauri/capabilities/.

Three-layer security model:

• Capability: A named collection of permissions, scoped to specific windows/webviews. Lives in src-tauri/capabilities/*.json.
• Permission: An identifier that grants access to a specific command or feature (e.g., fs:allow-read-file). Defined per-plugin.
• Scope: Optional constraint on a permission that limits what it can access (e.g., only $APPDATA/* paths). Part of a permission object.

Overview

Tauri v2+ uses a capabilities-based security model. By default, nothing is allowed - you must explicitly grant permissions through capability files.

Last verified: 2026-04-02. Check the official Tauri changelog when capability semantics or permission names change.

Capability File Structure

Location: src-tauri/capabilities/

{
    "$schema": "../gen/schemas/desktop-schema.json",
    "identifier": "capability-name",
    "description": "What this capability allows",
    "windows": ["main", "settings"],
    "webviews": [],
    "permissions": [
        "core:default",
        "plugin-name:permission-name"
    ]
}

Core Permissions

Essential (Almost Always Needed)

{
    "permissions": [
        "core:default",
        "core:window:default",
        "core:event:default"
    ]
}

Window Permissions

Event Permissions

Plugin Permissions

File System (tauri-plugin-fs)

{
    "permissions": [
        "fs:default",
        "fs:allow-read-dir",
        "fs:allow-read-file",
        "fs:allow-write-file",
        "fs:allow-create-dir",
        "fs:allow-remove-file",
        "fs:allow-rename"
    ]
}

With Scopes:

{
    "permissions": [
        {
            "identifier": "fs:allow-read-file",
            "allow": [
                { "path": "$APPDATA/*" },
                { "path": "$HOME/Documents/*" }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Dialog (tauri-plugin-dialog)

{
    "permissions": [
        "dialog:default",
        "dialog:allow-open",
        "dialog:allow-save",
        "dialog:allow-message",
        "dialog:allow-ask",
        "dialog:allow-confirm"
    ]
}

Shell (tauri-plugin-shell)

{
    "permissions": [
        "shell:default",
        "shell:allow-open",
        "shell:allow-execute"
    ]
}

Scoped Execute:

{
    "permissions": [
        {
            "identifier": "shell:allow-execute",
            "allow": [
                { "name": "git", "args": true },
                { "name": "npm", "args": ["install", "run"] }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

HTTP (tauri-plugin-http)

{
    "permissions": [
        "http:default"
    ]
}

With URL Scopes:

{
    "permissions": [
        {
            "identifier": "http:default",
            "allow": [
                { "url": "https://api.example.com/*" },
                { "url": "https://*.myapp.com/*" }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Store (tauri-plugin-store)

{
    "permissions": [
        "store:default",
        "store:allow-get",
        "store:allow-set",
        "store:allow-delete",
        "store:allow-keys",
        "store:allow-clear"
    ]
}

Clipboard (tauri-plugin-clipboard-manager)

{
    "permissions": [
        "clipboard-manager:default",
        "clipboard-manager:allow-read",
        "clipboard-manager:allow-write"
    ]
}

Notification (tauri-plugin-notification)

{
    "permissions": [
        "notification:default",
        "notification:allow-send",
        "notification:allow-request-permission"
    ]
}

Global Shortcut (tauri-plugin-global-shortcut)

{
    "permissions": [
        "global-shortcut:default",
        "global-shortcut:allow-register",
        "global-shortcut:allow-unregister"
    ]
}

Permission Sets

Permission sets allow grouping multiple permissions into a single reusable identifier. You can use preset permission sets provided by plugins (like fs:default) or define your own in src-tauri/permissions/.

{
  "permissions": [
    "fs:default",          // Permission set: includes common fs operations
    "fs:allow-read-file",  // Individual permission: specific operation
    {
      "identifier": "fs:allow-read-file",  // Permission with scope
      "allow": [{ "path": "$APPDATA/*" }]
    }
  ]
}

Platform-Specific Capabilities

{
    "identifier": "desktop-only",
    "platforms": ["linux", "macos", "windows"],
    "permissions": ["global-shortcut:default"]
}

{
    "identifier": "mobile-only",
    "platforms": ["iOS", "android"],
    "permissions": ["biometric:default", "haptics:default"]
}

Windows and Webviews Targeting

Capabilities are applied to specific windows and webviews by their labels. A window or webview can be part of multiple capabilities, in which case their permissions are merged.

{
  "identifier": "main-window-cap",
  "windows": ["main"],        // Target by window label
  "webviews": [],             // Or target specific webviews
  "permissions": ["core:default", "fs:default"]
}

Remote URL Access

Allow Tauri commands from remote URLs:

{
    "identifier": "remote-access",
    "remote": {
        "urls": ["https://*.myapp.com"]
    },
    "permissions": ["http:default"]
}

Custom Permission Files

Create custom permissions in src-tauri/permissions/:

custom.toml:

[[permission]]
identifier = "allow-home-documents"
description = "Allow access to home documents"
commands.allow = ["read_file", "write_file"]

[[scope.allow]]
path = "$HOME/Documents/**"

Reference in capability:

{
    "permissions": ["custom:allow-home-documents"]
}

Capability Best Practices

1. Principle of Least Privilege: Only grant what's needed
2. Use Scopes: Limit file/URL access to specific paths
3. Separate Capabilities: Create focused capability files for different features
4. Platform-Specific: Use platform filtering for platform-specific features
5. Document: Add descriptions to explain why permissions are needed

See also: Plugin Reference for plugin-specific permission strings | Advanced Runtime for tray/sidecar capabilities

Anti-Pattern: Missing Capability

Plugin installed but NOT in capabilities = silent permission denied at runtime. Always add plugin permissions to a capability file that targets the window using the plugin.

Common Capability Patterns

Minimal App

{
    "identifier": "minimal",
    "windows": ["main"],
    "permissions": ["core:default"]
}

File Manager

{
    "identifier": "file-manager",
    "windows": ["main"],
    "permissions": [
        "core:default",
        "fs:default",
        "dialog:allow-open",
        "dialog:allow-save"
    ]
}

Web-Connected App

{
    "identifier": "web-app",
    "windows": ["main"],
    "permissions": [
        "core:default",
        "http:default",
        "shell:allow-open"
    ]
}

Full Desktop App

{
    "identifier": "full-desktop",
    "windows": ["main"],
    "permissions": [
        "core:default",
        "core:window:default",
        "core:event:default",
        "fs:default",
        "dialog:default",
        "shell:default",
        "clipboard-manager:default",
        "notification:default",
        "global-shortcut:default",
        "store:default"
    ]
}