Messenger Navigation Item IM_NAVIGATION

If you are developing integrations for Bitrix24 using AI tools (Codex, Claude Code, Cursor), connect to the MCP server so that the assistant can utilize the official REST documentation.

Scope: placement, im

The widget adds its own item to the messenger navigation menu — to the same row that holds Chats, Channels, and Market. When the item is clicked, the application opens in the entire working area of the messenger, instead of the chat list and the conversation.

The placement suits applications that work with the messenger as a whole rather than with a particular chat or message: conversation summaries, reports, custom dialog lists.

The placement code is specified in the PLACEMENT parameter of the placement.bind method.

The widget is not displayed in the interface until the application installation is complete. Check the application installation

Where the widget is embedded

Placement Code

Location

IM_NAVIGATION

Item in the messenger navigation menu

Where it is located in the interface

Open the messenger and look at the row of navigation items at the top of the screen. The application item appears in this row with the name from the TITLE parameter.

If there are more items than fit into the row, some of them move under the More button. The application item is added last, so most often it ends up there.

Application item in the messenger navigation menu

What the handler receives

Data is sent in a POST request: some parameters come in the handler URL query string, the rest in the request body

Array
        (
            [DOMAIN] => xxx.bitrix24.com
            [PROTOCOL] => 1
            [LANG] => en
            [APP_SID] => c14d1f3266fe7ba3cd098e2d04dccda3
            [AUTH_ID] => 83fd7166007e9c94001e30ba00000001f0f107a52e6ad7ef9a1b8c3d5e2f4061
            [AUTH_EXPIRES] => 3600
            [REFRESH_ID] => 737c9966007e9c94001e30ba00000001f0f1072b8d4e6f01a3c57d9e8b2f4160
            [SERVER_ENDPOINT] => https://oauth.bitrix.info/rest/
            [APPLICATION_TOKEN] => ec1b2074a9d3f5c81b6e40d27a95cf38
            [APPLICATION_SCOPE] => im,placement
            [member_id] => d897063e1ce7c5eb9f04b9751eef5915
            [status] => L
            [PLACEMENT] => IM_NAVIGATION
            [PLACEMENT_OPTIONS] => {"URI":"\/online\/"}
        )
        

After parsing, the PLACEMENT_OPTIONS string from this example looks like this:

{
            "URI": "/online/"
        }
        

Required parameters are marked with *

Parameters in the Handler URL Query String

Parameter
type

Description

DOMAIN*
string

The Bitrix24 address where the widget handler was invoked

PROTOCOL*
string

Secure or non-secure HTTP protocol:

  • 0 - HTTP
  • 1 - HTTPS

LANG*
string

The user interface language of Bitrix24 that invoked the widget. You can localize the interface language in your widget based on this value

APP_SID*
string

Application session identifier. Bitrix24 generates a new one each time the widget is rendered and uses it to link the js library with the application environment

Parameters in the POST Request Body

Parameter
type

Description

AUTH_ID
string

Authorization token OAuth 2 issued for the user who invoked the widget. Can be used for REST API calls on behalf of this user

AUTH_EXPIRES
integer

Time in seconds after which the authorization token will become invalid

REFRESH_ID
string

Refresh token OAuth 2 issued for the user who invoked the widget. Can be used to refresh the authorization token on behalf of this user

SERVER_ENDPOINT*
string

Address of the Bitrix24 authorization server needed to refresh OAuth 2 tokens

APPLICATION_TOKEN*
string

Application token. The same value is passed in the application_token parameter when event handlers are invoked. The widget handler can use it to verify that the request came from Bitrix24

APPLICATION_SCOPE*
string

List of scopes granted to the application, separated by commas. Shows which REST API methods are available with the authorization token received

member_id*
string

Unique string identifier of Bitrix24 where the widget handler was invoked.

status
string

Type of application that registered the handler for this widget. Accepts values:

  • L - local application
  • F - free mass-market application
  • D - demo version of a mass-market application
  • T - trial version of a mass-market application, time-limited
  • P - paid mass-market application

PLACEMENT*
string

The placement code. You can use the same handler URL for all your widgets. The value that Bitrix24 will report in the PLACEMENT parameter will help determine from which specific placement your handler was invoked in each case

PLACEMENT_OPTIONS
string

Additional data in the form of a JSON string that defines the context of the widget execution. For example, this could be an array containing the numeric identifier of the CRM object in the detail form where the widget handler was invoked, etc. The PLACEMENT_OPTIONS parameter, along with the PLACEMENT parameter, allows you to accurately determine for which specific placement and object the widget handler was invoked

Bitrix24 adds a URI key to PLACEMENT_OPTIONS — the path with the query string of the page from which the widget was opened. It arrives for any placement, along with the keys of that placement itself. The key is absent if the browser did not send the Referer header or if the widget was opened from a page on a different domain.

How to Parse the Call Context

PLACEMENT_OPTIONS arrives as a JSON string, not as an array: parse it on the handler side before use. The set of keys is specific to each placement and is described in the PLACEMENT_OPTIONS section of this page.

$placement = $_POST['PLACEMENT'] ?? '';
        $options = json_decode($_POST['PLACEMENT_OPTIONS'] ?? '{}', true);
        
options = json.loads(request.form.get("PLACEMENT_OPTIONS", "{}") or "{}")
        

In B24JsSDK, there is no need to parse the string: the $b24.placement.options property returns a ready object, and $b24.placement.placement returns the placement code.

What the Handler Must Return

The handler responds with a regular HTML page — Bitrix24 displays it in a frame in place of the widget. The page must allow embedding: if the application server sends the X-Frame-Options or Content-Security-Policy headers that prohibit framing, an empty area remains in place of the widget. How to fix it is described in the article Site Does Not Allow Connection.

PLACEMENT_OPTIONS

The PLACEMENT_OPTIONS value is passed as a JSON string with the call context. The placement has no keys of its own: the widget is opened for the messenger as a whole, not for a particular chat. Only the universal URI key with the address of the messenger page arrives in the context.

If the application needs a chat identifier, use the placements that are called from the chat itself: IM_SIDEBAR, IM_TEXTAREA, or IM_CONTEXT_MENU.

OPTIONS when registering via placement.bind

For IM_NAVIGATION, the placement.bind method supports the OPTIONS parameters.

Required parameters are marked with *

Parameter type

Description

iconName* string

Name of a Font Awesome 4 icon, for example fa-rocket. Bitrix24 adds the fa set class itself. Up to 50 characters, the value must contain Latin letters, a space, or -.

The parameter is required: without it, placement.bind returns the ERROR_ARGUMENT error. In the current messenger interface the navigation item is rendered as text, while the icon is used in the other placements of the section

extranet string

Access in the extranet, default is N.

Possible values:

  • N — application is not available for extranet users
  • Y — application is available for extranet users

role string

User role, default is USER.

Possible values:

  • USER — application is available to all users
  • ADMIN — application is available only to portal administrators

The context parameter, which limits the display by chat type, does not apply to this placement: the navigation item is not bound to a chat.

Code Examples

How to Use Examples in Documentation

curl -X POST \
          -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
          -H "Accept: application/json" \
          -d '{
            "PLACEMENT": "IM_NAVIGATION",
            "HANDLER": "https://your-domain.com/widgets/im-navigation-handler.php",
            "TITLE": "My section",
            "LANG_ALL": {
              "en": {
                "TITLE": "My section"
              },
              "de": {
                "TITLE": "Mein Bereich"
              }
            },
            "OPTIONS": {
              "iconName": "fa-rocket",
              "role": "USER",
              "extranet": "N"
            },
            "auth": "**put_access_token_here**"
          }' \
          https://**put_your_bitrix24_address**/rest/placement.bind
        
// This snippet is an ES module: top-level await requires type="module" or a bundler.
        // $b24 is an already-initialized SDK instance (see the SDK "Get started" guide).
        import { Text } from '@bitrix24/b24jssdk'
        import type { B24Frame } from '@bitrix24/b24jssdk'
        
        declare const $b24: B24Frame
        
        try {
          const response = await $b24.actions.v2.call.make<boolean>({
            method: 'placement.bind',
            params: {
              PLACEMENT: 'IM_NAVIGATION',
              HANDLER: 'https://your-domain.com/widgets/im-navigation-handler.php',
              TITLE: 'My section',
              LANG_ALL: {
                en: {
                  TITLE: 'My section',
                },
                de: {
                  TITLE: 'Mein Bereich',
                },
              },
              OPTIONS: {
                iconName: 'fa-rocket',
                role: 'USER',
                extranet: 'N',
              },
            },
            requestId: Text.getUuidRfc4122()
          })
        
          // The payload is available only on a successful response
          if (!response.isSuccess) {
            console.error(response.getErrorMessages().join('; '))
          } else {
            const result = response.getData()!.result
            console.info('Placement bound successfully:', result)
          }
        } catch (error) {
          // Thrown on transport or SDK failures (AjaxError, SdkError, etc.)
          console.error(error)
        }
        
<!-- Load the SDK (UMD build); it is exposed as the global B24Js -->
        <script src="https://unpkg.com/@bitrix24/b24jssdk@1/dist/umd/index.min.js"></script>
        <script>
          async function bindImNavigation() {
            try {
              // Initialize the SDK inside a Bitrix24 frame
              const $b24 = await B24Js.initializeB24Frame()
        
              const response = await $b24.actions.v2.call.make({
                method: 'placement.bind',
                params: {
                  PLACEMENT: 'IM_NAVIGATION',
                  HANDLER: 'https://your-domain.com/widgets/im-navigation-handler.php',
                  TITLE: 'My section',
                  LANG_ALL: {
                    en: {
                      TITLE: 'My section',
                    },
                    de: {
                      TITLE: 'Mein Bereich',
                    },
                  },
                  OPTIONS: {
                    iconName: 'fa-rocket',
                    role: 'USER',
                    extranet: 'N',
                  },
                },
                requestId: B24Js.Text.getUuidRfc4122()
              })
        
              // The payload is available only on a successful response
              if (!response.isSuccess) {
                console.error(response.getErrorMessages().join('; '))
                return
              }
        
              const result = response.getData().result
              console.info('Placement bound successfully:', result)
            } catch (error) {
              // Thrown on transport or SDK failures (AjaxError, SdkError, etc.)
              console.error(error)
            }
          }
        
          document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', bindImNavigation)
        </script>
        
try {
            $response = $b24Service
                ->core
                ->call(
                    'placement.bind',
                    [
                        'PLACEMENT' => 'IM_NAVIGATION',
                        'HANDLER' => 'https://your-domain.com/widgets/im-navigation-handler.php',
                        'TITLE' => 'My section',
                        'LANG_ALL' => [
                            'en' => [
                                'TITLE' => 'My section',
                            ],
                            'de' => [
                                'TITLE' => 'Mein Bereich',
                            ],
                        ],
                        'OPTIONS' => [
                            'iconName' => 'fa-rocket',
                            'role' => 'USER',
                            'extranet' => 'N',
                        ],
                    ]
                );
        
            $result = $response->getResponseData()->getResult();
            if ($result->error()) {
                error_log($result->error());
            } else {
                echo 'Success: ' . print_r($result->data(), true);
            }
        } catch (Throwable $e) {
            error_log($e->getMessage());
            echo 'Error binding placement: ' . $e->getMessage();
        }
        
BX24.callMethod(
            'placement.bind',
            {
                PLACEMENT: 'IM_NAVIGATION',
                HANDLER: 'https://your-domain.com/widgets/im-navigation-handler.php',
                TITLE: 'My section',
                LANG_ALL: {
                    en: { TITLE: 'My section' },
                    de: { TITLE: 'Mein Bereich' }
                },
                OPTIONS: {
                    iconName: 'fa-rocket',
                    role: 'USER',
                    extranet: 'N'
                }
            },
            function(result) {
                if (result.error()) {
                    console.error(result.error());
                } else {
                    console.log(result.data());
                }
            }
        );
        
require_once('crest.php');
        
        $result = CRest::call(
            'placement.bind',
            [
                'PLACEMENT' => 'IM_NAVIGATION',
                'HANDLER' => 'https://your-domain.com/widgets/im-navigation-handler.php',
                'TITLE' => 'My section',
                'LANG_ALL' => [
                    'en' => [
                        'TITLE' => 'My section',
                    ],
                    'de' => [
                        'TITLE' => 'Mein Bereich',
                    ],
                ],
                'OPTIONS' => [
                    'iconName' => 'fa-rocket',
                    'role' => 'USER',
                    'extranet' => 'N',
                ],
            ]
        );
        
        echo '<PRE>';
        print_r($result);
        echo '</PRE>';
        
// client and ctx are already created — see the Go SDK section
        res, err := client.Core().Call(ctx, "placement.bind", b24.Params{
        	"PLACEMENT": "IM_NAVIGATION",
        	"HANDLER":   "https://your-domain.com/widgets/im-navigation-handler.php",
        	"TITLE":     "My section",
        	"LANG_ALL": b24.Params{
        		"ru": b24.Params{
        			"TITLE": "My section",
        		},
        		"en": b24.Params{
        			"TITLE": "My section",
        		},
        	},
        	"OPTIONS": b24.Params{
        		"iconName": "fa-rocket",
        		"role":     "USER",
        		"extranet": "N",
        	},
        })
        if err != nil {
        	return fmt.Errorf("placement.bind: %w", err)
        }
        
        // The response arrives as json.RawMessage — unmarshal it into a struct
        // matching the response shape from the "Response Handling" section of the placement.bind page.
        fmt.Printf("%s\n", res.Result)
        

Typical Errors

Error

How to Resolve

placement.bind returns WRONG_AUTH_TYPE with the description Application context required

Register the embedding point on behalf of an application. An embedding point cannot be bound with a webhook

placement.bind returns ERROR_ARGUMENT

The required OPTIONS[iconName] parameter is missing. The code of the empty field arrives in argument

The item did not appear in the messenger navigation menu

Complete the application installation and reopen the messenger

The item is not found in the navigation row

The application item is added last, so most often it moves under the More button. Open that list

The display of the item is restricted with the context key

The embedding point is not tied to a chat, and the context key does not apply to it. Access can be restricted with the role and extranet keys

Other registration error codes are listed in the "Possible Error Codes" section of the placement.bind page.

Continue Learning