getApproved

getApproved is a function defined in the ERC-721 Non-Fungible Token Standard that returns the address approved to transfer a specific token ID. It allows the owner of a token to designate a single address that is permitted to transfer that particular token, independently of a global approval for all tokens.

The typical function signature is: function getApproved(uint256 tokenId) external view returns (address). When invoked, it returns the address currently approved for the specified tokenId. If no address has been approved, the function returns the zero address. If the token ID does not exist, the call should revert, signaling that the token is not valid.

This function is used in conjunction with approve, which assigns a specific address as the approver for a token, and with setApprovalForAll, which grants a different kind of permission to an operator to manage all tokens of the owner. getApproved helps external applications, wallets, and marketplaces verify who is authorized to transfer a particular token, enabling safer and more auditable interactions with NFT assets.

In practice, getApproved is implemented by ERC-721-compliant contracts and is typically included in libraries such as OpenZeppelin’s IERC721 interface, ensuring consistency across different token contracts and tooling.