Google Chrome Extensions – Cautions and Expert Tips
Learn expert tips about Chrome extensions. Do you really need them? Watch videos too.
How to View Extensions Installed in Google Chrome Browser?
Click three dots … on top right corner of screen in Chrome browser → Settings → Extensions.
Alternatively, you can enter ‘chrome://extensions/’ and press Enter.
You can also see extensions button on the top right side in the toolbar of Chrome browser.
To explore and search list of available Chrome extensions, please follow the link.
Exercise Caution before Adding Extensions in Chrome Browser
Browser extensions can change your browser settings, can record your browsing history, change behavior of your browser and even some extensions can change the content of websites, you browse. Therefore, add an extension to browser, which is really indispensable.
I personally do not like extensions. Most extensions are provided by third parties, and they collect data including your browsing. So, extensions may become a privacy or security hazard even if you are using browser in Incognito mode.
Therefore, it is quite wise to use in-built features provided by Google Chrome, instead of mindlessly adding extensions in browser. It is also safe to add extensions, directly provided by Google (first party extensions). You can also safely add extensions from highly trustworthy providers.
Google also talks about the risks of permissions for Chrome extensions.
Even a Google document describes Chrome extensions in following words. [RD]
“As they're more deeply integrated into Chrome, applications and extensions that you choose to install can request access to additional capabilities, enabling functionality that doesn't make sense on the web at large: background notifications or raw socket access, for instance.”
Google is a highly trusted entity, and we should only be comfortable sharing our data with Google while using their service, the Chrome browser.
You should remove extensions; you are no longer using. You should also remove an extension, which is not being actively maintained or updated by the developer.
Do You Really Need Chrome Browser Extensions?
Most of the time, you do not need an extension in browser. For example, you do not need any weather-related extensions because weather report is already built-in by default in the browser which you can see in browser home page or at the taskbar in lower right corner of screen.
You may need an Ad Blocker extension but even this is not required as you can perform almost same level settings inside browser through privacy and security settings.
Similarly, you get almost all features of Grammarly extension in Google Docs, especially if you have subscribed to Google Workspace. To check plagiarism, you can run originality reports in Google Classroom.
Many people install ‘dark mode’ extensions to view webpages background in dark color. However, you may not need to use such extensions. In Windows computer click ‘Start’ on bottom left → Settings → Ease of access → Color filters. Here you can select ‘Grayscale inverted’ option to view webpages in dark background and light text in Chrome browser window.
On the ‘Easy of Access’ page in computer settings, you also have another best option for dark mode, by turning ON ‘High contrast’ toggle button.
Similarly, you can turn ON ‘Narrator’ in Ease of Access’ settings of your Windows computer, instead of installing some text to speech browser extension.
You may need an Ad Blocker extension but even this might not require, as you can block some unwanted pop-up ads through these settings: Privacy and security → Site settings → Pop-ups and redirects. You cannot block all ads.
Instead of using any browser extension, you can press down the mouse-wheel, and slightly move mouse upward or downward automatic, continuous, and smooth scrolling a lengthy website page.
Some extensions in web browser, may be helpful for some, the example is a VPN extension.
How to Pin or Unpin Extensions from Toolbar of Chrome Browser?
You can quickly hide any extension, without going deep inside settings. For example, to hide Application Launcher for Drive from toolbar in Chrome bowser, just click ‘Extensions’ icon and click on the ‘Pin’ symbol in the new pane to hide or show it toolbar.
My Favorite Extensions in Chrome Browser
These are best extensions in Google browser.
Dark Reader: For those who want to view all websites in dark mode, for helping their eyes.
Nimbus Screenshot & Screen Video Recorder: You can add it to Chrome browser from web store.
Tabli: To manage so many tabs in Chrome browser effectively.
Todoist for Chrome: Planner app for your daily online life.
Google Keep Chrome Extension: Save notes, links, text and images.
GoFullPage - Full Page Screen Capture: To screenshot of entire webpage.
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