Short answer: an extension can make you faster, but it can also see the pages you open. Keep a small set from known developers, read the permissions before you select Add extension, limit which sites each one can use, and let Chrome’s Safety Check flag anything harmful. This page gives a short, low-risk set for work and shows how to do each of those checks. Every extension here was checked live in the Chrome Web Store when this page was written.
A small, low-risk set for work
Each of these does one job, comes from a named developer and carries the Web Store’s Featured badge (except Google Docs Offline, which is made by Google). The notes on data come from each extension’s own store listing.
- Passwords: Bitwarden Password Manager, from Bitwarden Inc. Creates a strong, different password for every account and keeps them in an end-to-end encrypted vault. Its listing says the company has third-party security audits done every year.
- Saving your tabs: Session Buddy saves all open tabs in one click and restores them after a crash or restart. Its listing says it needs no account and keeps your data on your computer. OneTab, from OneTab Ltd, turns your tabs into one list; its listing says your tab addresses are never sent to its developers unless you use its share feature.
- Working offline: Google Docs Offline, from Google. Lets you open and edit Google Docs, Sheets and Slides without an internet connection, once you turn on offline access in Google Drive’s settings.
- Staying focused: LeechBlock NG, from James Anderson. Blocks the sites you choose during set hours or after a time limit, and its listing links to a page explaining each permission it asks for.
For more choices by task, see our productivity extensions guide. For tracker blockers and Chrome’s own safety settings, see the privacy and security extensions guide.
Before you install: four checks
- Install only from the Chrome Web Store listing. Open the store yourself or use a link you trust. On Windows and Mac, some programs install a Chrome extension along with themselves; Chrome then asks you to select Enable or Remove the next time it opens. Select Remove if you did not mean to add it.
- Look at who made it. The developer’s name is on the listing. Google gives an Established Publisher badge to developers who have verified their identity and have a good record with its policies, and a Featured badge to vetted extensions. Google says developers cannot pay for either badge.
- Read the permissions. When you select Add to Chrome, Chrome lists what the extension can do. Select Add extension only if that makes sense for the job. A tracker blocker has to work on every site, so it asks for that. If a simple tool asks for far more than its job needs, skip it.
- Turn on Enhanced protection. With Safe Browsing’s Enhanced protection on, Chrome tells you “This extension is not trusted by Enhanced Safe Browsing” when the developer is not yet trusted. You can still select Continue to install, or Close to stop. Google says new developers generally take a few months to become trusted (Google’s help on installing and managing extensions). Enhanced protection is under Settings > Privacy and security > Security.
After you install: limit what it can see
Some extensions ask to read and change data on every site. You can narrow that at any time:
- Select the Extensions icon (the puzzle piece) to the right of the address bar.
- Next to the extension, select More (three dots) and point to This can read and change site data.
- Choose to let it work only when you select it, only on the current site, or on all sites.
To allow an extension on a fixed list of sites, open its Details on the Extensions page and add them under Allowed sites. In the same place, leave Allow in incognito off unless you need the extension there. Google notes that these site settings do not change what a VPN or proxy extension does to your network connection.
The Extensions page is here:
chrome://extensions
Keep checking
- Run Safety Check. Go to Settings > Privacy and security and select Go to Safety Check. Among other things, it warns you about extensions that might pose security risks (Google’s help on Safety Check).
- Replace unsupported extensions. Chrome may turn off extensions that no longer meet the Web Store’s requirements. On the Extensions page, select Details on the turned-off extension, then More > Find Alternatives, or select Remove.
- Remove what you no longer use. Right-click its icon and select Remove from Chrome, or select Remove on the Extensions page. Fewer extensions means fewer programs with access to your pages.
On a work or school computer
Your organization might block some extensions, so an extension may not install even from the Web Store. Ask your administrator before you use any extension that handles passwords or company documents. Our guide to separate work and personal profiles shows how to keep your own extensions apart from work.