You normally do not need to update Chrome extensions yourself. Google’s developer guide Distribute your extension says Chrome “periodically checks extension hosts for new versions of installed extensions and automatically updates them without user intervention.” If you want an update right now, you can make Chrome check immediately.
Update all extensions now
- Open
chrome://extensions, or click the three-dot menu, then Extensions, then Manage Extensions. - Turn on Developer mode at the top right.
- Click Update in the bar that appears. Its tooltip reads “Update extensions now”.
The button checks all your extensions at once. You can turn Developer mode off again afterwards.
Check which version you have
On chrome://extensions, click Details on the extension. The Version line shows what is installed. To see the latest version, open the extension’s page in the Chrome Web Store and look under Details for Version and Updated.
A new version can take a little while to reach you even after it appears in the store. Google’s publishing guide explains that developers of larger extensions can release an update to a percentage of users at a time.
When an extension does not update
- Manifest V2 extensions. Google’s Manifest V2 support timeline records that on August 31, 2026 all remaining Manifest V2 extensions were removed from the Chrome Web Store, and existing installs “can no longer receive updates or be reinstalled if removed.” Chrome had already disabled them for all users in July 2025. Replace them with a current extension.
- Unpacked extensions you loaded yourself. These come from a folder on your computer, not the store. After you change the files, click the refresh icon on the extension’s card, as Google’s extension tutorial describes. See loading unpacked extensions.
- Your Chrome is too old for the new version. A developer can set the oldest Chrome version an extension supports. Google’s developer documentation says existing users “won’t receive updates” when that minimum is higher than their Chrome version. Update Chrome first.
- Extensions on a work or school computer. If your Chrome is managed, your administrator can install and restrict extensions. Ask them about an extension they control.
Update Chrome too
Chrome updates are separate from extension updates, and some extension updates need a recent Chrome. Follow how to update Chrome to get the latest version.
If an extension stopped working after an update, see fix Chrome extension problems.