A browser extension is a type of software that is added to a browser to extend its capabilities. Sticky Notes, for example, is a Google Chrome browser extension that makes it easy to takes notes inside Chrome as you read articles or watch videos. There are also extensions that capture and edit screenshots in your browser, check your spelling, display the lyrics for YouTube music videos, and much more.
Browser extensions are only available for desktop versions of Chrome. Extensions do not work with the Chrome mobile apps.
Google Chrome extensions can be downloaded from the Chrome Web Store and from unofficial sites that offer CRX files. Google Chrome also uses web apps, but these apps are not the same as extensions.
To download Google Chrome extensions from the official location of approved extensions:
Visit the Chrome Web Store and search for the extension you want to install.
Select the extension to open its Details page for more information.
You may be prompted to sign in to your Google account if you're not logged in.
The button changes to Checking and then Added to Chrome when the installation is complete.
If you want to download a CRX file from the Chrome Web Store without installing it to Chrome automatically, do the following:
In the Chrome Web Store, go to the page for the extension you want.
In the address bar, copy the extension's URL.
Open the Chrome Extension Downloader in your browser by visiting https://chrome-extension-downloader.com/.
Paste the URL into the text box and select Download extension.
If prompted, select Keep when Chrome attempts to download the CRX file.
You'll find the CRX file in your Downloads folder. Open it when you want to begin installation process.
Two known software programs (notably, 7-Zip developed by Igor Pavlov) are related to the CRX file extension. In addition, they are categorized under a single primary file type, described as the Chrome Extension format. CRX files are traditionally categorized as Plugin Files.
CRX files are found on both mobile and desktop platforms and can be opened using Windows, Android, and Linux operating systems. The Popularity Rating for CRX files is 'Low', which means these files are not ordinarily found on an everyday user's device.
Interested to learn more about the CRX File Extension? We encourage you to view the detailed file information below to learn about the software that opens CRX files, and other troubleshooting tips.
/ 11690
Google has, over the years, increased its restrictions for installing third-party Chrome extensions to help protect Chrome users from malicious code. A few years ago, you could simply install an extension from a developer's site without any hassle. Last year, you needed only to enable Developer mode before installing a CRX (Chrome extension) file. Now, according to Google, 'to protect you while you browse, Chrome only lets you use extensions that have been published on the Chrome Web Store.'
If you are willing to assume the risk, there is a side door that Google left ajar for developers to test out their extensions, which you can use to install extensions that aren't listed in the Chrome Web Store. And here's the part where I say again that installing unverified extensions from unknown sources is risky and could expose your computer to malicious code. Proceed at your own risk.
Still with me? OK, here are the steps needed to install an extension from somewhere other than the Chrome Web Store.
1. Download the CRX file to your computer for the Chrome extension you want to install.
2. Go to chrome://extensions/ and check the box for Developer mode in the top right.
3. Use a CRX Extractor app -- I used CRX Extractor -- to unpack the CRX file and turn it into a ZIP file.
4. Locate the ZIP file on your computer and unzip it.
5. Go back to the chrome://extensions/ page and click the Load unpacked extension button and select the unzipped folder for your extension to install it.
For more, learn how to mute browser tabs and why Google won't build an ad-blocker into Chrome.
Tech Enabled: CNET chronicles tech's role in providing new kinds of accessibility.
Technically Literate: Original works of short fiction with unique perspectives on tech, exclusively on CNET.
Convert a photo of data into a spreadsheet: Microsoft's new tool for Android phones does this in a snap.
If your iPhone is lost or stolen, immediately do these things: Commit these tips to memory if the worst befalls your phone.
I have just created a very simple chrome extension and it works fine. But when I converted to .crx file and try to open it with chrome, nothing happens. my chrome browser version is 19.0.1081.2 dev-m. My extension uses jquery-1.4.2.min
. I could not understand whats the problem?
Opening the debug console in Chrome, or even looking at the html source file (after it is loaded in the browser), make sure that all the paths there are valid (i.e. when you follow a link you get to it's content, and not an error). When something is not valid, fix the path (e.g. get rid of the server specific part and make sure you only refer to files that are part of your extension through paths like /js/jquery-123-min.js
).
Drag & Drop - the .crx on to the 'Extensions' page.
Settings-Icon >Tools >Extensions
( the 'three horizontal-bars' icon in the top-right corner )
Enable Developer Mode (toggle button in top-right corner)
Drag and drop the 'crx' extension file onto the Extensions page from [step 1]
( .crx file should likely be in your Downloads directory )
Install
Source: Chrome YouTube Downloader - install instructions.
I had a similar issue where I was not able to either install a CRX file into Chrome.
It turns out that since I had my Downloads folder set to a network mapped drive, it would not allow Chrome to install any extensions and would either do nothing (drag and drop on Chrome) or ask me to download the extension (if I clicked a link from the Web Store).
Setting the Downloads folder to a local disk directory instead of a network directory allowed extensions to be installed.
Running: 20.0.1132.57 m
In case Chrome tells you 'This can only be added from the Chrome Web Store', you can try the following:
File format
This tool parses .CRX version 2 format documented by Google. In general, .CRX file format consist of few parts:
Magic header
Version of file format
Public Key information and a package signatureZipped contents of the extension source codeMagic header is a signature of the file telling that this file is Chrome Extension. Using this header the operating system can determine the actual type of the file (MIME type is application/x-chrome-extension), and how should it be treaten (is it executable? is it a text file?). Then the window system can show beautiful icon to the user.
In .CRX files the magic header has a constant value Cr24 or 0x43723234.
The version is provided by vendor. The version bytes are 0x02000000.
The next part of the file contains the length of the public key information and the length of a digital signature.
All .CRX packages distributed via Chrome WebStore should have public key information and digital signature in order to make possible for browser to check that the package has been transmitted without modifications and that no additions or replacements were made.
After all of the header stuff, typically ending up on 307'th byte, comes the code of extension, stored as zip-archive. So the remainder of the .crx file is the well-known .zip archive.
.crx file opened in the hex editor called HexFiend (on Mac)The header part of a .crx file selected on the picture above. Obviously, you can extract the remaining .zip archive 'by hand' using any simple hex editor. In this example, we use handy HexFiend editor on Mac.
The CRX Extractor loads a file provided, checks a magic header, version and trims the file, so only .zip archive remains. Then it returns obtained .zip archive to user.
ref:
https://crxextractor.com/about.html
I have just created a very simple chrome extension and it works fine. But when I converted to .crx file and try to open it with chrome, nothing happens. my chrome browser version is 19.0.1081.2 dev-m. My extension uses jquery-1.4.2.min
. I could not understand whats the problem?
Opening the debug console in Chrome, or even looking at the html source file (after it is loaded in the browser), make sure that all the paths there are valid (i.e. when you follow a link you get to it's content, and not an error). When something is not valid, fix the path (e.g. get rid of the server specific part and make sure you only refer to files that are part of your extension through paths like /js/jquery-123-min.js
).
Drag & Drop - the .crx on to the 'Extensions' page.
Settings-Icon >Tools >Extensions
( the 'three horizontal-bars' icon in the top-right corner )
Enable Developer Mode (toggle button in top-right corner)
Drag and drop the 'crx' extension file onto the Extensions page from [step 1]
( .crx file should likely be in your Downloads directory )
Install
Source: Chrome YouTube Downloader - install instructions.
I had a similar issue where I was not able to either install a CRX file into Chrome.
It turns out that since I had my Downloads folder set to a network mapped drive, it would not allow Chrome to install any extensions and would either do nothing (drag and drop on Chrome) or ask me to download the extension (if I clicked a link from the Web Store).
Setting the Downloads folder to a local disk directory instead of a network directory allowed extensions to be installed.
Running: 20.0.1132.57 m
In case Chrome tells you 'This can only be added from the Chrome Web Store', you can try the following:
File format
This tool parses .CRX version 2 format documented by Google. In general, .CRX file format consist of few parts:
Magic header
Version of file format
Public Key information and a package signatureZipped contents of the extension source codeMagic header is a signature of the file telling that this file is Chrome Extension. Using this header the operating system can determine the actual type of the file (MIME type is application/x-chrome-extension), and how should it be treaten (is it executable? is it a text file?). Then the window system can show beautiful icon to the user.
In .CRX files the magic header has a constant value Cr24 or 0x43723234.
The version is provided by vendor. The version bytes are 0x02000000.
The next part of the file contains the length of the public key information and the length of a digital signature.
All .CRX packages distributed via Chrome WebStore should have public key information and digital signature in order to make possible for browser to check that the package has been transmitted without modifications and that no additions or replacements were made.
After all of the header stuff, typically ending up on 307'th byte, comes the code of extension, stored as zip-archive. So the remainder of the .crx file is the well-known .zip archive.
.crx file opened in the hex editor called HexFiend (on Mac)The header part of a .crx file selected on the picture above. Obviously, you can extract the remaining .zip archive 'by hand' using any simple hex editor. In this example, we use handy HexFiend editor on Mac.
The CRX Extractor loads a file provided, checks a magic header, version and trims the file, so only .zip archive remains. Then it returns obtained .zip archive to user.
ref:
https://crxextractor.com/about.html