Whether you’re a student or work from home or an office, Chrome has some great extensions that help with organization, productivity, learning, and entertainment. You’ve probably discovered quite a few of these handy extensions and plugins on your computer. So, how can you get these extensions on your Android device as well? Is it even possible?
The good news is that it’s possible and relatively easy to get your favorite Chrome extensions on your Android device, and we’ll show you how. In this article on Chrome extensions for your Android device, we’ll be covering the following topics:
- Why should you get Google Chrome Extensions for Android?
- Is there a difference between Chrome mobile extensions and PC extensions?
- Steps to get Chrome extensions on Android
- Steps to remove Chrome extensions from Android
Why Should You Get Google Chrome Extensions for Android?
For most of us, our Android devices are so much more than just a phone. It’s also a work tool, diary, day planner, source of inspiration, meal planner, exercise planner, and more. It just makes sense that with the wide range of extensions available to help with all these, we’d want it available on our mobile device as well.
Think about how many times you have to type emails from your device. How many of these emails are professional? If you had the Grammarly Chrome extension on your Android phone, you’d be assured that your emails are written correctly. Perhaps privacy is your main concern, and you’d like to have the Privacy Badger extension for Chrome on your Android device to also offer its protection there? These are just a few of many examples as to why you should get Chrome extensions on your Android device.
Is There a Difference Between Chrome Mobile Extensions and PC Extensions?
There is a significant difference when it comes to Chrome Android extensions and those available on PC. Google Chrome is one of the most popular browsers on Android and Windows devices. It is one of the fastest, securest, and easiest to use. You also have the added benefit of having a wide range of extensions and add-ons available so that you can completely personalize your browsing experience.
These Chrome extensions are readily available on your PC Chrome browser, but for some reason, they are not yet available on the Android Chrome version. This is odd considering that Google created both Chrome and Android. One would think they would’ve made it possible to install Chrome extensions on your Android device. This is especially true when you consider that Firefox users have been able to install and use Chrome extensions for a while.
The only way that you’ll be able to use Chrome extensions on your Android device is by using another Chromium browser. Luckily for you, there are many good chromium-based browsers available for Android that also support Chrome extensions. Here are a few of our favorite chromium browsers to look at:
- Yandex (most popular option)
- Kiwi Browser
- Bromite Browser
- Dolphin Browser
Steps to Get Chrome Extensions on Android
Now that we’ve covered a bit about why you’d want to use extensions on Android, and the key difference between Chrome on PC and Chrome on Android, let’s get into the actual steps you need to take to install Chrome extensions on your Android device.
Step 1: Download New Browser
First, you’ll have to download a new chromium browser that is able to access the Chrome Webstore and install extensions. To do this, you can go into your Play Store and download one of the browsers mentioned above. Yandex seems to be one of the favorites, especially when it comes to also using Chrome extensions.
Step 2: Make the New Browser Your Default
Once the new browser has been downloaded and installed on your Android device, you need to make it the default browser. Open the phone settings on your Android device and tap on ‘Apps and Notifications’. Next, tap on ‘Advanced’ and then tap on ‘Default App’.
Step 3: Go to the Chrome Webstore
Now you can go into your new browser and type in chrome.google.com/webstore to go to the Chrome Webstore.
Step 4: Search for the Extension
In the search bar, type the name of the extension you want. You can also search for the type of extension you want if you don’t know the exact name. Once you see the extension you’d like in the search results, you can click on it to get more information and proceed with installing it should you wish to.
Step 5: Install the Extension
Click on the extension in the search results; you will be taken to a page with more information and reviews of the extension. If you want to download it, tap on ‘Install’ at the bottom of the page. Once the extension has been installed on your Android device, it will automatically be added to your browser.
Tip: Be aware that not all extensions will work on your new browser. There are still limitations to the types of Chrome extensions that will work on your mobile device. However, there are a few that generally work well. This might take some trial and error to find the right mobile Chrome extensions.
Steps to Remove Chrome Extensions on Android
Since there is a bit of trial-and-error with Chrome extensions on Android devices, you may have to remove extensions after installing them. This could be because they don’t work on your device, or perhaps they don’t do what you hoped they would. Here are the steps to disable and remove extensions and add-ons.
Step 1: Open Your Browser
Open your browser that has the extensions or add-ons you want to remove.
Step 2: Open Your Browser Settings
Now, tap on your browser settings. This is usually represented by three vertical dots.
Step 3: Navigate to Your Extension
Once in your browser’s settings, tap on ‘Add-ons and Themes’ or similar (this title may vary between different browsers) and then tap on ‘Extensions’.
Step 4: Disable Extensions
Scroll through the list of installed extensions until you find the one you want to disable or remove. If you want to disable the extension, you can tap on the toggle.
Step 5: Remove Extension
If you want to completely remove the extension, you’ll need to tap on the three vertical dots next to the extension and then select ‘Remove’.
Bottom Line
Having access to your favorite Chrome extensions on Android can make all the difference between an ok browsing experience and a great one. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to do this with your Chrome browser. Luckily there are many other chromium browsers such as Yandex or Firefox that allow you to install Android Chrome add-ons.
Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post How to Get Chrome Extensions on Android appeared first on gHacks Technology News.
0 Commentaires