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How does one install an extension for Chrome browser from the local file system?

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4 Answers 4

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73

Found a set of instructions online for loading your own custom extension:

  • Navigate to chrome://extensions
  • Expand the Developer dropdown menu and click “Load Unpacked Extension”
  • Navigate to the local folder containing the extension’s code and click Ok
  • Assuming there are no errors, the extension should load into your browser
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  • Ok, updated the answer to include the correct way to upload extensions into your browser. I tested it on my own and it worked.
    – paradd0x
    Commented Feb 18, 2011 at 21:50
  • Here is the link from where I got those instructions. blackweb20.com/2010/01/11/…
    – paradd0x
    Commented Feb 18, 2011 at 21:52
  • If this worked for you, please mark it as an answer! Thanks!
    – paradd0x
    Commented Feb 19, 2011 at 4:27
  • Thanks. Gots to click the "Developer" check box nowadays, too
    – Kirby
    Commented May 27, 2016 at 18:05
  • Note Your unpacked extension is somewhat „hot linked“ to its original place. It is NOT copied to the profile folder, changes e.g. on styles still have direct effect. That is GOOD for a developer (instant feedback on changes, little “deployment” hassle), this is BAD if you then remove the extension folder (believing, it got copied into the profile folder... Nope, it didn't.)
    – Frank N
    Commented Dec 18, 2019 at 10:19
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What kind of extension is it? Is it a .CRX file? A (possibly ZIP’d) folder? A .JS user-script? The process differs for each.

  • CRX:
    1. Drag and drop the .CRX file onto the page chrome://extensions
    2. Click the Install button in the prompt at the bottom of the screen

  • Folder:
    1. If it is ZIP’d, extract the contents somewhere
    2. In Chrome, open chrome://extensions/
    3. Click + Developer mode
    4. Click Load unpacked extension…
    5. Navigate to the extension’s folder and click OK
    6. Delete the (extracted) folder (the extension was copied)

  • User Script:
    1. Exit Chrome (all windows)
    2. Copy the .JS file to the User Scripts folder in your User Data folder
    3. Run Chrome
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  • 1
    Chrome doesn't by default allow you to install custom .crx extensions anymore. There must be an option for this, but I can't seem to find it.
    – agnoster
    Commented Oct 17, 2012 at 14:09
  • 4
    @agnoster, you can still use extensions from other than the webstore, but you must drop it into chrome://extensions now.
    – Synetech
    Commented Oct 17, 2012 at 18:12
  • @Synetech - Is this still a valid way? Can I use this to migrate extensions not available on App Store to new PC?
    – Alex S
    Commented Aug 20, 2015 at 11:39
  • Very nice @Synetech! That solved it for me.
    – EnocNRoll - AnandaGopal Pardue
    Commented Apr 6, 2016 at 19:21
0

To install a user script, the file must have a suffix of .user, like my_script.user.js.

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  1. Go to chrome://extensions/
  2. Toggle the "Developer mode" switch on
  3. Drag and drop the ZIP or CRX file or the folder to the browser window.
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