Google’s Chrome browser is already pretty great. But there are plenty of ways to make it better — like downloading extensions.
Extensions are small apps that add extra features to a Web browser. Google has dozens of extensions available in the Chrome Web Store, doing everything from helping you save money to saving your passwords for you.
You can manage Chrome extensions by pressing the menu icon in the upper right-hand corner of the browser, selecting the “More tools” option, and choosing “Extensions.” After installing an extension in Chrome, you’ll typically see a tiny icon for them appear next to the URL field.
Here are 10 Google Chrome extensions that I like the most. These might also be available for other browsers as well.
#1 Keeper Password Manager & Digital Vault
Remembering your password for multiple websites can be a hassle. Plus, it can be difficult to brainstorm passwords that are both unique and easy to remember for each new online account you create. With this extension you never have to type in a username and password again once your account and vault is setup and established. (we can show you how!).
#2 Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes Browser Extension BETA delivers a safer and faster web browsing experience. It blocks malicious websites while filtering out unwanted content (resulting in up to 3x faster webpage load times).
Made by the same folks who brought you Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, this is the world’s first browser extension that can identify and block previously-unidentified fake tech support scams and their tactics. It crushes pop-ups, browser hijacker and browser lockers with ease
Malwarebytes Browser Extension BETA blocks clickbait links, stops in-browser cryptojackers (unwanted cryptocurrency miners), and gives other malicious content the boot.
#3 Grammarly
Grammarly will make sure your messages, documents, and social media posts are clear, mistake-free, and impactful. Adding Grammarly to Chrome means that your spelling and grammar will be vetted on Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Tumblr, and everywhere else you write on the web. Once you register your new account, you will start to receive weekly emails with personalized insights and performance stats (one of our most popular new features). Working on a large project, an essay, or a blog post? No sweat. You can create and store all of your documents in your new online editor.
#4 AdBlock Plus
AdBlock. The #1 ad blocker with over 200 million downloads. Blocks YouTube, Facebook and ads everywhere else on the web.
The original AdBlock for Chrome works automatically. Choose to continue seeing unobtrusive ads, whitelist your favorite sites, or block all ads by default. Just click "Add to Chrome," then visit your favorite website and see the ads disappear!
#5 StayFocused
When your job involves sitting in front of a computer screen all day, it can be easy to get distracted by Facebook, Twitter, and the countless news articles flooding the Web each day. StayFocusd is designed to help you avoid those distractions — or just enjoy them in moderation. The extension allows you to set a specific time restriction on certain websites, with 10 minutes being the default option.
#6 Google Dictionary
Heading over to Dictionary.com or Google to find the definition of an unfamiliar word only takes seconds, but it’s even quicker with the Google Dictionary extension. Instead of opening a new tab to find the definition, simply highlight the word and click on the dictionary icon that appears next to the browser’s URL field after installing the extension. You can also click that dictionary even when a word isn’t selected to perform a dictionary search.
#7 Sidenotes
Sidenotes is an excellent tool for jotting things down quickly as you peruse the Web. As its name implies, the extension launches a blank notepad in a sidebar alongside a website so that you can take notes without having to switch between apps or windows. Those notes are then saved to Dropbox so you can access them later.
#8 OneTab
OneTab quickly compresses all of your open tabs into a single tab page with links to all of the Web pages you had open, allowing you to flush all of the tabs from your browser, while still allowing you to go back to them for easy reference right after. Users can then restore tabs one at a time or all at once. Users can also easily export their tabs into a list of URLs or a web page for easy sharing.
#9 HTTPS Everywhere
HTTPS Everywhere is a Firefox and Chrome extension produced as part of a collaboration between the Tor Project and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. HTTPS Everywhere helps encrypt your online browsing and communications by rewriting HTTP link requests to HTTPS when within a whitelist of sites that support HTTPS.
#10 Google Keep
Found a webpage, image, or quote that you want to save for later? With the Google Keep Chrome Extension, easily save the things you care about to Keep and have them synced across all of the platforms that you use — including web, Android, iOS, and Wear. Take notes for additional detail and add labels to quickly categorize your note for later retrieval.
Features:
• Save URLs, text, and images
• Take notes on saved content
• Add labels to your notes
• Automatically saves to Google Keep
Try Google Keep on the web at http://keep.google.com