Summary
- Google is developing a “desktop” version of Chrome for Android, primarily intended for future Chrome OS integration, that will support browser extensions, unlike the current mobile Chrome version.
- This experimental Android desktop Chrome build allows manual installation of extensions via drag-and-drop of .crx files, with initial testing showing functionality.
- Despite this development, it’s unlikely Google will bring extensions to the standard mobile Chrome for Android, as they have consistently avoided it, while competitors like Firefox and Microsoft Edge already offer extension support.
Several Android browsers support extensions, but Chrome is notably not one of them. However, Chrome extensions might be coming to Android, but not in the way you think. Google is working on a special “desktop” version of Chrome for Android that supports browser extensions.
Why a version of Chrome for Android for desktops when there are already Chrome versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux? This move is likely related to Google’s plans to transition Chrome OS to an Android base. When that happens, Google wants to make sure the Chrome experience remains the same. While these special builds aren’t meant for phones, it is possible to install them, and that’s exactly what Mishaal Rahman did.
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A recent change in one of the Desktop Chrome for Android builds allows you to install extensions by dragging and dropping .crx files manually. Mishaal was able to try out a number of extensions, including Dark Reader, Keepa, and uBlock Origin, and they all worked, with some limitations.
First, you can’t open extension options pages, and there’s no extensions button in the toolbar. The extensions are simply automatically enabled once installed. Also, as you would imagine, installing them is a bit clunky right now. There’s obviously not a Chrome Web Store for Android, so everything is very barebones.
Google’s goal at the moment is to simply get extensions working at all. You have to go to chrome://extensions to see what’s installed and enabled. Actually using the extensions is pretty difficult without the options page and toolbar button, but they do work. The screenshots below show Keep Amazon Tracker and Dark Reader functioning.
Does this work signal that Google could be bringing extensions to Chrome for Android on phones as well? Probably not. For whatever reason, Google has avoided bringing extensions to Android, despite its main competitors, Firefox and Microsoft Edge, having done so.
Microsoft brought extensions to Edge for Android just last month. At launch, it included 22 extensions, with some big names such as Dark Reader, Bitwarden Password Manager, NordVPN, Keepa-Amazon Price Tracker, and SponsorBlock for YouTube. Meanwhile, Firefox for Android has had extensions for many years.
So, while it’s exciting to see Google actually doing some work with extensions in Chrome for Android, it’s more likely than not that we won’t see them on our phones any time soon.
Source: Android Authority
Related
Microsoft Edge on Android Has Extensions Now (Before Chrome)
There are a handful of Android browsers with support for extensions–including Firefox–and now Microsoft Edge is officially joining the club. The most recent version of the app brings an Extension Store with 22 extensions at launch. Microsoft started testing extensions in Edge for Android over a year ago, in January 2024. It started in the Canary channel and has since made its way to the Stable build v134.0.3124.57. However, the Extension Store is still labeled as “Beta” and probably will be for a while yet.
