How to use Google Chrome Extensions on Android Devices?

Do you miss using the Google Chrome extensions while using an Android phone? Since I use a lot of extensions on the PC, I really miss them while browsing on the smartphone. But, what if I said that there are workarounds through which you’ll be able to use your favorite Google chrome extensions on your Android smartphones? Sounds interesting, right? If you don’t use web extensions a lot then you really might not want them on your Android device too, but if you do, you already know how comfortable can your life get by adding them to your browser. Currently, even on the latest version of Google Chrome for Android, you can’t use the extensions and Google doesn’t have any plans to roll out such features any time soon. Until it happens, there is a simpler way to install Chrome Extensions on your Android Browser. All you have to do is find a separate browser which sustains all the extensions. You don’t have to root your device or switch anything, just follow the steps discussed here and enjoy the comfortable web experience that comes with these tiny tricks!

Method 1: Install Chrome Extensions via Kiwi Browser

1. Download and Install Kiwi Browser from Play Store.
2. After the installation is over, Open it and enter: chrome://extensions in the URL bar.
3. You’ll now have to enable the developer mode on the page (Do not confuse this step with the Android developer mode.)
4. After you’ve enabled it, visit: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions and enable desktop mode from the top righthand side.
5. Search for the extensions you wanted to install and add them!
6. That’s it, now use the extensions whenever needed! Wasn’t it very easy?

According to the developer, most of the Chrome extensions are working. I installed YouTube Dark Theme, uBlock and even Bypass paywall to test and all of them worked pretty well. Moreover, you can also install scripts from Violent Monkey/Tamper Monkey. For those who don’t know Kiwi is a browser based on Google Chromium Code, it has performance improvements and adblock features too. There is nothing flashy about it, it is fast and quiet and does not get in the way of your work. It comes with only one search engine – Google. You won’t need to install any other search engines, as this one works flawlessly. There are some other fine features as well, such as, Night Mode, Data Saving, Tracking Protection, Pop-Up blocker etc.

Features of Kiwi Chrome Browser

• Has similar features as Google Chrome, but is faster.
• The interface is similar to Chrome.
• Supports Chrome Extensions.
• Battery Saver and other cool features.

Method 2: Install Chrome Extensions via Yandex Browser

1. Download Yandex Browser from Google Play Store
2. Install it and open the browser after the installation.
3. Now open ://chrome.google.com/webstore/chttpsategory/extensions in it.
4. Search for any extension and hit the“Add to Chrome” button. The browser will now add it!
5. You can exercise control over the extension by accessing it from browser settings.
6. Remember to uncheck the always active box of each extension.

What if your BROWSER does not support the extension?

Due to smartphone web limits, some of the extensions may not work properly. If a particular extension does not work, I would recommend you to download another extension of the same kind.

Yandex Browser is a freeware made by the Russian web corporation Yandex. It is based on the Chromium Open Source project. It comes with its own plugin add-on store in case some of the extensions from Chrome does not work. As compared to Yandex, the Kiwi browser is a more complete Chromium Browser for Android. It endorses more extensions which have smartphone compatibility.

Extensions from Chrome are very beneficial for users and make their work remarkably easy. However, these extensions are not restricted to Google Chrome, they can be installed on other browsers like Opera Mini, Firefox, UC Browser etc. The instructions to install these on Firefox are discussed below.

Yandex, like Kiwi, is also built on Google’s open source chromium project. It is the largest media destination in Russia and offers free mail, live traffic, photo storage etc just like Google.

When conducting the Ookla speed test, I found out that Yandex is about 10 mbps faster than Google Chrome. It uses Opera’s Turbo technology for this purpose. Chrome is fit for medium to high end machines but it is not ideal for old Windows-XP systems. Yandex is the better choice for such machines.

In the smartphone world, Yandex is one of the most popular browsers with over fifty million downloads on the Play Store. It has excellent security features, it checks your downloads with Kaspersky anti-virus and the webpage’s safety with Yandex Security. It comes equipped with Ad Blocker, the store, its own cloud system and much more. The store allows you to install plugins on your Android Browser.

Method 3: Installing Google Chrome Extensions on Mozilla Firefox for Android.

1. Download Firefox or Firefox Nightly in Play Store.
2. Turn on Desktop mode from the settings.
3. Open Tools and click on the option “Browse for Add-ons”. This will open a new tab.
4. Search Chrome Store Foxified and enable this plugin.
5. Now open the Google Chrome Web store and click on the first link.
6. Search for your preferred extensions and install them.
7. Click on Add to firefox when it pops up and you are good to go.
8. Well Done! You just installed extensions on firefox.

A Few Useful Google Chrome Extensions for Android

• Data Savers: If you have a metered connection, these plugins can help you save internet bandwidth. This is especially helpful for people who do not have unlimited internet plans, students, and those of you who are on a budget.
• VPN Providers: Virtual Private networks have become a necessity. They give you privacy and security. They can be used to deceive your internet service provider of the location of your device and also protect your data from being stolen. You can also use VPN services for accessing content that may otherwise be blocked in your country.
• Password Managers: We are surrounded by passwords and it’s not easy to bear them all in mind. It’s certainly not wise to write them down. These plugins remember your passwords and usernames for various websites, making the job much easier for you.
• Ad-blocker: Ads and pop-ups are an irritating part of the user experience on the web and sometimes they can be very troublesome. It takes a great deal of time to handle them and it’s definitely not easy. Let the software fight this war for you, so you can get to your work quickly.
• Spell-checkers: These extensions check your documents, mails, messages for mistakes and make them impactful. They will check your grammar and spelling each time you start writing. Moreover, they also give you vocabulary enhancements and detect for plagiarism. These are an absolute requirement for every editor and writer.
• Personalization: If you are someone who spends a lot of time in the browser, you are bound to get bored by its appearance. There are extensions available which will change the entire outlook of your browser. You can choose from a range of themes, personalize tabs, change the mouse cursor with-in the browser and what not. You can change them everyday if you want to. All these features give a new boost to your workplace.

Now your beloved extensions are no longer limited to your desktop, you can use them on your smartphone. They make the web experience more captivating and productive. Yandex and Kiwi both are good and you can choose either one of them.