Useful Google Chrome Extensions

[MitzumiKare]

Well, there is a thread about Firefox add-ons but I like Chrome and use it a lot more, so how about a thread about extensions?

Much like Firefox add-ons, Chrome Extensions are little programs within the browser to make your internet time safer, more fun and productive. Here are some of my favorites and what they do. The description is in italics while my opinion is regular text.

AdBlock - Tired of ads every website you go to, bringing slow page load and spam and viruses? Add AdBlock and watch them all disappear! Combined with Chrome's pretty powerful PopUp blocker, your browsing will be ad free in no time.

I really like this one and it's identical to the FireFox version so you know it's legit.

Chrome YouTube Downloader - The name says it all. Download videos from YouTube as either .flv, mp4, or even rip songs into mp3 format! A small extension so you can finally have those videos you find in a place YouTube won't block or delete.

Yes, this is how I get most of my downloads when I am too lazy to look it up on Aarin or looking for a song on Aimini. Also it downloads in HD if you'd like.

Image Search Options- Image Search Options for Chrome provides a set of highly customizable reverse image search context menu options. Ever look at a picture and wonder just where it came from? This is your answer. Just right click the picture and choose an reverse image search engine such as SauceNao or Google.

I use this a ton on tumblr. It's about 98% accurate, more or less.

LastPass- LastPass is a free password manager and form filler. Instead of filling out form after form after online form and forgetting passwords and usernames, use LastPass and save your hands and your brain!

I am KNOWN for forgetting passwords and this just saves my life. I remember one password- the password to login to LastPass and that's it. It's just as effective as Chrome's built in password manager and just as secure. Also this works on all the major browsers- IE, Safari, Opera, and Firefox.

Plain Clothes- Unstyle the Web. Strip all the extraneous frills from websites and render it down to the bare bones.
I love pretty websites but my internet isn't always good enough to load it. I use Plain Clothes to strip it down to bare HTML. It's not too pretty but it makes websites load hella faster. I recommend this to anyone still using dial-up or a really crap connection.

Too Many Tabs for Chrome- Ever find yourself with 20, 30, 50 tabs open? This is the extension for you. Just click open the extension and 'suspend' the tab for later viewing.

I actually use this more on tumblr but it's useful on sites where I wind up having a ton of tabs open like Cracked or TvTropes. This is a really good way to make sure your browser doesn't slow up and crash on you from doing too much.

My Chrome Theme- Instead of downloading themes for Google Chrome, why not make your own? Just upload a picture, choose your tab color and voila! A theme for you to add to chrome and share with friends!

Just a way to make Chrome pretty.

I have been through a lot of extensions for Chrome but these are the ones I will never delete. Feel free to add your own opinion and recs.

[mmaggieanderson]

Thanks for the suggestions! I always feel left out because I prefer Chrome. I am just an average internet user and it just works for me. I love AdBlock too!!!! Thanks for the other suggestions. I plan on trying a few of them out.

[MitzumiKare]

I certainly know that feel. And Chrome syncs all my stuff so there is that.

Anyway, there are sites I go to to learn more about Chrome: LifeHacker is one as is MakeUseOf [which actually have a page of the best extensions for Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera and IE] and occasionally I stop in How-To-Geek. Mind you most of these are male dominated so don't feel strange if you feel a little...left out. But they have really great information.

[mmaggieanderson]

Thanks for the extra info!! If it wasn't for this passion, I wouldn't know half of what I do know.