Where to find your list of installed extensions

Open Chrome and look at the top right corner of the window. You will see a puzzle-piece icon — that is your extensions menu. Click it, and a dropdown list appears showing every extension you have installed. If you do not see the puzzle-piece icon, your extensions may be hidden; click the three vertical dots (the menu button) at the very top right, then look for "Extensions" in that menu.

For a fuller view that shows more detail about each extension, go to chrome://extensions — type that directly into your address bar and press Enter. This page displays every extension with its icon, name, version number, and whether it is currently on or off. This is the page you will use most often to manage what your extensions can do.

Key Takeaways

  • The puzzle-piece icon in the top right corner of Chrome shows your installed extensions in a quick dropdown menu.
  • The full extensions page at chrome://extensions shows detailed information about each extension and lets you control what each one can access.
  • Each extension has a toggle switch you can use to turn it on or off without removing it entirely.
  • The "Details" button on each extension shows you which websites it can read and what permissions it has requested.

Understanding what each extension can see and do

When you click on an extension name in the chrome://extensions page, a "Details" section expands below it. This section tells you what the extension is allowed to do — for example, whether it can read your browsing history, access your clipboard, or see what you type into forms. Pay attention to the line that says "Host permissions" or "Permissions requested." If an extension asks to see all your websites, that is a real permission it has, not a warning.

Some extensions only work on certain websites. If you see "Allowed on these sites" with a list, the extension can only read data from those specific pages. If it says "Allowed on all sites," it can see everything you visit. You can change this yourself — scroll down to "Site access" and choose whether the extension works on all sites, only on sites you choose, or only when you click it.

Turning extensions on and off

Each extension has a toggle switch next to its name on the chrome://extensions page. Click the switch to turn an extension off without uninstalling it. The extension stays in your list but stops running. This is useful if you want to test whether an extension is slowing down your browser, or if you use an extension only sometimes and want to keep it disabled most of the time.

Turning an extension off does not delete it or erase any data it has stored. If you turn it back on later, it will work exactly as it did before. If you want to remove an extension completely, click the "Remove" button instead — that deletes it from Chrome.

Checking which extensions have access to your passwords and payment info

Some extensions request permission to see what you type into forms — including passwords and credit card numbers. To see which extensions have this level of access, go to chrome://extensions and look at the Details section for each one. If you see "Read and change data on all websites" or "Read and change data you type into webpages," that extension can potentially see sensitive information you enter.

This does not mean the extension is stealing your data — many legitimate password managers and form-filling tools need this permission to work. But it does mean you should only install extensions from sources you trust. If an extension you do not recognize has this permission, that is a reason to remove it. You can also limit an extension's access by changing its site permissions to "Only on sites you choose" and then not allowing it on banking or shopping websites.

Finding extensions you forgot you installed

Extensions can accumulate over time, especially if you installed them for a specific task and then forgot about them. Go to chrome://extensions and scroll through the full list. Look for extensions with names you do not recognize or extensions you have not used in months. You can also sort the list by clicking "Last used" at the top of the page — this shows you which extensions have not run recently.

If you find an extension you no longer need, click "Remove." If you are not sure what an extension does, click on its name to see the Details section, which usually includes a description and a link to the extension's page on the Chrome Web Store. Reading the store page can help you decide whether to keep it.

Checking for suspicious or unwanted extensions

Sometimes extensions get installed without your knowledge — through bundled software, browser hijacking, or a website you visited. Go to chrome://extensions and look for anything unfamiliar. Pay special attention to extensions with generic names like "Extension" or "Helper," or extensions from publishers you do not recognize. Check the installation date by clicking on each extension's Details section.

If you find an extension you did not install, remove it when ready. You can also check your Chrome settings to see if anything has changed your homepage or search engine — go to Settings, then "On startup" and "Search engine" to verify these have not been altered. If you see changes you did not make, you may have picked up unwanted software and should consider running a full antivirus scan on your computer.

Reviewing extension permissions after a Chrome update

When Chrome updates, sometimes extensions request new permissions or change what they can access. You may see a notification that an extension needs new permissions. Before you allow it, click through to the Details page and read exactly what the new permission is. If an extension suddenly asks for access to all your websites when it previously only worked on one site, that is worth questioning.

You do not have to grant every permission an extension requests. If an extension asks for something that seems unnecessary for what it does, you can deny the permission — though the extension may not work properly. If you are uncomfortable with the new permissions, removing the extension is always an option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see what data an extension has already collected about me?

Not directly from the extensions page. Some extensions store data locally on your computer, and you can clear that data by clicking "Clear data" in the Details section. For data the extension has sent to its company's servers, you would need to check the extension's privacy policy on the Chrome Web Store or contact the extension's publisher directly.

What does "Allow in Incognito" mean?

By default, extensions do not run when you use Incognito mode (private browsing). If you toggle "Allow in Incognito," the extension will work in private windows too. This matters if you use an extension like a password manager that you want available everywhere, or if you want to block ads even in private browsing.

Why does an extension show as "Corrupted"?

This usually means the extension's files got damaged or did not install properly. Remove it and reinstall it from the Chrome Web Store. If it keeps showing as corrupted, the extension may have a compatibility problem with your version of Chrome, and you may need to find an alternative.

Can I see which extensions are slowing down my browser?

Chrome has a built-in tool for this. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc (Windows) or Command+Shift+Esc (Mac) to open the Task Manager. Look for extensions listed by name and see how much CPU and memory each one is using. If one extension is using a lot of resources, you can turn it off or remove it to speed things up.

What if I see an extension I do not remember installing?

Remove it. Go to chrome://extensions, find the extension, and click "Remove." If you see multiple unfamiliar extensions, your computer may have been infected with unwanted software. Run a full antivirus scan and consider resetting Chrome to its default settings through Settings > Advanced > Reset and clean up.