Where to find your extensions in Chrome

Chrome keeps your extensions in one place: the extensions menu in the top right corner of your browser window. Look for a puzzle-piece icon next to your profile picture. Click it, and you'll see a dropdown list of every extension you've installed, along with quick toggles to turn each one on or off without uninstalling it.

If you don't see the puzzle-piece icon, your extensions may be hidden. Chrome hides them by default on newer versions. You can unhide them by clicking the three vertical dots (the menu button) in the top right, selecting "Extensions," then "Manage extensions." From there, you can pin individual extensions to your toolbar so they appear as their own icons instead of hiding behind the puzzle piece.

The extensions menu also shows you which extension is currently active on the page you're viewing. If a tool isn't working the way you expect, this is where you'll see whether it's turned on or off.

Key Takeaways

  • The puzzle-piece icon in Chrome's top right corner opens your extensions menu and shows every extension you have installed.
  • You can pin individual extensions to your toolbar so they appear as separate icons instead of hiding in the dropdown menu.
  • The extensions menu lets you turn extensions on and off without deleting them, which is useful if an extension is causing problems.
  • If you need to change how an extension works, right-click its icon and select "Options" or "Settings" to open its control panel.
  • The Manage Extensions page (accessible from the three-dot menu) shows you every extension, when you installed it, and what permissions it has.

Pinning extensions to your toolbar

By default, Chrome hides most extensions behind the puzzle-piece menu. If you use an extension frequently, you can pin it to your toolbar so it appears as its own icon. Click the puzzle-piece icon, find the extension you want to pin, then click the pin icon next to its name. The extension's icon will now appear in your toolbar at all times.

You can pin as many extensions as you want, but your toolbar will get crowded if you pin too many. Most people pin three to five extensions they use daily and leave the rest hidden in the menu. You can unpin an extension the same way: click the puzzle-piece icon, find the extension, and click the pin icon again to toggle it off.

Turning extensions on and off

If an extension is causing problems—slowing down your browser, breaking a website, or behaving unexpectedly—you can turn it off without uninstalling it. Click the puzzle-piece icon, find the extension, and toggle the switch next to its name. The extension will stay installed but won't run until you turn it back on.

This is useful when you want to test whether an extension is the cause of a problem. Turn off one extension at a time and see if the issue goes away. Once you've found the culprit, you can decide whether to uninstall it, look for an update, or adjust its settings.

Opening an extension's settings or options page

Many extensions have their own control panels where you can change how they work. To open an extension's settings, right-click its icon (whether it's pinned to your toolbar or hidden in the puzzle-piece menu) and select "Options" or "Settings." Some extensions call this page "Preferences" or "Configuration" instead.

Not every extension has a settings page. If you right-click an extension and don't see an "Options" choice, that extension doesn't have one—it either works the same way for everyone or it stores its settings somewhere else, like in a cloud account you log into.

Viewing all your extensions and their permissions

To see a complete list of every extension you have installed, click the three vertical dots in Chrome's top right corner, then select "Extensions" and "Manage extensions." This page shows you when you installed each extension, how many times you've used it, and what permissions it has—for example, whether it can read your browsing history or access your passwords.

The Manage Extensions page is also where you uninstall extensions you no longer want. Find the extension, click the trash icon, and confirm the removal. You can also toggle extensions on and off from this page, just like from the puzzle-piece menu.

Pay attention to the permissions section. If an extension asks for access to your passwords or your entire browsing history but doesn't seem to need it, that's a sign to reconsider whether you trust it. Reputable extensions ask only for the permissions they actually use.

Finding extensions you've hidden or forgotten about

If you install an extension and then hide it in the puzzle-piece menu, you might forget it exists. The Manage Extensions page shows you every extension you've ever installed, including ones you've turned off. This is useful if you're trying to figure out why your browser is slow or why a website isn't working the way it should.

You can search for extensions by name on the Manage Extensions page. Type the name in the search box at the top, and Chrome will filter the list to show only matching extensions. If you remember installing something but can't find it, search for a keyword—for example, if you installed a password manager, search for "password" to find it.

Troubleshooting when you can't find an extension

If you installed an extension but can't find it anywhere, it may have been removed from the Chrome Web Store or disabled by Chrome for security reasons. Check the Manage Extensions page and look for any extensions with a warning icon or a message saying "This extension is not available" or "This extension has been disabled."

If an extension was disabled automatically, Chrome usually shows you why. Common reasons include the extension being outdated, the developer removing it, or Chrome detecting a security problem. You can try re-enabling it by clicking the toggle, but Chrome may disable it again if the problem persists. In that case, uninstall it and look for an alternative extension that does the same thing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if an extension is slowing down my browser?

Open the Manage Extensions page and look at the "Last used" column. Extensions you haven't used in weeks or months are probably safe to uninstall. You can also turn off extensions one at a time and see if your browser feels faster. If it does, you've found the culprit.

Can I move extensions around in my toolbar?

Yes. Click and drag any pinned extension icon to reorder them. Chrome will remember the new order. You can also right-click an extension icon and select "Remove from Chrome toolbar" to unpin it without uninstalling it.

What does it mean when an extension has a red warning badge?

A red badge usually means the extension needs an update or has a security issue. Go to the Manage Extensions page, find the extension with the warning, and look for an "Update" button. If there's no update available, Chrome may have disabled it for safety reasons, and you should uninstall it.

Can I use the same extension in multiple browsers?

No. Extensions are specific to each browser. A Chrome extension won't work in Firefox or Safari. If you use multiple browsers, you'll need to install the extension separately in each one, and it may have a different name or slightly different features depending on the browser.

Why did Chrome disable one of my extensions?

Chrome automatically disables extensions that haven't been updated in a long time, that request excessive permissions, or that fail security checks. Check the Manage Extensions page for a message explaining why. If the developer has released an update, you can re-enable it. If not, uninstall it and look for an alternative.