Android browser with extensions

How to Install Chrome Extensions on Android

Can you install Chrome extensions on Android? This question appears all the time. Considering both Google Chrome and Android was created by Google, you would think you could use Chrome to its fullest potential. Unfortunately, Chrome extensions are not compatible with Androids’ Chrome browser .

Sure, Chrome on Android has a “Desktop” option, but that only changes the website you are viewing and does not perform like the regular desktop Chrome browser, full of add-ons and features.

With that information out of the way, how can you use your favorite extensions on your mobile device? The straight answer is to use another browser, and there are dozens of them out there that work with Android.

How to Use Chrome Extensions on Android

Chrome uses the open-source Chromium platform for its browsers, and so does a lot of the competition. The easiest way to overcome the limitation of Chrome but still keep the regular functionality is to use a Chromium-based Android browser that supports extensions .

One of the more popular options is Yandex. This browser is available in the Google Play Store, so there’s no need to sideload any files. Yandex also offers full support of the Chrome Web Store. If you want to use Chrome Extensions on your Android device, this is an excellent place to start. Here’s what to do.

1. Download Yandex from the Play Store.
   
2. Once installed, tap on the “address bar” at the top. Type in “chrome.google.com/webstore” without the quotes.
   
3. When the Web Store opens, tap the “search bar” and type the extension you’d like to add. Note: Use two fingers to zoom out because you’ll likely see the desktop version.
   
4. Tap on “Install” in the upper right-hand corner.
   

Your extension now appears in the Android web browser for you to use whenever you like. Some users have complained about Yandex because a lot of the content is in Russian. So, if this isn’t the browser you enjoy, we’ve listed others in the next section.

Other Android Browsers that Support Chrome Extensions

Several Android browsers work with add-ons/extensions, so here are some you can try.

1. Firefox Android Browser

Firefox is well known, and for a good reason. It has always been a close competitor to Chrome because it is equally fast, more secure, and more interested in your privacy. It doesn’t have the backing of the internet giant, but that hasn’t stopped it from performing exceptionally well.

Firefox for Android supports Mozilla’s custom add-ons, so it offers a very similar experience on Android as it does on the desktop. Most Chrome extensions will have a Firefox equivalent, so if you have a favorite setup on your laptop or desktop, you can mimic it almost precisely on mobile.

2. Kiwi Android Browser

Kiwi Browser is another Chromium-based browser that supports extensions. Kiwi also features built-in ad-blocking and works very fast. It’s a light download, installs quickly, and fires up fast. The browser is perfect for general use and stops most ads by default.

Once loaded, select the three-dot menu icon, select Extensions, and you’ll see a link to the Kiwi Web Store, which is just another name for the Google Play Store. Select your extension from there, and you’re good to go.

3. Dolphin Android Browser

Dolphin Browser is another top performer for Android that supports add-ons. While recent updates haven’t moved it as far forward as it should, it’s still a solid Android option that supports those desired extensions. Dolphin Browser also has an ad blocker and works with Flash, too, at least for now, since Flash is dead and HTML5 took over. Regardless, if you play any legacy games that use Flash, Dolphin will play them.

Dolphin works quickly and blocks most ads by default with only a few slipping through, and it works how you’d expect it to work. The Dolphin browser is well worth checking out.

Android Chrome Extensions FAQs

Where can I get Chrome Extensions?

Typically, you can get extensions for Chrome from the Chrome Web Store. However, the mobile version of the Chrome browser doesn’t have any. The search option isn’t even available for you to search for your favorite extensions. This scenario is why you have to use alternative browsers. Some browsers do not offer extensions per se, but they bring many of the features you may look for in an extension. Others, on the other hand, incorporate add-ons to some extent.

What do Chrome Extensions do?

Chrome extensions are similar to the applications on your phone. From saving money with the Honey extension to perfecting your Grammar with Grammarly, many options are available. The home page of the Chrome Web Store lists some of the more popular options, so if you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, start there.

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7 браузеров на Chromium для Android, которые лучше Chrome. Для продвинутых

Большую долю на рынке мобильных браузеров занимает Chrome. Казалось бы, заслуженно — он быстрый и удобный. Однако обозреватель от Google явно не победитель по количеству полезных функций и приватности. Существуют аналоги, которые основаны на проектах Chrome или Chromium, но при этом заметно расширяют возможности. О них и пойдёт речь в этой подборке.

Kiwi Browser — поддержка полноценных расширений с ПК

Браузер с открытым исходным кодом базируется на Chrome и единственный в подборке поддерживает полноценные десктопные расширения. Ночной режим поддерживает несколько цветовых палитр, в том числе и глубоко-чёрную тему для AMOLED-устройств. Внимания заслуживает и настраиваемое отображение вкладок: сеткой, вертикальным списком или горизонтальной каруселью в стиле «Недавних приложений» из чистого Android 11. Кроме встроенного блокировщика рекламы тут есть инструменты для разработчиков — редактор HTML/CSS, JS-консоль и другие функции для отладки.

Пока пользователи iOS-смартфонов платят 3 доллара за расширение, перенаправляющее с облегчённых и часто некорректно работающих AMP-страниц на обычные, владельцы Android-девайсов могут наслаждаться этой функцией бесплатно благодаря Kiwi Browser. Интересная особенность UI браузера — адресная строка может быть расположена внизу, так что дотягиваться пальцем до неё удобнее, чем в обычном Chrome, откуда такую фишку убрали несколько лет назад.

Bromite — Chromium с повышенной безопасностью

Bromite представляет из себя Chromium с привычным интерфейсом, но с несколькими новыми фишками, повышающими безопасность серфинга: есть поддержка протокола DNS-оver-HTTPS, нет выдачи AMP-страниц, применены некоторые патчи из проекта GrapheneOS (это прошивка на базе чистого Android без слежки Google — подробнее в статье). Отсюда убраны нарушающие приватность функции и добавлен блокировщик рекламы с настраиваемыми фильтрами. Внешний вид остался почти нетронутым — изменения коснулись только лишних рекламных элементов. Как и у предыдущего веб-обозревателя, исходный код здесь открытый, а значит, любой желающий может узнать, как работает Bromite под капотом или добавить свой функционал.

Ungoogled Chromium — ближе всех к Chromium

Название говорит само за себя — это чистый Chromium, в котором убрали все связи с сервисами Google. Из всех аналогов этот ближе всех к стандартному Chromium. Ungoogled Chromium содержит в себе дополнительные фичи для повышения уровня приватности, прозрачности работы и контроля над браузером. Были «выпилены» требования необязательных разрешений, Lite-режим, зато добавлены новые поисковые системы по умолчанию, протокол DNS-оver-HTTPS и другие мелкие, но значимые улучшения.

DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser — адептам альтернативного «поисковика»

Веб-браузер от популярного альтернативного «поисковика» хоть внешне и напоминает Chrome, на деле является довольно приватным и защищённым инструментом. По умолчанию включена блокировка сторонних трекеров (список которых, к слову, можно просмотреть), в приоритете шифрование трафика. А все данные о текущей сессии можно стереть буквально в два клика. Правда, сменить поисковую систему не выйдет — использовать можно только DuckDuckGo.

Lynket Browser — новый взгляд на работу с вкладками

Приложение с необычной концепцией вкладок. Вместо обычного списка открытых веб-страниц, которые отображаются внутри одного окна, Lynket Browser выделяет каждому сайту отдельное окно. Поэтому в меню недавних приложений вместо одного браузера вы увидите несколько вкладок. Кроме того, можно включить режим «пузырей», которые появились в Android 10. Нельзя сказать однозначно, что это намного удобнее привычного метода, но точно заслуживает внимания — стоит хотя бы попробовать.

Samsung Internet — большой багаж функций

Не самый приватный или «чистый» от лишнего функционала браузер. Но он попал в подборку благодаря неплохому набору полезных функций вроде блокировки рекламы и ночного режима, применяющегося в том числе и к сайтам (хоть и не всегда корректно). Кстати, фильтровать рекламу можно не только с помощью встроенного инструмента, но и за счёт сторонних приложений. Синхронизировать историю и закладки можно даже с десктопным Chrome — достаточно установить расширение для компьютера. Отдельно можно похвалить настраиваемое меню и панель закладок как на ПК-браузерах.

Vivaldi Browser — швейцарский нож из мира браузеров

Привлёк внимание в первую очередь неординарными функциями. Среди них клонирование и группировка вкладок, возможность сделать полный скриншот страницы — это особенно актуально на чистом Андроид, где поддержки такового пока нет. Сюда же можно отнести панель вкладок, которая позаимствована у десктопных браузеров. Из более привычных функций здесь есть блокировка рекламы и трекеров. Радует, что из альтернативных поисковых систем есть не только DDG, но и более точный StartPage (подробнее о приватных «поисковиках» в статье). Отдельный плюс за возможность перенести адресную панель вниз. Правда, такой «зоопарк» функций привёл к излишней перегруженности интерфейса.

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5 Best Android Browsers with Exten­sion Support

Pankil Shah

22 Jun 2021

With browser extensions, you can customize the browsing experience by adding certain features. For years, only desktop browsers supported browser extensions. Now, select Android browsers also let you install browser extensions.

Browsers like Kiwi, Brave, and Yandex rely on Chrome store for extensions. While most of the extensions borrowed from the Chrome store will work fine, you’ll often come across the ones that work only partially or don’t work at all. That’s why browsers like Firefox and Samsung Internet have their own set of extensions to ensure a flawless experience.

In this article, we’ll enlist the best Android browsers supporting the extension or add-ons. Let’s get started.

1. Kiwi Browser

When it comes to Android browsers with extension support, the Kiwi browser is a popular recommendation across the internet. The browser is based on Chromium project, which is also used for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. So, Chrome users will find a somewhat similar user experience and wouldn’t have any problems switching from their favorite browser.

Adding Chrome extensions in Kiwi Browser is also a PC-like experience. You can either go to chrome://extensions or use the three-dot menu.

With Kiwi Browser, you won’t have to worry about annoying ads while browsing, thanks to its powerful Ad and pop-up blocker. And if you’ve grown tired of Google forcing you to view AMP web pages despite having a fast internet connection, Kiwi Browser also has an option to disable AMP altogether.

Since the browser is built on Chromium Canary, you get the latest features first before they’re released for the stable Google Chrome browser. The only downside about the Kiwi Browser is that it is exclusive to Android only. So, you won’t be able to sync your data across platforms.

Also on Guiding Tech

Kiwi Browser vs Google Chrome: Which Android Browser Should You Use

2. Brave Browser

Brave is yet another chromium-based browser that supports extensions. What separates it from the rest is its unique approach to get rid of annoying ads. Instead of forcing ads, it anonymously calculates the amount of attention you give to the sites you visit in exchange for monthly compensation. And you receive that compensation in the form of a cryptocurrency called BAT (Basic Attention Token).

You can visit the Chrome store to browser extensions. You’ll find useful ones such as HTTPS Everywhere and Privacy Badger.

When it comes to the browsing experience, you can expect reasonably quick loading times and fewer failures. The homepage widget also displays the number of ads and trackers avoided by the users and the data and time saved by the users while browsing.

On the whole, Brave browser is unique and has a somewhat ‘brave’ approach on how it manages ads to its advantage.

3. Yandex Browser

Whether it is ad-blocking, privacy, voice search, or customization, Yandex has everything that you’d expect from a browser these days. On top of a fluid browsing experience, it promises to protect you from threats like untrusted certificates, malicious pages, paid subscriptions, and more.

You can download Extensions on Yandex directly from the Chrome store. Again, not all of those extensions will work. To compensate for that, Yandex also has its catalog with a handful of extensions, including some popular names such as LastPass, Pocket, and Evernote.

Additionally, the night mode on Yandex makes for a good reading experience along with other accessibility options, such as the ability to change text size and caption support.

Similar to Google feed, Yandex will also show you stories and news tailored to your interests. And if you like viewing information at a glance, Yandex also has some useful widgets such as weather, news, traffic, and market quotes for your home screen.

4. Firefox Browser

Firefox has been Chrome’s biggest competitor for a long time now and is one of the few browsers on Android that is not based on Chromium. If you’re someone who switches back and forth between PC and phone, then the Firefox browser makes for a great option with its cross-platform compatibility. All you need is a Firefox account, and you’ll be able to sync all of your passwords, history, and bookmarks across devices.

With Firefox, privacy features are at the forefront here, with online trackers and invasive ads blocked by default, along with an option to block most third-party cookies and trackers in the Strict mode.

Beyond that, if you’re a fan of customizing like most Android users, then you’ll be glad to know that you can customize just about every aspect of the browser. Plus, the built-in reading mode strips away all the design elements on a page, allowing you to focus on the text.

But when it comes to extensions, not being a chromium-based browser works against Firefox as you only get a limited number of add-ons to use. That said, those handfuls of add-ons are guaranteed to work flawlessly.

Also on Guiding Tech

Firefox for Android vs Chrome: Which Browser Is Better on Android

5. Samsung Internet Browser

It’s rare for an OEM browser on this list, but the Samsung Internet Browser certainly deserves it. Like its counterpart above, Samsung Internet has a few add-ons to offer. And yes, they’re not limited to Samsung devices.

Instead of offering you the entire Chrome store, Samsung handpicks add-ons for mobile use and develops them. So, you might be a little short on quantity but never on quality. Plus, you’ll get all the popular ones, including ad blockers, shopping assistants, translators, security, and more.

Worried about losing your data as you switch browsers? Well, with the Samsung Internet extension you can easily sync all of your bookmarks and browsing history. Besides this, there’s a lot to admire about the Samsung Internet Browser coming with handy features such QR code scanner, customizable toolbar, reading mode, etc.

Like most browsers on this list, Samsung Internet has a Beta version that you can use if you want a glimpse of those upcoming features.

Also on Guiding Tech

# Android apps

Extraordinarily Good

Well, those were the best Android browsers with extension support. While these browsers do not promise to support every extension available, you can pretty much get the majority of extensions to work. Beyond that, most of them also carry some useful privacy and customization features, giving you reason enough to switch from your existing browser.

While it’s almost disappointing for many that Chrome for Android does not have any support for extensions yet, it has hidden experimental features in the form of Chrome flags worth checking out.

Last updated on 22 Jun, 2021
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

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Did You Know

The B612 app is named after the B-612 asteroid which appears in ‘The Little Prince’ novella.

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