Where to find your installed extensions in Chrome

Open Chrome and look at the top right corner of your browser window. You'll see a puzzle-piece icon — that's your extensions menu. Click it, and you'll see a list of every extension you have installed. If you don't see the puzzle-piece icon, your extensions might be hidden in the three-dot menu instead. Click the three dots in the top right, then look for "Extensions" in the dropdown.

The extensions that appear in this menu are the ones actively running on your computer right now. Some may have small badges or numbers on them — those are notifications from the extension, like an unread email count or a security alert. Clicking any extension in this list takes you directly to its settings page.

Key Takeaways

  • The puzzle-piece icon in Chrome's top right corner shows all your installed extensions in one click.
  • You can pin extensions to your toolbar so they're always visible, or hide ones you rarely use.
  • The Extensions page (chrome://extensions) shows detailed information about each extension, including permissions and when it was installed.
  • Disabling an extension stops it from running without removing it, which is useful if you want to test whether an extension is causing problems.
  • Removing extensions you don't recognize or no longer use reduces the number of programs with access to your browsing data.

Viewing all your extensions on the full Extensions page

For a complete view of every extension you have, go to the Extensions page directly. Type chrome://extensions into your address bar and press Enter. This page shows extensions you might have forgotten about, including ones that are currently disabled or hidden from your toolbar.

On this page, you'll see the name of each extension, who made it, when you installed it, and how many permissions it has. A permission is something the extension is allowed to do — like read your browsing history, see what you type, or access your camera. Click "Details" under any extension to see exactly what it can access.

Pinning and hiding extensions from your toolbar

If you use certain extensions constantly — like a password manager or ad blocker — you can pin them to your toolbar so they're always visible. Click the puzzle-piece icon, then click the pin icon next to the extension's name. It will move to the left side of your address bar and stay there.

Extensions you rarely use can be hidden instead. Click the puzzle-piece icon, find the extension, and click the eye-with-a-slash icon to hide it. The extension keeps running in the background, but it won't clutter your toolbar. You can still access it anytime by clicking the puzzle-piece icon.

Disabling extensions to test for problems

If your browser feels slow, pages aren't loading right, or something looks broken, an extension might be the cause. Rather than delete it immediately, you can turn it off temporarily to test. Go to chrome://extensions, find the extension you suspect, and toggle the blue switch to the off position. The extension stops running right away.

Reload the page or restart Chrome and see if the problem goes away. If it does, you've found the culprit. You can then decide whether to remove the extension permanently, look for an update, or contact the extension's maker to report the issue. If the problem persists, toggle the extension back on and test the next one.

Removing extensions you don't use or don't recognize

Extensions you installed months ago and forgot about still have access to your browsing data. Removing ones you don't use is a simple way to reduce what programs can see. Go to chrome://extensions, click the trash icon under any extension, and confirm the removal. The extension is deleted immediately.

If you see an extension you don't remember installing, remove it right away. Some extensions get bundled with other software during installation, or installed by mistake when you click the wrong button on a download page. Unfamiliar extensions are a common way unwanted programs end up on your computer. If you're unsure what an extension does, search its name online before deciding whether to keep it.

Understanding extension permissions and what they mean

When you install an extension, Chrome asks for permission to let it do certain things. A password manager needs permission to see what you type. An ad blocker needs to see the content of every page you visit. A grammar checker needs access to text fields. These permissions are necessary for the extension to work.

But permissions also mean the extension can access that data. Before installing any extension, click "Permissions" on its Chrome Web Store page and read what it's asking for. If an extension wants access to your camera, microphone, or location, and it's just a note-taking app, that's a red flag. You can also check permissions later by going to chrome://extensions, clicking "Details" on any extension, and scrolling to the "Permissions" section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see which extensions are using the most memory or slowing down Chrome?

Chrome doesn't show memory usage per extension in the main Extensions page. However, you can open Chrome's Task Manager by pressing Shift+Esc to see how much memory and CPU each extension is using. Look for entries labeled with the extension name and close or disable the ones using the most resources.

What's the difference between disabling and removing an extension?

Disabling turns an extension off but keeps it installed — you can turn it back on anytime. Removing deletes it completely. If you think you might use an extension again, disable it. If you're sure you don't want it, remove it to free up space and reduce what programs have access to your data.

Why do some extensions have a warning icon next to them?

A warning icon usually means the extension is outdated, has a security issue, or is no longer supported by its maker. Check the Chrome Web Store page for that extension to see if an update is available. If there's no update and the warning persists, consider removing it and finding an alternative.

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

Chrome doesn't show you the data an extension has already collected. You can see what it's allowed to access going forward by checking its permissions on chrome://extensions. If you're concerned about privacy, read the extension's privacy policy on its Chrome Web Store page, or remove it and use a different one.