5 Google Chrome Extension You Should Try

Chrome is a powerful browser – fast, well designed and packed with essential features – but that’s just the start. Chrome’s strength is in the huge library of extras that give it endless new functions and abilities.

In fact, the Chrome Web Store is packed with so many extensions that it’s hard to know which will make a difference to your everyday browsing.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of 5 of the best Chrome extensions around. Give them a try and transform your online experience.

1. LastPass

It’s no secret that using secure passwords everywhere is a vital part of staying safe online, but when something like -gLR6@z!kklEc- is so difficult to remember, it’s tempting to use -123456- everywhere instead.

LastPass solves the problem by creating a different strong password for every site, storing it locally in an encrypted vault, and automatically filling web forms and logins as required. You just need to remember a single master password, and LastPass takes care of almost everything else on its own.

Unlike some password managers, there’s no need to add all your usernames and passwords to a database before you can use it (unless you want to). Just install the extension, and whenever you log in to an online account, it will ask whether to save it. It’s wonderfully convenient.

2. Full Page Screen Capture

The extension doesn’t need any special permissions – just install it, then click the icon in your browser or tap Alt+Shift+P to take a full-page screengrab.

The page will scroll as it’s captured, and you’re advised not to move your mouse over it until it’s finished. Once it’s done, the resulting image will open in a new window, ready to be downloaded. It’s a particularly handy tool for saving web pages that you want to read offline.

In the unlikely event that the page is too huge to be grabbed in one go, Full Page Screen Capture will warn you and split it into manageable chunks instead.

3. Stylish

With this Chrome extension, you can apply custom skins to web pages, giving them an instant makeover so they’re easier on the eyes.

If reading black text on a white background gives you a headache, you’ll appreciate the abundance of themes specially designed for sites including Reddit, Facebook, and Google.

There are also themes for all the biggest video hosting sites for a more pleasant viewing experience on YouTube, Vimeo, and others.

You can edit any installed themes, and create your own with the Stylish CSS editor.

4. Adblock Plus

-Block ads and tracking cookies for improved speed and privacy-

It’d be slack not to mention Adblock Plus, the best-known ad-blocker for Chrome. Installation is quick and easy, and the benefits are obvious immediately. Just point your browser at an ad-heavy site, the Adblock Plus icon displays a running count of everything it’s blocked, and you’ll probably find most pages display far more quickly.

The other major highlight with Adblock Plus is its extreme configurability. Whether you just want to prevent the extension running on a particular site, maybe to avoid causing problems, or you’d like to use a completely new set of ad blocking rules, the Options dialogue has tools to help.

5. Tab Wrangler

Close inactive tabs automatically after a certain time has passed

Chrome is fantastically flexible, but running too many tabs at once can gobble up RAM like nothing else. If you’re the kind of person who ends up with dozens, or even hundreds of tabs open while you’re browsing, Tab Wrangler is well worth your attention.

It works by closing tabs that you haven’t used for a certain period. If that sounds alarming, don’t worry – all closed tabs are saved in Tab Wrangler’s ‘corral’ so you can re-open them with a click. Any tabs you need to keep open can be pinned so they stay in place.

Tab Wrangler is brilliant for tab-addicts, but bear in mind that it doesn’t save the state of a page, so if you’ve been working on something in a web app or form, it’ll be lost. 

What’s your favourite extension? Mind telling me in the comments.

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