How to download Chrome extensions for installing on another computer?

Question

A computer I use does not have access to the https://chrome.google.com/extensions website.

I wish I could download the plugin and then use the file to install it, but the only option I have is to install. The plugin is downloaded to a temporary folder with a random name, and I'm not able to identify it.

`I wish I could download the plugin and then use the file to install it, but the only option I have is to install.` Why not? Don’t left-click while holding `Alt`, that will try to install it. Instead, right-click and select *Save As*. Also, [this question](http://superuser.com/questions/462804/) asked how to copy an extension from one system to another, in case you need to copy an extension that’s already installed. — Synetech, Aug 06 '13 at 01:47
right-click, just let you save the HTML page, not the extension installer — Logan Mzz, Sep 21 '17 at 10:14
After downloading the extension using one of the answer in this question, you can use the second method (load unpacked extension in Developer mode) on this answer to install it on another computer: https://superuser.com/a/464056/365218 -- Tested on Chrome 75 (2019) & Chrome 80 (2020). — aff, Apr 16 '20 at 08:46

score 42 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 05 '21 at 06:40

Ok. I just found out that the accepted answer's method is not working. It was actually working a few months back. So, when I came here to copy the link (I had forgotten) I found that its not working. Here's what I did to get the CRX file.

Note: You will need the Chrome Extensions's ID for this. I am referring it to as $ID$ . You can get the $ID$ from the URL of the Chrome Extension page.

Go to Chrome's Extensions page (chrome://extensions/)
Enable the developer mode (check the developer mode box)
Click on the "Pack extension" button. Give the "Extension root directory" as:

a. Unix, ~/.config/google-chrome/Default/Extensions/$ID$

b. Windows, C:\Users\<Your_User_Name>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\$ID$

c. OSX, ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default/Extensions/$ID$

Leave the "Private Key" field blank" and click "Pack extension".

You will find the .CRX file in the same directory as ~/.config/google-chrome/Default/Extensions/$ID$ (or other respective directories for Windows and OS X)

(Note: The .CRX file is just a .ZIP file. If all you want to do is to extract extension after getting it, you can just find the unpacked extension at <previous folder>/Extensions/$ID$ you don't need to follow above steps. You would need to follow above steps only if you specifically need the .CRX file)

Sorry, it is no longer "just a ZIP" file. But you can use 7-zip to extract it regardless. Just don't try to call it "*.zip"... — not2qubit, Sep 27 '15 at 10:25
For newer version of chrome (~v 69), you may have to **add path till the manifest file** for the extension, else you may get path errors/manifest not found error! — subdeveloper, Sep 24 '18 at 06:43
Chrome Version: `83.0.4103.61`, path: `C:\Users\[Your_User_name]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\$ID$\[Version]`. — Evan Hu, Jun 05 '20 at 03:23
It looks like some extentions have versioned folders now. Here's an example of the path that I had to use (Chrome Dev, Linux): `~/.config/google-chrome-unstable/Default/Extensions/apmmpaebfobifelkijhaljbmpcgbjbdo/1.5.22_0/` — MMK21, Feb 10 '22 at 17:05

score 32 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 19 '22 at 15:28

32

I've wondered how to do this too. I found this blog article that has the solution (I edited it to bring it up-to-date):

Find the ID of the extension you’re interested in. When on the details page of the extension, it will be something like bfbmjmiodbnnpllbbbfblcplfjjepjdn after https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/
Paste this into Firefox (not Chrome): https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx?response=redirect&os=win&arch=x64&os_arch=x86_64&nacl_arch=x86-64&prod=chromiumcrx&prodchannel=beta&prodversion=79.0.3945.53&lang=ru&acceptformat=crx3&x=id%3D~~~~%26installsource%3Dondemand%26uc and replacing ~~~~ with the extension ID.
You’ll be prompted to save a CRX file. Drag this file to a Chrome window and proceed with installation

edited Apr 19 '22 at 15:28

Jean-Francois T.

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answered May 29 '11 at 18:50

evan.bovie

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doesn't work for me :( – user1248256 Jun 25 '14 at 08:01
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I tried with IE and it does not work for me either – Jean-Francois T. Aug 14 '14 at 06:09
does not work anymore by the looks of it – jhbsk Jul 27 '18 at 12:48
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for me work that link https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx?response=redirect&os=win&arch=x64&os_arch=x86_64&nacl_arch=x86-64&prod=chromiumcrx&prodchannel=beta&prodversion=79.0.3945.53&lang=ru&acceptformat=crx3&x=id%3D~~~~%26installsource%3Dondemand%26uc (Change ~~~~ for your extension ID) – Geograph Aug 28 '20 at 07:02
Do not forget to enable "Developer Mode" in Chrome before installation. – amir22 Oct 01 '22 at 11:59

not2qubit · Answer 3 · 2015-09-27T11:06:08.680

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Since September 3, 2015, Installing Chrome extensions off-line no longer work (and here ) due to Google trying to prevent malicious extensions being downloaded and installed. To install an extension off-line today, require you to install a signed pre-packaged full Chrome install, using Googles Chrome for Business. This functionality is controlled by a policy list. Or according to this post, you can use their Dev or Canary channels to run any extension. Their latest builds can be found here

edited Sep 27 '15 at 11:06

answered Sep 27 '15 at 10:42

not2qubit

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I just want to share that you can still use extensions from offline source, in standard Chrome, by loading the unpacked extension folder in Developer mode. You can use 7-zip to unpack the extension first. See the second point on this answer for a visual guide for the latter steps: https://superuser.com/a/464056/365218 – aff Apr 16 '20 at 08:30

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 09 '21 at 01:21

The URL has changed

if you want to get this extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mobile-simulator-responsi/ckejmhbmlajgoklhgbapkiccekfoccmk

The id is ckejmhbmlajgoklhgbapkiccekfoccmk

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/ajax/buy/provision_freemium/<id>?hl=en&gl=KR&pv=20210820&mce=atf,pii,rtr,rlb,gtc,hcn,svp,wtd,hap,nma,dpb,utb,hbh,ebo,hqb,ifm,c3d,ncr,hns,ctm,ac,hot,hsf,hfi,dtp,mac,bga,epb,fcf,rai,rma,lrc,spt,irt,scm,der,bgi,bem,ibg,dda,rae,shr,esl,hib,dsq,qso,pot,evt,eap,pet&_reqid=1836284&rt=j

Replace <id> with the ckejmhbmlajgoklhgbapkiccekfoccmk in the url.

Now open it on Edge or Firefox.

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 01 '21 at 09:18

Trying copy extension from one computer to another.

My case: Copy extension from fedora x86_64 with chrome Version 94.0.4606.81 (Official Build) (64-bit) to windows 10(can't access web) with chrome 96.0.4664.45 64 bit.

On fedora linux the location:

~/.config/google-chrome/Default/Extensions/$ID$/

Say jsonview extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jsonview/chklaanhfefbnpoihckbnefhakgolnmc

ID is chklaanhfefbnpoihckbnefhakgolnmc

~/.config/google-chrome/Default/Extensions/chklaanhfefbnpoihckbnefhakgolnmc/0.0.32.3_0/

Just copy this folder to another computer that can not access the web.

In page chrome://extensions/, open Developer Mode and then Load unpacked to select the extension folder with _metadata. Then you can install the extension.

Jean-Francois T. · Answer 6 · 2022-04-19T03:47:20.680

I found a solution based on the best solution in this forum post: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/g02KlhK12fU

To summarize, the solution is:

Go to where the extension is installed in your computer
Create a .crx file yourself
Drag & Drop the crx file into Chrome to install

To be precise:

Find the ID of the extension you’re interested in at the end of the path from Chrome Web Store (the last groups of weird characters). For example, it is cfhdojbkjhnklbpkdaibdccddilifddb for following link.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adblock-plus/cfhdojbkjhnklbpkdaibdccddilifddb
Go to where the plugins are installed (by default, it should be "%APPDATA%/../Local/Google/Chrome/User Data/Default/Extensions" in Windows.
Open the folder of your extension (the name of the folder is the ID of the extension (e.g. cfhdojbkjhnklbpkdaibdccddilifddb). Notice that there is a subfolder with the version of the extension.
In Chrome, go to the page with "Extensions", and click on "Developer Mode"
Click on "Pack Extension" and choose the folder "Local/.../Extensions//"
The .crx file has been created in the folder "Local/.../Extensions/<extensionID".
To install the extension in Chrome (another account or computer), simply drag&drop the crx file into Google Chrome.

As indicated in ksed comment, you might have to unzip the .crx file.

If it is not clear, do not hesitate to comment.

This works in general. However, I needed to unzip the `.crx` export on the offline machine in order to add the extension as "unpacked". — ksed, Apr 18 '22 at 14:42

score -1 · Answer 7 · answered Feb 15 '13 at 07:48

If you have access to the codebase for the .crx package, you can also install it directly in chrome by going to chrome://extensions/.

Next click on "Load Unpacked Extensions" and select the root directory (of the code).

The extension should work now.

How to download Chrome extensions for installing on another computer?

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