How To: Install extensions from outside the Chrome Web Store

Google recently updated Google Chrome and as part of their constat ways of looking to make our browsing safer they decided to change the way extensions from outside the Chrome Web Store were added to our browsers. To help keep us safe on the web, Google has apparently started analysing every extension that is uploaded to the Web Store and taking down those that they recognise to be malicious.

Previously, any website could prompt you to add an extension into your browser allowing online hackers to create websites that automatically trigger the installation of malicious extensions. Their extensions are often designed to secretly track the information you enter on the web, which the hackers can then reuse for other ill-intended purposes. In the latest version of Google Chrome however, you must explicitly tell Google Chrome that you want to install these extensions by adding them through the Extensions page.

So if anyone like myself find them selves unable to install well know extensions that have yet to be uploaded to the Google Web Store you may install these extension by clicking on the wrench icon on the browser toolbar.

Locating the extension file on your computer and dragging the file onto the Extension page. 

Before installing your extension make sure to review the list of permission in the dialog box that appears. Please make sure that you know everything about the extension that you are installing as if you wrote it yourself, otherwise you never know what's hiding inside.