Get more from your browser

As useful as browser extensions can be, they do present security and privacy concerns. This has to do with the permissions they’re given when you install them. Extensions, for example, can almost all “read and change all your data on the websites you visit.”
On top of that, extensions are running in your browser all the time. They’re running when you check Facebook, when you transfer money from your bank’s website, and when you enter your credit card information on Amazon.
A malicious extension could easily be logging your keystrokes to steal passwords and personal information. It could be secretly redirecting your search traffic to a different place or selling your internet browsing data to advertisers. The list is endless.
Of course, this isn’t happening with the majority of extensions, and our Addons store is very careful in which extensions it makes available to be sure our users can avoid malicious extensions. But it does happen from other stores, and people should be aware that some extensions aren’t harmless.
One particularly dangerous aspect of extensions is how they can be updated automatically. This means that a popular extension could be hijacked and updated on your device and start collecting data without you ever knowing.

Are Extensions Safe to Use

Once an extension has been installed you will usually find it within the extensions container located in the toolbar which is at top right of your browser screen.

Clicking the extension icon will drop down the container menu of all the extensions you have installed. From there you will be able to Pin/Unpin any extensions which you would like to be permanently located on the toolbar instead of them being located within the extension container.

How find Browser Extensions after they’ve been installed

With all of that in mind, let’s talk about installing extensions. It’s simply a matter of visiting the Addons store which can be accessed via the Addons icon in your bookmarks bar.

How to Install Browser Extensions

Browsers have evolved to become much more than simple internet navigators. A big part of that evolution was the introduction of “extensions.” Extensions let you control how websites load and behave, and they add extra features to your browser.

The extent of what a browser extension can do is dependent on the browser. In the early days, extensions could access a lot of internal workings of browsers, but as security has tightened up, so have the abilities of extensions.
You may have heard the phrase “There’s an app for that,” and it’s similar for browser extensions. There are tons of things you can do with extensions. You can change the way tabs work, integrate your favorite note-taking service, get Gmail notifications, grammar-check your writing, and even play games.
There are two common types of extensions. Most either extend the functionality of the browser itself or integrate an existing service with the browser.
For the first category, you’ll find things like Picture-in-Picture for all video players, volume controls for each tab, dark mode for websites that don’t have one, split-screen tabs, and tons of aesthetic customizations.
 The second category encompasses things like a Saferpass for password management, Honey, for discounts on internet shopping and so much more.
The best way to see what extensions can do is to explore the different categories and options in the Addons store.

AVG Addons

Get more from your browser

English (US)

Categories

Work / Productivity

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

Shopping

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌

‌