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How to install Chrome extensions for Mac

Nick

Nick

  • Updated:

chromium-logo.pngWhile Windows users are busy getting their teeth stuck into lots of new Chrome Extensions, Mac users as usual have to wait although we’ve kind of come to expect this second-class citizen treatment from Google.

Earlier this week, James told you how to start enjoying extensions for Chrome on Windows. Unfortunately, even though Chrome for Mac is finally in Beta stage, Mac users can’t start doing the same yet – well not officially anyway. Google say that Mac users can expect to see extension support in Chrome by early 2010 but if you can’t wait that long…

Try installing the Developer Release of Chrome for Mac or even better, the latest build of Chromium for Mac which is the open source version of Chrome. Both of these versions support extensions although note that Google seem to keep activating and deactivating support on the Developer Release of Chrome for Mac so you never know if it’s going to work from one release to the next.

TechCrunch report a clever work around which allows you to install any extension currently available. Normally the “install” button is greyed-out in Chrome for Mac but by simply dragging a bookmark applet to your toolbar, you can activate it.

As I say though, make sure the Developer Release you’ve downloaded definitely supports extensions. Otherwise, just use Chromium and it should definitely work. There are other advantages to sticking with Chromium too such as native bookmark sync as Kevin Tofel explains. Take a look at which extensions are currently on offer and let us know which ones you’d like to see Google add. So far, I think things are looking pretty exciting and I’m very happy to see Xmarks there:

Xmarks extension Chrome for Mac.png

If these extensions prove to work efficiently with none of the notorious instability caused by extension RAM leakage in Firefox, 2010 may well be the year I finally switch to Chrome.

Nick

Nick

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