The massive support for extensions is what makes Chrome the best desktop browser. Visit the Chrome Web Store, and you can access thousands of add-ons that range from enhancing your social media experience to boosting productivity. However, installing too many extensions can also be problematic.
To start, multiple extensions running in the background can slow down Chrome. This can be a major concern if your computer is low on system resources. On the other hand, your browser can feel cluttered with all those tiny icons next to the address bar, not to mention being highly distracting.
That's why you need to install another extension. Well, not just any extension, but an extension manager. Instead of managing add-ons individually (which is time-consuming and tedious), dedicated extension managers make dealing with them much easier.
1. NOOBOSS
NooBoss is an intuitive extension manager with tons of customization options. Simply install it from the web store, click on it, and you can instantly view all the different extensions installed on Chrome in tiled format (which you can switch to list or thumbnail format).
NooBoss displays enabled add-ons in color, while inactive ones are grayed out. Simply hover over an add-on, and you can either turn it on or off, remove it from Chrome, visit the Options page, or dive into the extension management console.
- Tip: You can also click on an extension's panel to learn more about it – when it was last updated, available permissions, manifest file access, etc. Very useful.
But NooBoss doesn't stop there. Click New Group to start creating custom groups of extensions, which can then be easily enabled and disabled with a single click. This is great for those times when you want to activate a specific set of extensions in a flash.
NooBoss also likes to keep you informed about what's going on with your extensions. Open the History tab, and you'll find a detailed log of past activity for all installed extensions—times they were enabled, disabled, updated, etc. You'll also receive notifications when an extension's default state changes (either automatically or manually), so you're always in the loop. This is very useful when it comes to detecting rogue extensions.
Moreover, you can visit the Options tab to perform various tasks such as modifying the color of NooBoss's user interface, managing notifications, exporting your preferences, etc.
If you want a good manager that lets you monitor your army of extensions, NooBoss should suit you.
2. SIMPLEEXTMANAGER
SimpleExtManager lives up to its name. After installing, click on it and you'll immediately be greeted with a list of all the extensions, which you can enable or disable using the checkboxes next to them.
You can also perform a bunch of other tasks explicitly like removing unwanted extensions, accessing relevant options pages (if any), disabling all add-ons with one click, etc.
However, don't let SimpleExtManager's extremely simple appearance fool you. Visit the SimpleExtManager Options page (right-click the icon and select Options), and you'll see a host of customization options. For example, you can choose to enable the search bar, view recently disabled extensions, sort extensions by category, and more. Don't forget to check it out.
And yes, the extension also supports groups. Scroll down to its Options page, click Create New Group, and check the boxes next to any extensions you want to include within a group.
3. EXTENSION MANAGER
Aside from the impressive name, there's only one thing that stands out with Extension Manager: aesthetics. If you want a smooth and easy time enabling and disabling extensions, this is what you need.
Enabled add-ons are neatly categorized at the top, while the rest are grayed out and located at the bottom. Both the icons and subtle animations throughout the UI look downright amazing. Tap an item to turn it on or off.
Right-clicking on the extension icon presents various fairly straightforward options (Options, Uninstall, and Home Page), except for an unusual lock. In short, this allows you to "lock" an extension in place, thus preventing it from disabling when you turn off everything else at once.
You can also create groups. Just go to the "Add-on Options" page, and you can do so using the tools under "Group Management." It's pretty intuitive.
You can also perform some other configurations, such as changing the number of columns in the Extension Manager pane and the size of the extension icons included in it. It doesn't go as deep as NooBoss or SimpleExtManager with customization, but it does a great job nonetheless.
4. EXTENSITY
Extansion is a no-frills extension manager with a clean, straightforward interface. In addition to allowing you to easily turn extensions on and off, it also features a nifty toggle to disable everything in an instant.
Just like the other extensions on this list, Extensive also supports groups—or profiles, as you'd like to call them. Create as many profiles as you like, and you can easily switch to any of them.
The extension is perfect if you don't want the extra customization or aesthetics of NooBoss, SimpleExtManager, or Extension Manager.
5. ONE CLICK EXTENSIONS MANAGER
One Click Extensions Manager offers what none of the other extensions mentioned above can: pure simplicity. Just open the extension, click on the add-on you want to enable or disable, and you're done. You can also disable everything at once, too.
There are no groups, no fancy user interface to distract you, no in-depth customization—just enabling and disabling extensions. If you don't want anything fancy, you'll love One Click Extensions Manager.
DOWNLOAD ONE CLICK EXTENSIONS MANAGER
Manage them today
These extension managers should make your life easier while using Google Chrome. Try all five and stick with the one you like best. Ultimately, it comes down to what you prefer—customization or simplicity. Let us know which you like best in the comments.
