Google Chrome is one of the most used browsers in the world: it is fast, light and allows rapid synchronization of data and information, thanks also to its compatibility with desktop and mobile platforms. There are several “secrets” behind the success of Google's Internet browsing program, but what makes it truly unique is the amount of free extensions on the Chrome Web Store : there are different to choose from, each responding to a certain functionality. In this article we will mention the most useful Chrome extensions, available for free and for a fee.
For those who do not know them yet, extensions are small programs that are installed directly from the browser in the desktop version, expanding the range of options. We emphasize the word desktop as these add-ons are not yet available on Google Chrome for smartphones and tablets, remaining instead an exclusive prerogative of the Windows, macOS, ChromeOS and Linux platforms.
Carefully choosing the best Chrome extensions to install is important for several reasons: on the one hand, the browsing experience is increased to bring it closer to what the user really needs, including shortcuts , fast connections and various productivity tools; on the other hand, above all you avoid falling into the temptation to search and try any type of add-on, flooding the “engine” of the Google browser and thus worsening navigation performance.
Even if there are no limits whatsoever on the number of Chrome extensions to download , it is clear that too many software programs installed at the same time on the browser can cause an imbalance of system resources, considering that the extensions themselves have however their consumption. Without neglecting the other “issues” underlying the security : although generally reliable, it is not uncommon to come across fake add-ons containing real malware instead. And we have seen several reports .
One of the most useful extensions on Google Chrome is Kami , an add-on that allows you to underline and highlight a PDF in just a few clicks. Once the program is opened from the browser navigation bar, it will be possible to search for a PDF both online (Google Drive, Dropbox and Box) and offline. Its potential is infinite: you can highlight the text, write in a free space, cross out, underline, but also copy and paste the highlighted text into another document. In addition to Chrome, Kami is also available as an extension on Safari and Mozilla Firefox.
CrankWheel is a extension for Google Chrome that allows you to share your screen with another person, especially for those business or simply productive contexts. Its operation is simple and intuitive: once the program has been downloaded and installed, just click on the CrankWheel icon on the Chrome navigation bar to open a screen dedicated to sharing. There are three options available: a browser tab, a program window or full screen. The other user will see the screen thus reproduced through a link that can be distributed via SMS or email. Nothing prevents you from sending this address to a plurality of recipients, which is very useful in presentations.
How many times has it happened to have to electronically sign a document? This need is met by DocuSign , one of the best paid Chrome extensions through which to upload and digitally sign a document, available both from PC and on the main cloud platforms . But not only that, because DocuSign offers an effective integration with Gmail, thus greatly facilitating productivity in all those business contexts.
LastPass certainly needs no introduction, given its reputation as a valid password manager and its almost generalized diffusion. It is a useful security tool to protect the personal credentials used to access the various Internet sites that we usually visit. The program uses a combination of private “master” passwords, automatically generated passwords, local touch-only data encryption and two-factor authentication. It will be sufficient to create a single password and insert all the user's credentials into a real virtual safe. And if you doubt the security, know that the information is encrypted with AES-256 encryption with PBKDF2 SHA-256; furthermore, encryption and decryption take place at the device level.
It happens from time to time to come across websites classified as unsafe and therefore impossible to navigate. The extension HTTPS Everywhere effectively solves the problem, forcing navigation through the use of the most secure version of the page, that is the one with the HTTPS protocol.
Dark Reader allows you to activate a manual dark mode, for a comfortable consultation of your favorite pages. The extension offers the user the ability to create a dark theme in night mode on the fly, changing the brightness, contrast and grayscale at will.
