How To Delete Chrome Extensions That Keep Coming Back

While many extensions are helpful — such every bit security extensions for Chrome that help protect your data — some are built with more malicious goals in mind. Cybercriminals create extensions that seem helpful, but will actually monitor your online activity, harvest your personal data, or spam you with ads.

Other add-ons and plugins request more than permissions than they actually demand — there'due south no reason an ad-blocker Chrome extension needs to access your webcam and location data. Jump down to find out how to identify malicious extensions and protect against them with the free AVG Secure Browser.

How to remove Chrome extensions

Deleting Chrome extensions is unproblematic. Follow these steps to find extensions in Chrome and uninstall any Chrome extensions you don't want:

Launch Google Chrome.
Click the three vertical dots in the summit-right of the browser window to open the menu.
Select More tools from the dropdown carte du jour and choose Extensions from the list of options. You should now see all your downloaded browser extensions.
Detect the extension you lot want to delete and click the Remove button.
Click Remove over again on Chrome'south pop-up confirmation window to delete the extension.

If you'd like to disable Chrome extensions without removing them, toggle the slider to the left. The slider push button is gray when the extension is turned off.

Using extensions in other browsers as well? Learn how to remove extensions from Firefox.

How to delete hidden Chrome extensions on Windows

Not all Chrome extensions are visible in the Extensions section of your browser. Hidden Chrome extensions that aren't visible in your browser are more than probable to be malware, like browser hijackers. It's of import to remove browser hijackers immediately, because they're invasive and can compromise your online security and privacy.

Have a Mac? Bound to our removal instructions on Apple. Otherwise, here'south how to notice and delete hidden Chrome extensions on Windows:

Close Google Chrome (if open).
Open your file explorer and paste the following pathway into the navigation bar, replacing username with the username you use on your reckoner, then press Enter.

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Information\Default
Select Extensions from the list.

Within the extensions folder are more folders for each extension, with the folder names every bit strings of messages.
Open up whatever folder. You won't know which extension each binder is for until you go a little deeper.
Open up the subfolder with the extension's version number.
Expect for a manifest.json file, which is a simple JSON file that tells the browser how the extension's user interface should appear when installed on desktop or mobile devices.
Open the manifest.json file by right-clicking and selecting "open with" and choosing your preferred text or code editor. So place the name of the extension by checking the short_name field.
To remove this extension, return to its main folder (step iv, where all the folders are listed with strings of letters as names) and delete the folder.
Restart Google Chrome.

How to delete hidden Chrome extensions on Mac

Deleting hidden Chrome extensions on Mac is very similar to the procedure on Windows. Here are the steps to delete hidden extensions on Mac:

Open Finder.
Utilize the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + G to open the Go to Folder navigation bar.
Paste this pathway in the navigation bar: ~/Library/Application Back up/Google/Chrome/Default/Extensions
This will open the Google Chrome extensions folder.

Go to steps iv through 10 to a higher place for Windows and follow the same steps for removing the hidden extensions.

How to identify malicious extensions

Before adding a new extension or plugin to your browser, make sure yous're not adding something malicious. Hither's a quick checklist to make sure you lot don't add any unsafe extensions.

one. Enquiry the developer

Developers who take created add-ons or extensions can normally be verified via profiles on applied science forums such as GitHub, or by public association with the company they work for.

Most reputable extensions accept their own homepage with a directly download pick. This homepage — or the Chrome Web Store — is a safer place to download than a tertiary-political party portal, since malware creators can disguise their deceptive downloads in the marketplace every bit popular extensions.

ii. Check the extension's requested permissions

Review the permissions that a browser extension requests. If an extension requests access to something it shouldn't need to perform its role, that's a red flag. Why would a recipe-finder extension need permission to access your electronic mail? It doesn't.

Always read permission requests carefully, rather than quickly clicking Allow to make the popular-upward window become abroad. If a request sounds suspicious, do some inquiry or delete the extension.

3. After installing the extension, look for foreign behavior

While using your browser, check for the following alarm signs of a malicious extension:

You're seeing a sudden increase in ads, especially pop-up ads.
Your browser is much slower than usual.
You're getting scareware pop-ups that don't look like the alerts from your actual, legitimate antivirus program.

Check if this experience is unique to your browser by having someone else visit the aforementioned spider web address on their ain computer to compare the lag time and number of ads visible. If they don't have the same problems you're having, so you might take a malicious extension on your browser.

If your browser yet feels tiresome after removing the extension, check out our tips on how to speed upward your browser. And install an ad blocker to get rid of annoying ads that besides slow you downward.

4. Cheque for unwanted redirects

Manually blazon in a web address — if your browser redirects you to a site other than the ane you typed, you lot may have a malicious browser extension. These extensions redirect you to unsafe websites that tin can collect your personal information, inundate you in pop-up ads, and collect money for advertisers.

In addition, unsafe extensions and plugins use ad tracking to get together more information about your web activity. Using browsers with congenital-in security and privacy features tin can prevent y'all from installing malicious extensions and help avoid the consequences.

Protect confronting suspicious extensions with AVG Secure Browser

Browser extensions tin exist super useful, and so don't permit malicious add-ons spoil your fun. The Extension Guard feature in AVG Secure Browser gives yous added protection by highlighting permission requests from extensions to assist y'all identify any unusual permission requests before you install the extension.

WIth the free AVG Secure Browser, you'll know in advance that whatsoever extension you add has been vetted for safety before you use it.

Why is information technology important to manage extensions in Chrome?

While information technology'southward tempting to download every extension that sounds exciting or useful, some extensions are safer than others. Here are some things to consider before going on a plugin installation spree:

Managing your Google Chrome extensions makes information technology less likely that you lot'll accidentally install malware.
Unsafe extensions compromise your privacy, putting personal data at adventure.
Browser extensions update automatically and malicious ones may of a sudden introduce malware, such every bit adware.
Extensions take up space and retention, and too many extensions tin can bog down your computer and brand your browser feel slower.
If you use extensions on a piece of work computer, some requested permissions may violate your company'south data security policies.
Know where y'all're downloading from — app stores like the Chrome Web Store and the AVG Extension Store screen extensions for malware earlier approving them.

While yous're managing your extensions, consider disabling notifications in Chrome for sites that abuse them to testify y'all ads. Doing a bit of Chrome extension and notification management helps ensure y'all're installing merely beneficial extensions that won't introduce security vulnerabilities, leak your information, or otherwise damage your computer.

Lastly, do some browser maintenance like deleting your cookies and clearing your history.

Manage extensions easily with AVG Secure Browser

AVG Secure Browser is congenital on the Chromium platform, which means that you lot can savor all of its benefits while using all your favorite Google Chrome extensions. Rather than worry about unsafe extensions, you'll become automatic protection with Extension Guard in AVG Secure Browser.

Extension Guard is an advanced, born feature that protects you from unsafe extensions, extensions that haven't passed AVG security checks, and extensions that request unusual permissions. That way, you lot won't unintentionally add a plugin to your browser that doesn't have your best interests in mind. But that'south just one manner the free AVG Secure Browser enhances your privacy and security online.

Yous'll also go protection against malicious websites and shady downloads to help y'all avert phishing attacks and malware, while the anti-tracking and ad-blocking features let you surf the web without bots following your every move and diggings y'all with ads.

AVG Secure Browser fifty-fifty offers automated encryption when connecting to unsecured websites, and an ultra-secure Bank Mode for super-sensitive transactions. Become AVG Secure Browser today for smoother, safer browsing.