How to Download and Install Chrome Extensions from Crx4Chrome

Updated

Crx4Chrome is a third-party directory that hosts .crx files for Chrome extensions and apps, letting you download an extension package directly instead of installing it from the Chrome Web Store. You would use it when an extension is unavailable in your region, has been removed from the Web Store, or you want to keep a specific version. The process has three parts: find the extension, download the CRX file, then load it into Chrome manually. Note that Chrome blocks drag-and-drop installation of most CRX files, so the reliable method is unpacking the file and loading it as an unpacked extension.

Finding the extension you want

Crx4Chrome organizes listings into browsable collections rather than a single search box. The homepage headings include:

  • Top Download Extensions for Chrome — e.g. uBlock Origin 1.71.0, AdGuard AdBlocker MV2 5.4.3.1, Global Speed 3.4.119, Tampermonkey Legacy 5.1.1
  • Best Rated Extensions for Chrome — e.g. OneNote Web Clipper 3.11.2, Poper Blocker 8.9.3, AdBlock 6.46.0, Video DownloadHelper 10.5.49.2
  • Latest Apps, Games and Extensions for Chrome — newest additions with category and update date, e.g. Mr Mute 1.2 (Productivity, updated September 22, 2024), ReadTime 1.0.0 (Productivity, updated November 12, 2025), HTML Table Exporter 1.6.0 (Productivity, updated June 12, 2026)

Each entry shows a version number, a category tag, an update date, and a short description, followed by a Download Crx link. Use the version number and update date to confirm you are getting the build you expect — listings on this kind of site can lag behind the developer's current release.

Downloading the CRX file

  1. Open the extension's listing page on Crx4Chrome.
  2. Click Download Crx. The browser saves a file ending in .crx to your Downloads folder.
  3. Check the file before installing. A CRX is a ZIP archive with a header, so you can rename a copy to .zip and inspect its contents, or check the file size against the listing.

Installing the CRX file in Chrome

Chrome removed the old "drag the CRX onto chrome://extensions" behavior for files not from the Web Store, so the working approach is to unpack and load it:

  1. Make a copy of the downloaded .crx file and rename the copy so it ends in .zip.
  2. Extract the ZIP to a folder you will keep — Chrome reads the extension from this folder every time it starts, so do not delete or move it.
  3. Open chrome://extensions in Chrome.
  4. Turn on Developer mode (top-right toggle).
  5. Click Load unpacked and select the extracted folder.
  6. The extension appears in the list. Confirm it is enabled and check for errors on its card.

Expected result: the extension's icon shows in the toolbar and it behaves as it would from the Web Store. If Chrome shows a "Manifest version" or "Could not load" error, the package is likely built for an older Chrome version or is corrupted — re-download it.

Common problems and things to check

  • "Apps, extensions, and user scripts cannot be added from this website." Chrome is refusing a direct CRX install. Use the unpacked method above instead of retrying the drag-and-drop.
  • Extension disappears after restart. You moved or deleted the extracted folder. Keep it in a permanent location.
  • Manifest V2 extensions. Some listings, such as AdGuard AdBlocker MV2, are built on the older Manifest V2 format. Recent Chrome versions have been phasing this out, so a V2 extension may install but not run, or may be disabled automatically.
  • Updates are manual. Unpacked extensions do not auto-update. You have to re-download and replace the folder when a new version appears.
  • Source trust. Crx4Chrome is an independent mirror, not the Chrome Web Store. The file you get is not verified by Google, so for anything handling passwords, payments, or browsing data, prefer the official Web Store listing when it is available.
  • Version drift. The version shown on the listing (for example uBlock Origin 1.71.0) may not be the developer's latest release. Cross-check the version number if you need a current build.