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What is Scratch Addons?
Scratch Addons is a free, open-source browser extension that adds optional features and themes to the Scratch website and project editor. It works as a collection of individual "addons" that you turn on or off, with a settings interface for configuring each one. The extension is community-built and available in multiple languages, including Spanish, Russian, Japanese, and French.
It is aimed at Scratchers who want more control or convenience than the standard Scratch interface provides, without switching platforms. Typical uses include:
- Editing workflow: enlarging the "Save Now" button, right-click block switching, developer tools for copying/pasting blocks, and an enhanced clean-up tool.
- Project management: setting custom thumbnails (including GIFs), a clone counter above the stage, and hex color inputs in color pickers.
- Community and forum use: automatically following topics you post in, copy-link buttons on comments, and confirmation prompts before actions like sharing a project.
- Editor fixes and input: fixing sprite-pane drag-and-drop glitches, dragging files from your computer into sprites or lists, and data-category tweaks.
As a next step, install the extension for your browser, open its settings, and enable only the addons you need. If you are mainly bothered by the editor's drag-and-drop bug or want custom thumbnails, start with those specific addons rather than enabling everything at once; fewer active addons make it easier to notice if one causes unexpected behavior. For background on the Scratch platform itself, see Scratch.
How do I install Scratch Addons on my browser?
Scratch Addons installs the same way most browser extensions do: from your browser's official extension store, then you configure individual addons from its own settings page. The site's Install section points to a free, open-source extension, and the project is built by a community of Scratchers, so there is no account or payment step involved.
General installation steps
- Open your browser's extension store (Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons, or the equivalent for Edge and other Chromium browsers).
- Search for "Scratch Addons" and confirm the developer/publisher matches the official project.
- Select Add to Chrome / Add to Firefox / Install, and approve the permissions prompt.
- Pin the extension icon to your toolbar if you want quick access.
- Visit scratch.mit.edu or open a project in the editor — the addons should activate automatically.
- Click the Scratch Addons icon to open its settings and turn individual addons and themes on or off.
A concrete scenario
Suppose you want a bigger "Save Now" button and a clone counter above the stage. After installing, open the extension's settings, find those two addons in the list, and toggle them on. The changes apply to the Scratch editor the next time the page loads, and you can disable either one later without uninstalling anything.
Decision criteria
- Which browser: install from that browser's own store so updates arrive automatically. If you use multiple browsers, you will need to install it separately in each.
- Permissions: the extension needs access to Scratch pages to modify the site and editor. If you are uncomfortable granting that, install it in a separate browser profile used only for Scratch.
- Customization: because Scratch Addons bundles many separate addons, expect to spend a few minutes in settings disabling the ones you do not want rather than accepting defaults wholesale.
For background on Scratch itself, see Scratch.
Is Scratch Addons safe and trustworthy to use?
Trust depends less on the extension itself than on how you install it and which addons you enable. Scratch Addons is described as free, open source, and built by a community of Scratchers, which means the code can be inspected and the project doesn't depend on subscriptions or payment. Its documented features are interface and editor conveniences — thumbnail uploading, a larger "Save Now" button, block switching, a clone counter, hex color inputs, comment link copying, and file drag and drop — rather than anything that needs your Scratch password or payment details.
That said, "open source and community-built" is not the same as "risk-free." Any extension that runs on scratch.mit.edu can read and modify what happens on that page, and addons that add confirmations or alter editor behaviour are interacting with your account session. The practical risks are ordinary ones: a malicious or compromised update, an addon whose permissions are broader than its description suggests, or a browser profile shared with people you don't trust.
H3 How to judge it for your situation
- Install from the official source. Use the browser's own extension store listing or the project's official site rather than a mirror or a file someone sent you.
- Check the permissions prompt. If an install asks for access to all sites or to your data on unrelated domains, treat that as a reason to stop.
- Enable addons selectively. The extension is explicitly configurable; you don't need every feature on. Turn on what you'll actually use and leave the rest off.
- Keep it updated. Security fixes arrive through updates, so don't pin an old version indefinitely.
- Use it on a personal browser profile. On a shared or school-managed computer, check whether extensions are permitted at all.
For a typical young Scratcher on their own laptop, the balance is reasonable: the features are cosmetic and workflow-oriented, and the open-source model means problems tend to get noticed. For a shared school device or an account with sensitive information attached, the calculus shifts toward asking a teacher or administrator first.
A useful next step: open the extension's settings page, review the list of enabled addons one by one, and disable anything you can't explain in a sentence. For background on the platform it modifies, see Scratch.
Can I customize which addons are enabled in Scratch Addons?
Yes. Scratch Addons is built around individual addons, each of which can be turned on or off independently, and its interface is described as a place to control the settings of each feature and theme. So you are not choosing an all-or-nothing package — you can keep the handful of tweaks you find useful and leave the rest alone.
How the customization works in practice
- Each addon is a separate feature, so enabling one does not force the others on.
- Settings are per addon, meaning an addon can be enabled while still being adjusted to behave the way you want.
- The extension is configurable through a single interface rather than requiring separate installs for each feature.
H3. Examples of addons you might enable selectively Because the addons vary widely in purpose, most users end up with a mixed set rather than everything:
- Interface conveniences: a larger "Save Now" button, a copy-link button on comments, or confirmations before actions like sharing a project.
- Editor helpers: a clone counter above the stage, hex color inputs, block switching by right-clicking, or an improved clean-up tool.
- Workflow additions: thumbnail uploading from an image or GIF, file drag and drop into the sprite pane or lists, or automatically following forum topics after posting.
H3. A practical decision criterion If you are unsure, enable addons one at a time and judge them against a real task: does this make a step you repeat often faster or less error-prone? Disable anything you do not notice yourself using. This keeps the editor close to standard Scratch while still removing your specific annoyances.
H3. Starting points The official extension site is Scratch Addons, where the feature list and install options are documented. If you want to see how a particular addon behaves before committing, the Scratch community itself is the better place to ask — the project is described as free, open source, and built by a community of Scratchers.
What are some popular addons included in Scratch Addons?
Scratch Addons is a browser extension for the Scratch website and project editor, made up of individual "addons" you can turn on or off. The popular ones tend to fall into a few practical categories: editor convenience, project presentation, and community/forum helpers.
Editor and coding helpers
- Block switching — right-click a block to swap it for a related block, useful when you realize a different block fits better.
- Developer tools — adds copy/cut/paste for blocks, variable swapping, and "make space" to the right-click menu.
- Enhanced clean up tool — upgrades the editor's clean-up option with multiple columns and suggestions for removing unused variables and lists.
- Fix sprite pane glitching — addresses a bug where scripts, costumes, and sounds can't be dragged into sprites without the pane jumping around.
- Larger "Save Now" button — makes the save button easier to hit.
- Hex color picker — adds hex code inputs to color pickers.
- Data category tweaks — provides adjustments to the Variables ("Data") block category.
- Clone counter — shows the total number of clones above the stage.
Project and file handling
- Thumbnail uploader — adds a dropdown next to "Set Thumbnail" so you can set a project thumbnail to any image, including GIFs.
- File drag and drop — lets you drag images and sounds from your file manager into the sprite pane or costume/sound list, and drag text files into lists or "ask and wait" inputs.
Community and forum features
- Follow topics after posting — automatically follows forum topics you post in.
- Copy link to comment button — adds a "Copy Link" button next to "Report" on comments.
- Confirmations — asks if you're sure before committing account actions like sharing projects.
- Cloud games — available from the Scratch Addons icon; shows how many Scratchers are on multiplayer projects and their usernames.
How to choose what to enable If you spend most of your time in the editor, start with the coding and file-handling addons, since they reduce friction during building. If you mostly share and discuss projects, the thumbnail and comment/forum addons will matter more. Because each addon is individually configurable, you can enable only the ones you want rather than accepting the whole set.
As a next step, open the extension's settings and browse by category, turning on one or two addons at a time so you can tell what changed. The official project page is at Scratch Addons.
Does Scratch Addons support languages other than English?
Yes. Scratch Addons is international: its interface is translated into Spanish, Russian, Japanese, French and many other languages, so non-English speakers can use the extension without working through English menus. The addons themselves change how the Scratch website and project editor behave, so the language you see in the Scratch editor is still whatever Scratch itself is set to; Scratch Addons localizes its own settings interface and addon descriptions.
Who this matters for
- Classroom teachers whose students use Scratch in a native language can point them to the extension's settings in that language.
- International Scratchers browsing the forums or sharing projects can read addon options in their own language rather than guessing at English labels.
- Translators and contributors can help extend coverage, since the project is free, open source and community-built.
A practical next step
Open the extension's settings page and check the language selector (or your browser's language setting) before configuring addons. If your language is missing or incomplete, the project's community channels are the place to ask about contributing translations. For the Scratch platform itself, language options live on Scratch.
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