Best browser plugins

Web browsers are boring. Actually, let’s rephrase that, the vanilla versions of Firefox and Chrome are designed for broad appeal and simple access, which makes them pretty basic. However, you can spruce them up using plugins (also known as extensions), which add features that extend the browser’s capabilities.

Read Peter Zaluzny’s article on browser plugins. Which plugins have you used in your web browser?

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The most useful one I use in Chrome is the Symantec/Norton Vault for saving endless number of passwords needed to navigate and use the internet.

I tend not to install others as I have found they can slow down Chrome or not used enough to justify them.

Should also say that I have to minimise the Norton toolbar when using Choice Community as the pop up comments box from the bottom of the screen seems to conflict with the toolbar…the comments box does not appear unless the toolbar is minimised/not shown. A minor inconvenience.

I use a few extensions with Chrome:

  • Awesome Screenshot
  • Evernote Web Clipper
  • Bitly
  • Feedly
  • Hootsuite Hootlet
  • Pin It Button
  • Search By Image
  • WhatFont
  • EyeDropper

I only occasionally use Firefox so I haven’t set up any extensions there.

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hi @bmays
On Chrome, the primary extensions I use are:

  • Adblock Plus (a free ad blocker that blocks ALL annoying ads, malware and tracking.)
  • Disconnect (claims to make the web faster, more private, and more secure)
  • Facebook AdBlock (blocks and removes ads)
  • IDM Integration Module (Downloads files faster, can pause &/or restart downloads)
  • Social Fixer for Facebook (fixes annoyances, adds features, and enhances existing functionality to make FB more fun and efficient)
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My main ones in chrome are adblock, a couple of url shorteners and my personal fave…hoverzoom, where you hover your cursor over a thumbnail or pic and view it without clicking and opening a new window or page.

I have some of the tools listed above for social scheduling/screenshots - but my favourite plugins are those which check my language - Grammarly and Sorry Not Sorry are great tools for reviewing the language you use in emails and across the web.

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I use Firefox as my security suite sees Chrome as a virus! I use AdBlock Plus and the associated pop-up blockers, a couple of downloaders (Ant, and easy-media) that download different things, a Youtube unblocker to work around country filters on Youtube, I also ran a so-called vpn app that was great for accessing a lot of country-specific websites like the BBC in the UK, but caused problems with my banking. For Facebook I use FB Purity (fantastic! a must have!) and FB Phishing Protector. I use Ghostery and No-Script that switches off Java unless I want to run it. There are a few others but those are the ones most often used and relied upon.

On Firefox, I’m a big fan of All-In-OneSidebar. I also use AdBlock Plus, Privacy Badger, InstaClick, and Roomy Bookmarks Toolbar.
On Chrome, I use the equivalent of InstaClick - Right Click Opens Link in New Tab.

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I use Google Chrome mainly . Add ons are AdBlock and Skype Browser alert

I use AdBlockPlus, NoScript, HttpsEverywhere, Blur (throw-away email addresses and tracker blocking), Lastpass (password management), and Pocket (which is now built in to Firefox). All are used with FF and Chrome and on Edge I use HttpsEverywhere Lastpass Blur and ABP since they allowed extensions with the latest Win 10 update.

Here is one I forgot in my list of very useful plug-ins


Filter Your News Feed, Hide Sponsored Stories, Remove Politics… Customize and Enhance Facebook!

Social Fixer for Facebook plugs into your browser and improves the existing Facebook.com web site. You get to pick which features you want to use:

  • Filter your news feed by keyword, author, and more
  • Hide Sponsored Posts, Politics, Spoilers, etc.
  • Tabbed news feed organizes posts by games, apps, author
  • Hide parts of the page you don’t want to see
  • Don’t show posts again once you’ve read
  • Auto-switch to the Most Recent news feed

Absolutely essential; Don’t surf without these.

  • uBlock Origin (replacement for AdblockPlus)
  • NoScript
  • Better Privacy
  • Flashblock (if you have Flash installed)

Extremely useful:

  • Fluff Busting Purity (for Facebook users)
  • Trashmail (disposable email addresses)
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Thanks @Fred. I appreciate your suggestions.

I have seen trashmail mentioned before. I’m not sure if it was here or in a computer magazine. I meant to follow it up then :blush: , but now I will.

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Like @Fred I use NoScript and uBlock, I recently changed to uBlock from AdBlock+ as in uBlock you can add the ability to avoid the new Ad Blocker Blockers that many sites are starting to use to force you to disable Ad blocking. uBlock uses a technique to fool the site’s code so it doesn’t impede your viewing but cuts the ads. I also use a new extension from the Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) called Privacy Badger which learns what sites track you and blocks them.

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Thanks for that! What a brilliant bit of gear. I’ve been a long-time supporter of the EFF.

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Also take a look at the free version of Blur from Abine. It also has unlimited masked email addresses, has tracker blocking and provides password generation and storage. The premium package is not so useful here yet as many of the pay for tools are US/EU specific.

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I use minimal plugins:

  • uBlock Origin - Firefox only (ad blocker, though it breaks SBS on demand)
  • Pocket - Firefox and Chrome (mostly to move long articles to my Kobo)