Recommended Extensions

As I’ve discussed in the past, our web browser is often where we spend most of our time online, and browser extensions are a key way we tailor it to our needs. 

Today I want to talk about how Google Workspace users can set “Recommended Extensions,” a list of extensions you want to recommend – or require – for your team. This is a great solution to speed up onboarding and help ensure your team is on the same page.

But, since I think a few people will see the headline and think I’m sharing extensions we recommend (and I do love to share awesome extensions), I’m going to start there.

Extensions We Recommend

Some of our favorite extensions…

• uBlock Origin – Quick and easy-to-use ad blocker.
• Proton VPN – Even if you’re not a paid Proton user, this extension gives you a quick, secure way to jump on a VPN wherever you roam.
• SEO Meta in 1 Click – As advertised, get the SEO and content details of your page, including title, description, Heading tag outlines, image count, and much more.
• Perplexity – this extension provides quick, cited answers to your questions in a convenient pop-up window, saving you from tab overload.
• ScaleDown – A tool for optimizing your AI prompts, saving time and tokens.
• WAVE Evaluation – An oldie but a goodie. Test your site for accessibility issues quickly, with explanations to guide compliance.
• PrintFriendly – An extension for rendering pages cleanly and clutter-free for print or screenshots.

Recommended by Marit Digital

Ok, let’s talk about the officially recommended extensions. If you are a Google Workspace organization you can set the list of “recommended” extensions that appear in the Chrome Web Store for your team. Note that many browser that are not Chrome are actually built on Chrome and use Chrome extensions, so this is a viable solution for browsers including Microsoft Edge, Arc, Comet, Opera, Vivaldi, Brave, and many others.

To add an extension to the list, start by logging into your Google Workspace Admin area, then follow the steps below.

1. Go to Devices > Chrome > Apps & Extensions.
2. Go to the “Users & browsers” tab.
3. Click on the big yellow “+” in the lower right-hand corner. From here you can choose how to add the extension: by link, by ID, or via a search.
4. Once you find the extension you want to add, click on the blue “Select” button in the upper right-hand corner.
5. Back in the “Users & browsers” tab you’ll have configurations options. The most important of these will let you choose how your team should use the extension. The options are: Block, Allow Install, Force Install, and Force Install + Pin, which will keep the extension available on the browsers toolbar.
   There’s also an option to include and “spotlight” the extension in the Chrome Store Recommend list.
6. Remember to hit “Save” in the upper right-hand corner! You’re all set.

You can come back and change the “Installation Policy” for your list of extensions (or Themes!) at any time. Anyone on your team logged into their browser with your company Google Workspace ID will be able to see the Recommended list in their Chrome Web Store Extensions, and will be required to follow the Workplace guidelines for use.

Browser Shift

For many of us, we spend 8+ hours a day looking at out computers. And the majority of that time is spent in our web browser.

If you’re curious about the impact that has on the environment, I have a fun new tool for you. From the makers of the Shift browser, you can check out this quiz to determine “How Dirty is my Browser?” 

And if you like that, you might also like that Shift is the first self-described carbon-neutral browser. The company tracks and purports to offset the carbon usage of users. If you’re considering a browser switch, check it out.