Google Extensions (or Chrome Extensions) are tools that you can add to the Chrome web browser to enhance or change your browsing experience and/or productivity. Extensions can be accessed and enabled from the chrome webstore.
step 1: Use the Google Chrome Web Browser
Like Internet Explore, Edge, or Firefox, Chrome is an alternative browser that can be used to access webpages on the internet. It was built and is run by Google. Don't have this browser? Click here.
step 2: visit the chrome web store to enable extensions
Extensions can be added to your Chrome browser from the Chrome Webstore (chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions). Here is where you can browse through the thousands of extensions available to be added. To enable any extension, click the 'Add to Chrome Button'. Follow any instructions that pop up on the screen.
Step 3: Enable and use extensions
Below is a list of recommended extensions that serve various purposes. Start with these out if you are not sure where to start or browse the chrome web store to find your own extensions to try.
Even More Extensions:
- AdBlock Plus - Blocks pop-up advertisements on the web.
- Bitmoji - Use Bitmojis in your web browser (Stop what you are doing and enable this one now!)
- Bitly - Create shortened urls that are easier for students (and adults) to quickly type in to visit a specific website (or online document).
- Equato - Quickly create math expressions and equations by typing or handwriting. (Great for students using chromebooks in math so problems can be completed in Google docs.
- Eye Dropper - pick colors from web pages/images to match a specific color and get the unique code associated with it when design a website or other items where you choose a color.
- Forest: Stay Focused - Create a ‘blacklist’ of websites you need to stay away from as you work. Plant a seed before you begin to work. Staying away from blacklisted sites allows your seed to grow into a tree!
- GIPHY - Sarch for and add GIFs in a web browser.
- Grammarly - Corrects your spelling and grammar as you type in certain websites (Moodle, Blackboard, etc. Also works in gmail.
- GoogleTone - Broadcast any URL to computers within earshot
- Honey - Automatically checks for coupon codes and applies the best one when checking out in an online store. (Others that do the same thing: WikiBuy, Ebates)
- Kami - PDF and document markup. Annotate and edit PDFs and other documents.
- Nimbus Screenshot - Take screenshots (fullscreen or part of a page) and immediately edit/annotate before saving and sharing. Removes the need to save a screenshot then open in another program to edit or annotate and then uploading to be able to share.
- Panic Button - Saves and closes all open tabs in a Chrome window. Click the extension again to reopen them all. Use this if you want to let someone else use your browser but don’t want them to be able to click on any of your other open tabs.
- Pinterest - Pin from any website to your Pinterest boards.
- Read & Write - This extension will highlight as it read aloud your Google Docs. It also provides a Dictionary, Picture Finder, Fact Finder, Translator, Highlighter, and Vocabulary tool. This is a great tool, but there is now a charge to use it.
- Remote Desktop - Access other computers or allow another user to access your computer securely over the Internet.
- Schedule Email - Schedule emails to be sent at a later date and time.
- Screenleap - Screenleap allows you to share your screen with anyone from Gmail.
- Sir Links-a-Lot - Generate links to Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc based on how you want to share (force a copy, preview, template, etc.)
- Select and Speak - Another accessibility extension, Select and Speak will narrate any web text.
- SpeakIt! - Select text to be read aloud
- Screencastify - an extension for screencasting (recording your desktop screen, a web page, or documents, Allows you to record your screen, from your webcam, or both. Video files are stored in Google Drive and can be shared like any other Google item. *With the free version, video files are NOT MP4 and cannot be exported/shared in any way except via GDrive.
- Smile Always - Automatically redirects any amazon.com page to smile.amazon.com so a percentage of your purchases can be donated to a charity of your choosing. (Don’t have a charity to shop for: choose Nicholls State University Alumni Federation or Nicholls State University Foundation to give back to Nicholls.)
- Tab Resize - Split Screen made easy. Resize the CURRENT tab and tabs to the RIGHT into layouts on separate windows.
Even More Extensions:
- Shake up learning Extension Database - Allows you to filter by subject, topic and more to find extensions for your classroom: shakeuplearning.com/blog/100-chrome-apps-and-extensions
- List of more extensions to try - beebom.com/best-google-chrome-extensions/