How-to guide
Chrome extensions on Android and iPhone
How-to
Chrome extensions on Android and iPhone
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The short answer
No. Google Chrome on Android, iPhone and iPad does not support extensions. On Android, some Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Yandex Browser and Lemur can install a limited set of Chrome Web Store extensions. On iPhone and iPad, Kagi's Orion browser has experimental support for some Chrome extensions; otherwise, use Safari extensions or the extension maker's own mobile app.
Why mobile Chrome doesn't support extensions
Desktop Chrome runs extensions built on Manifest V3, Google's current extension platform. Chrome for Android and Chrome for iOS are built from a different, stripped-down codebase that has never included the extension APIs, so there is no settings toggle or hidden flag that turns this on. This isn't a recent restriction; it's been true since mobile Chrome first shipped.
On iPhone and iPad the restriction goes deeper. Apple's App Store rules require every browser app, including Chrome, to use Apple's own WebKit rendering engine internally rather than Chrome's own Blink engine. WebKit's mobile extension support is limited to Safari Web Extensions and content blockers, and Chrome for iOS doesn't expose that system to Chrome Web Store extensions at all.
This applies to Chrome specifically
The limitation described here is about the Chrome app on phones and tablets. A small number of other Android browsers work around it differently, covered below.
Android browsers that do support extensions
A handful of Chromium-based Android browsers build in support for loading some desktop extensions, separately from Google Chrome. Support is partial: these browsers typically allow a fixed list of extensions, or let you sideload an unpacked extension folder, rather than opening the full Chrome Web Store.
| Browser | How extensions work | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Yandex Browser | Built-in support for a curated set of Chrome Web Store extensions | Not every Chrome extension is available; availability varies by extension |
| Kraken Browser | Chromium-based, built specifically to load Chrome extensions on Android | Newer browser with a smaller install base than Chrome or Yandex |
| Firefox for Android | Supports a curated list of Firefox add-ons, not Chrome extensions directly | Only extensions Mozilla has approved for mobile work |
Kiwi Browser is discontinued
Kiwi Browser was previously the best-known way to run full Chrome extensions on Android. Development stopped and the app is no longer maintained or safe to rely on for security updates, so it isn't listed as a current option here.
Because support is inconsistent between browsers and can change with updates, check the specific extension's own listing or support page before assuming it will load on any of these apps.
Why iPhone and iPad can't run Chrome extensions
There is currently no way to install a Chrome Web Store extension on iPhone or iPad, in Chrome or in any other browser. Apple's WebKit requirement for iOS browsers means every browser on the App Store, including Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox, shares the same rendering engine and the same limited extension model.
The one form of extension iOS does support is a Safari Web Extension, a different format built specifically for Safari's engine. Some desktop extension makers publish a separate Safari version through the App Store, but this is a different build made by the developer, not the Chrome Web Store listing running unmodified.
What to use instead of the extension on mobile
For most categories of extension, the practical mobile substitute is the tool's own phone app or a Safari Web Extension, not the Chrome extension itself.
| Category | Typical mobile alternative |
|---|---|
| Password managers | The password manager's own iOS/Android app, which usually still autofills logins in mobile Safari or Chrome via the system autofill settings |
| Ad blockers | A Safari content-blocker app on iOS; on Android, a browser with built-in ad blocking or a DNS-based blocker |
| VPN extensions | The VPN provider's dedicated Android or iOS app, which protects the whole device rather than one browser tab |
| Note-taking / read-later tools | The service's mobile app, syncing over your account rather than a browser extension |
Check for a Safari extension first on iPhone
Before assuming a tool has no mobile option, search the App Store for its name. Password managers and ad blockers in particular often ship a genuine Safari Web Extension, enabled in Settings → Safari → Extensions.
- Check the extension developer's website or the App Store for a dedicated Android or iOS app before assuming there's no mobile option
- On iPhone, search the App Store for a Safari Web Extension version and enable it in Settings → Safari → Extensions
- On Android, try a Chromium-based browser with built-in extension support, such as Yandex Browser or Kraken Browser, if the tool has no app of its own
- Sign in to the mobile app or extension with the same account you use on desktop so settings sync across devices
Desktop extensions mentioned in this guide, and their mobile paths
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Security & Privacy
Blocks ads, pop-ups and trackers on desktop Chrome; on Android, Yandex Browser or Kraken Browser are the only way to load it as a browser extension rather than a separate app.
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Adblock PlusFree
Productivity
One of the extensions more likely to appear in curated Android browser stores like Yandex's; on iPhone, look for the developer's own Safari Web Extension or app instead.
-
Proton VPNFreemium
Security & Privacy
Encrypts browsing and hides your IP in desktop Chrome; on Android or iPhone, use Proton's own VPN app rather than trying to run the extension in mobile Chrome.
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Surfshark VPNFreemium
Security & Privacy
VPN extension for desktop Chrome; the Surfshark Android and iOS apps cover the whole device rather than one browser tab.
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Browsec VPNFreemium
Security & Privacy
No-signup VPN extension for desktop Chrome; like other VPN extensions, it needs the provider's dedicated mobile app on Android or iPhone.
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Urban VPN ProxyFree
Security & Privacy
Free VPN proxy extension for desktop Chrome; check the developer's own mobile app for the same free-proxy behavior on a phone.
Does 'request desktop site' bring back extensions?
No. Requesting the desktop version of a website in mobile Chrome changes how the page is displayed, not which code runs in the browser app itself. Extensions are part of the browser, not the webpage, so this setting has no effect on extension availability on Android or iPhone.
Extensions mentioned in this guide
- AdGuard AdBlockerBlocks ads, pop-ups, and trackers on YouTube, Facebook, and beyond
- Adblock PlusBlocks ads and trackers across YouTube and the rest of the web
- Proton VPNEncrypt your browsing and hide your IP with one click, from a trusted privacy company.
- Surfshark VPNMask your location and browse privately with a fast, easy-to-use VPN extension.
- Browsec VPNShield your IP and browse privately with a free, no-signup VPN extension.
- Urban VPN ProxyFree VPN proxy that unblocks websites and secures your browsing
Frequently asked
Can you use Chrome extensions on Android?
Not in Google Chrome itself. Chrome for Android has never included the extension APIs. A few other Chromium-based Android browsers, such as Yandex Browser and Kraken Browser, support a limited, curated set of extensions instead.
Can you use Chrome extensions on iPhone?
No. Chrome for iPhone and iPad cannot run Chrome Web Store extensions. Most iOS browsers use WebKit, which supports a separate format called Safari Web Extensions; the main exception is Kagi's Orion browser, which offers experimental support for some Chrome and Firefox extensions.
Is Kiwi Browser still a way to get Chrome extensions on Android?
Kiwi Browser previously supported full Chrome extensions on Android, but development has stopped and the app is no longer maintained, so it isn't a safe or reliable option currently.
Why doesn't Google just add extension support to Chrome for Android?
Google hasn't published a specific reason. Mobile Chrome has been built on a different, lighter codebase since it launched, and extension support has never been part of that build on either Android or iOS.
Does Chrome for iPad support extensions?
No. Chrome for iPad has the same limits as Chrome for iPhone, so it cannot run Chrome Web Store extensions either.
What is a Safari Web Extension and is it the same as a Chrome extension?
A Safari Web Extension is a separate extension format built for Apple's WebKit engine. Some developers convert their Chrome extension into a Safari Web Extension and distribute it through the App Store, but it is a different build, not the Chrome Web Store version running as-is.
Can I sideload a Chrome extension file on Android?
Some Chromium-based Android browsers, including Kraken Browser, let you load an unpacked extension folder manually. Chrome for Android does not offer this option.
Will my password manager extension still work on my phone?
The browser extension itself won't run, but almost every major password manager has its own Android and iOS app that syncs your vault and can autofill logins through the phone's system autofill settings.
Do ad blocker extensions work on mobile Chrome?
No, the extension itself does not load in mobile Chrome. On iPhone, a Safari content-blocker app is the usual substitute; on Android, a browser with built-in ad blocking or a separate blocking app is closer to the effect.
Does switching to 'desktop site' in mobile Chrome enable extensions?
No. That setting only changes how a webpage displays; it doesn't add extension support to the browser app, so it has no effect on Android or iPhone.
Are Firefox add-ons the same as Chrome extensions on mobile?
No. Firefox for Android supports its own curated list of Firefox add-ons. These are not Chrome Web Store extensions, and Chrome extensions cannot be installed into Firefox.
Is there any official Google roadmap to bring extensions to Chrome mobile?
Google has not announced plans to add Chrome Web Store extension support to Chrome for Android or iOS as of this writing.