Kiwi Browser Is Gone: How to Use Extensions on Android Now

What happened to Kiwi Browser?

Kiwi Browser is no longer maintained. Its developer archived the project and wrote on its GitHub page that it would not be maintained after January 2025. It was an open-source, Chromium-based Android browser best known for letting you install desktop Chrome extensions on a phone, and it was the go-to answer to that question for years.

The project's source repository is public on GitHub, and its README carries the developer's archive notice. It also points to the last published release. Store listings can linger long after a project stops, so a page still being available somewhere does not mean the browser is maintained.

Why does it matter? A browser is the most exposed app on your phone. It parses untrusted web content all day, and Chromium ships security fixes constantly. A fork that stops merging them falls behind quickly, and its extensions run inside that aging engine.

Can regular Chrome on Android run extensions?

No. Chrome for Android has not offered a way to install Chrome Web Store extensions, which is exactly the gap Kiwi filled. Extensions work in Chrome on Windows, Mac, Linux and ChromeOS.

That is why people search for a Kiwi replacement rather than just using Chrome. If Google changes this, its official Chrome help pages will say so first. Until then, assume Chrome on your phone will not accept the Install button on a Web Store listing.

There are three practical routes. Use a different Android browser that has its own add-on system, use a Chromium browser that has added extension support, or stop trying to run extensions on the phone and sync the results instead. Our broader guide to Chrome extensions on Android and iPhone compares them across both platforms.

Which Android browsers replace Kiwi for extensions?

Firefox for Android is the safest replacement, because Mozilla actively maintains it and it has a real add-on store. Other options exist, but each has a catch you should check yourself.

Firefox for Android

Actively maintained by Mozilla. Installs add-ons from addons.mozilla.org, not the Chrome Web Store, so you pick the Firefox version of each tool. This is the option we would start with.

Microsoft Edge Canary for Android

Kiwi's README says its extension code was integrated into Edge Canary, Microsoft's early-build channel, and describes installing extensions there by ID from Developer Options. It is a development build, so expect changes and instability, and check Microsoft's own pages for current status.

Lemur Browser

A Chromium-based Android browser whose Google Play listing says it supports the Chrome Web Store and Microsoft Edge extensions. It is a small independent project, so check its update history before trusting it with logins.

Yandex Browser

A Chromium-based Android browser. Yandex's help pages say you can install extensions from Yandex's own selection or from the Chrome Web Store and Opera Add-ons. It comes from a Russian company, which matters to some readers.

Samsung Internet

Has an add-on system, but add-ons come from the Galaxy Store, and Samsung's support page describes it for Galaxy phones and tablets. Check that the tools you need are listed there.

The pattern to watch for is a small, independent Chromium fork. It can work well today and stall tomorrow, which is precisely what happened to Kiwi. Prefer a browser backed by an organisation with a public release cycle.

How do you install extensions on Firefox for Android?

Open Firefox, tap the three-dot menu, choose Add-ons, and tap the plus button next to the one you want. Menu wording can shift slightly between releases, but the path has stayed close to this.

1. Install Firefox for Android from Google Play and open it.
2. Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) at the top or bottom of the screen, depending on your toolbar setting.
3. Tap Add-ons. If you do not see it, look under Settings for the add-ons entry.
4. Browse the list or search, then tap the + next to an add-on.
5. Read the permission prompt, then tap Add to confirm.
6. Reopen the menu to see the add-on under Add-ons. Some add-ons appear as a button in the menu itself.

If a tool you rely on is missing from the in-app list, open the Mozilla add-ons site in the same browser and look for the listing there. Availability changes over time, so check the current state rather than assuming.

Is it safe to keep using Kiwi Browser?

For casual reading it may still run, but for banking, email or any sign-in you care about, an unmaintained browser is a poor choice. Plan to move rather than wait.

• No guaranteed security fixes: browser engines get patched regularly. A stalled fork stays vulnerable to problems others have fixed.
• Extension code has wide reach: an extension can read pages you visit. Combined with an old engine, that raises the stakes.
• Sync and accounts: if you use Kiwi with saved passwords, treat those as candidates for rotation once you leave.
• Store availability: a listing can be removed or replaced by a different app using the same name, so update from the official developer link only.

If you have to keep it for a short transition, uninstall any extension you do not use daily and avoid signing into sensitive accounts. Check what remaining extensions ask for in our permissions guide.

How do you move your Kiwi setup to a new browser?

Move the data first, then rebuild extensions. Bookmarks and passwords can travel through exports or through a password manager, while extensions must be reinstalled from the new browser's store.

1. In Kiwi, note down which extensions you actually use. Open the extensions page and list the names.
2. Export saved passwords if Kiwi stored them, or better, sign into your password manager and use that on the new browser.
3. If you signed into a Google account in Kiwi, bookmarks may already sync to desktop Chrome. Check on a desktop before you uninstall.
4. Install the new browser, sign in, and add the replacements one at a time.
5. Test each add-on on a page you know well, then uninstall Kiwi and delete its data.

Passwords stored in a plain CSV export should be treated as sensitive. Delete the file from downloads and the trash right after importing it.

Which extensions are worth reinstalling on your phone?

Keep the list short. On a phone, a few well-chosen extensions beat a dozen, because each one adds permissions and can slow pages.

Browse the full extensions directory on a desktop to shortlist tools, then look for the matching Firefox versions on your phone. For extensions that only exist for Chrome, the easiest route is often to use them on desktop and let your account sync the results.

What if an extension will not install or work on your phone?

Most failures come from one of three things: the extension is not published for that browser, it expects a keyboard or wide screen, or the browser's store is restricted.

No Install button

Chrome Web Store pages only install into Chromium browsers that support them. In Firefox, search the Mozilla add-ons site instead of the Chrome Web Store.

Extension installs but does nothing

Open the page in the desktop-site view via the browser menu. Many extensions look for desktop layouts and miss the mobile ones.

Toolbar button is missing

Phones have no toolbar. Open the browser menu and look for the add-on's name; some extensions only expose a menu item.

Page layout breaks

Disable extensions one by one to find the cause. Dark mode tools and script managers are common culprits.

Works on desktop, not on phone

The developer may not support mobile. Check their page or contact them before assuming the problem is your setup.

As a last resort, use a mobile-friendly alternative app instead of an extension. Password managers, translators and screenshot tools often ship their own Android apps that do the same job outside the browser.