Using Chrome Extensions in Vivaldi

Does Vivaldi support Chrome extensions?

Yes. Vivaldi is built on the Chromium project, the same open-source base as Chrome, so extensions published on the Chrome Web Store install directly into Vivaldi and behave the same way in the large majority of cases. Browse the full extension directory for options that work equally well in both browsers.

The main visible difference is a rebranded install button: instead of Add to Chrome, the Chrome Web Store shows Add to Vivaldi when it detects you're browsing from Vivaldi. Under the hood, the extension runs through the same Chromium extension engine either way, so permissions, background scripts and toolbar icons all work as expected.

How do I install a Chrome extension in Vivaldi?

Installing from the Chrome Web Store is the normal path, and it takes the same handful of clicks as it does in Chrome.

1. Browse to the Chrome Web Store.
2. Search for the extension you want.
3. Click Add to Vivaldi to install it.
4. If you don't see that button, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Google Extensions and make sure Web Store is turned on.

How do I import extensions from Chrome or another browser?

If you're switching browsers and already have a set of extensions installed elsewhere, Vivaldi can bring them over instead of you reinstalling each one by hand.

1. Close the browser you want to import from completely.
2. In Vivaldi, go to the Vivaldi menu, then File > Import from Applications or Files.
3. Select the Chromium-based browser you want to import data from — Chrome, Edge, and Opera all work.
4. Wait for the import to finish, then click Close.
5. Open the Extensions management page and enable each extension you want to use by clicking the toggle at the bottom-right of its card.

Importing brings the extensions across, but doesn't automatically switch them all on — that last toggle step is easy to miss and the most common reason an imported extension seems to have disappeared.

How do I load an extension that isn't in the Chrome Web Store?

For an extension you've downloaded as a folder or a source repository rather than a Web Store listing, Vivaldi has the same developer-mode loading path Chrome does.

1. Go to the Extensions page from the Vivaldi menu: Tools > Extensions.
2. Turn on Developer mode using the toggle in the top-right corner of the page.
3. Click Load unpacked.
4. Find the extension's folder in your file manager, extracting it first if it's a .zip file.
5. Click Select Folder to load the extension into Vivaldi.

Developer mode

A toggle that unlocks manual extension loading and bypasses Chrome Web Store review, meant for developers testing their own code.

Unpacked extension

An extension loaded directly from a folder of source files, rather than installed as a packaged, signed listing.

CRX file

The packaged, signed file format Chrome Web Store extensions ship as — Vivaldi's Load unpacked option expects a folder, not a .crx file directly.

Which Chrome extensions are redundant once you're in Vivaldi?

Vivaldi builds a surprising amount directly into the browser, which means some of the extensions you'd install in plain Chrome aren't necessary here.

None of this means those extensions stop working — they'll install and run fine. It just means you may be able to skip an extra install and use what's already sitting in Vivaldi's settings and side panel.

Which Chrome extensions are worth installing anyway in Vivaldi?

Plenty of jobs still aren't covered by Vivaldi's built-ins, and these are exactly where a Chrome Web Store extension keeps pulling its weight.

Do Chrome extensions behave differently in Vivaldi?

Mostly not, but a few Vivaldi-specific quirks are worth knowing before you assume something is broken.

• An extension's keyboard shortcut can clash with one of Vivaldi's own — check and remap shortcuts in Settings > Keyboard.
• An extension that controls the new tab page needs to be explicitly allowed: go to Tabs > New Tab Page and tick Controlled by Extension, or it won't take effect.
• Sync between devices runs through Vivaldi Sync rather than a Google account, so extensions that rely specifically on Chrome's own sync for settings may not carry those settings across your devices.
• Because Vivaldi has a smaller team than Google, a newly changed Chromium extension API occasionally reaches Vivaldi a little after it reaches Chrome.

What are the downsides of using Vivaldi, and is it a safe choice?

Vivaldi is developed by Vivaldi Technologies AS, a company headquartered in Oslo, Norway — not Chinese-owned, despite that question coming up often in search.

The realistic downsides are mostly about scale rather than safety: a smaller development team than Google's means occasional lag adopting the newest Chromium extension APIs, a smaller default extension marketplace presence (though the full Chrome Web Store is still available), and a steeper settings menu for newcomers used to a simpler browser. On AI features specifically, Vivaldi's team has been publicly cautious about building generative AI into the browser, favoring user control over built-in AI tools — check Vivaldi's official site for their current position, since stated priorities like this can evolve.

None of that affects whether Chrome extensions install correctly, which they do. It's a separate question from whether Vivaldi's own feature set and update pace suit how you browse day to day.

What do I do if an extension won't work properly in Vivaldi?

Most issues trace back to one of the setup steps above rather than a genuine incompatibility.

If an extension's icon isn't showing, check the puzzle-piece menu in the toolbar and pin it manually. If a keyboard shortcut isn't firing, check for a conflict in Settings > Keyboard first. And if you imported extensions from another browser but one seems missing, revisit the Extensions management page — imported extensions land there disabled by default, waiting for you to toggle them on. See our review methodology for how we verify an extension works before we list it, and browse more Chrome and browser guides for related setup questions.