Browsers are constantly getting more feature-rich and user-friendly. Even so, developers can’t account for every eventuality and whim, which is where extensions step in! Think of them as helpful additions to your browser designed by a handful of people determined to solve a specific problem or make a certain aspect of web browsing better.
There are thousands of extensions to choose from, but starting with the following five will already drastically improve your browsing experience.
Ad & Sponsor Blockers
Life is too short for two unskippable three-minute YouTube ads every time you just want to watch a video. Plus, websites are now being built to accommodate ads more than their actual content, which just transforms browsing into a noisy, lousy experience.
An ad blocker is the first and most essential extension anyone should install if they want to maintain their sanity online. You’ll be amazed at how many ads get blocked per page and, more importantly, how easier it is to reach and focus on the content you’re actually interested in. Sponsor blockers are great if you watch a lot of videos since they’ll identify and skip over sponsored segments for you.
VPN
No shady ads to accidentally click on already boosts your online security, but connecting to an unsafe network like public Wi-Fi can still make you vulnerable to monitoring and attacks. VPN extensions are a lightweight alternative to desktop, mobile and other VPN types that encrypt your browser session and ensure no one can track your online movements or intercept the data you exchange.
Going with a VPN extension is also great for split tunneling. For example, you might want to use the VPN to safely connect to and request files from a company network while freely connecting to local devices and letting updates happen in the background. VPNs are also convenient for changing your IP address when you want to access geo-restricted content or avoid IP tracking.
Tab Organizer
We’ve all been there – you stumble upon an interesting Wikipedia link, and before you know it, you’re 20 tabs deep into a rabbit hole and need ALL OF THEM!
Organizers let you turn heaps of squished and cluttered tabs into a manageable system. They can color-code and group tabs into folders, save and restore sessions, or filter tabs using various criteria.
Dark Mode Switcher
Most websites mercifully come with dark mode nowadays. However, some will still attempt to fry your eyeballs once you visit them at night. Thankfully, extensions exist that can modify a website’s color scheme to make it both more readable and easier on the eyes. You can customize the colors to suit your preference and taste, and the extension will remember your choice.
Spelling & Grammar Checker
While displaying a lack of literacy when arguing over social media is certainly a choice, you wouldn’t want to come off as such in that email you have to send to your entire department. Spelling and grammar checkers save the day by highlighting your semantic or structural shortcomings and proposing more readable alternatives.
Conclusion
Savvy extension selection is what separates browser power users from the rest. Keep in mind that extensions may need access to your files, passwords, and personal information to work properly. Only download reputable extensions with a lot of user-verified reviews.
Resist the temptation of extension bloat and consider consulting best data removal service if extension use makes you feel exposed. They can help reduce your digital footprint and take down the data extensions might have collected and sold to data brokers.
ad blocking links for VPN could come here
Any extension-related link would work (chrome, mac, etc.)
