Load chrome extension using selenium

I did this with Python in case anyone was looking.

All you have to do is download the .crx file (I used https://chrome-extension-downloader.com/) and save it somewhere that Python can access it. In my example, I imported it to the same folder as my Python script, to load exampleOfExtensionDownloadedToFolder.crx.

from selenium import webdriver from selenium.webdriver.chrome.options import Options options = webdriver.ChromeOptions() options.add_extension('./exampleOfExtensionDownloadedToFolder.crx') driver = webdriver.Chrome(options=options) driver.get('http://www.google.com') 

I am not sure why you are particular about downloading from Webstore and then install into Chrome.

I found some steps to download chrome extensions:

-With a computer connected to the internet, install the extension from the extension page: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/
-Navigate to the extension source code. In XP this is found at: C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\
-You should see a version folder (ie. "0.0.21_0"). Copy this folder and move it on the machine you want to install on.
-Open up chrome on the disconnected machine and go to Wrench -> Tools -> Extensions
-Click the + next to Developer mode to display the developer options
-Click 'Pack extension...' and choose the version folder as the root directory. Leave the private key file blank. This will create a .crx file in the version folder along with a private key as if you were the developer.

--Or--

1- Find the ID of the extension you’re interested in. When on the details page of the extension, it will be something like : bfbmjmiodbnnpllbbbfblcplfjjepjdn after https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/

2- Paste this into any other browser (not Chrome): https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx?response=redirect&x=id%3D~~~~%26uc

3- and replacing ~~~~ with the extension ID. You’ll be prompted to save a CRX file. Drag this file to a Chrome window and proceed with installation.

Source: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/g02KlhK12fU

Finally, use the downloaded .crx file in ChromeOptions to load the extension

ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions(); options.addExtensions(new File("/path/to/extension.crx")); DesiredCapabilities capabilities = new DesiredCapabilities(); capabilities.setCapability(ChromeOptions.CAPABILITY, options); ChromeDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(capabilities); 

Source: https://sites.google.com/a/chromium.org/chromedriver/extensions

Here is how to load a chrome extension into chrome Selenium Python

Date = 20-12-19
Chrome version = 79.0.3945.88

The new version of Chrome support crx.crx (crx3) and if you use crx it will throw an error.
If you are using chrome version 73 or above then only follow this step

import os from selenium import webdriver from selenium.webdriver.chrome.options import Options executable_path = "/webdrivers" os.environ["webdriver.chrome.driver"] = executable_path chrome_options = Options() chrome_options.add_extension(' YOUR - EXTIONTION - NAME ') driver = webdriver.Chrome(chrome_options=chrome_options) driver.get("http://stackoverflow.com") 

1. Put chromedriver exe in your document file if you want to follow this and have a successful result.

2. Download "GET CRX" extension from Google.

3. Download your extension (i.e. mine is "DHS" for Rest API testing).

4. Go to Chrome Web Store >> search for your extension (the one you've already downloaded) >> right click on it and click :: GET CRX
   (This should download the CRX file. For my case the CRX file is "extension_1_2_5.crx")

5. Drop the CRX file in any Chrome window (this can reject it but no worries).

6. Now, build your test and execute

   public static void openChromeExtension(){ System.setProperty("webdriver.chrome.driver", "/Users/[your local name]/Documents/chromedriver"); ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions(); options.addExtensions(new File("/Users/[your local name]/Documents/extension_1_2_5.crx")); DesiredCapabilities capabilities = new DesiredCapabilities(); capabilities.setCapability(ChromeOptions.CAPABILITY, options); ChromeDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(capabilities); System.out.println("Opening extension"); driver.get("chrome-extension://**aejoelaoggembcahagimdiliamlcdmfm**/dhc.html"); driver.navigate().refresh(); System.out.println("Refresh successfully"); } 

   //this is the extension URL or you can get the id on chrome://extensions/ find the extension and copy the ID. However, the URL must be the extension URL.

Not sure why, but somebody deleted their answer, which was correct. Here is the content (sourced from @parishodak):

ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions(); options.addExtensions(new File("/path/to/extension.crx")); DesiredCapabilities capabilities = new DesiredCapabilities(); capabilities.setCapability(ChromeOptions.CAPABILITY, options); ChromeDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(capabilities); 

This particular example is in Java

The above solutions although technically sound not always work as intended, so I thought another way to do it. Because many times I need a lot of things that are better done manually, authentications, certain cookies, etc

I use folders as profiles, I run:

chrome_options = Options() chrome_options.add_argument("user-data-dir=selenium") driver = webdriver.Chrome(chrome_options=chrome_options) driver.get("www.google.com") 

Then I manually install the Extensions and do the logins I need now every-time I start the Webdriver with that folder everything is there

chrome_options = Options() chrome_options.add_argument("user-data-dir=selenium") driver = webdriver.Chrome(chrome_options=chrome_options) driver.get("www.google.com") #Now you can see the Extensions and the logins done are present 

The advantage is you can use multiple folders with different setting and Extensions without the need to install and uninstall Extensions, change settings, change logins etc

To add any chrome extension using selenuim and Java I tried many ways but the following thing worked for me. By using the we can add any chrome extension/plugin and launch it also through script.

Step1: Open chrome https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions driver.get("https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions");

Search for your required extension in search box(Google Translate). And click required on from autosuggestion list. Then click on extension heading. Then it will open extension details page.

Step2: Without use step1 one also we can open this extension page directly by plugin id. Directly open the following link is same.
Ex:https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-translate/aapbdbdomjkkjkaonfhkkikfgjllcleb driver.get("https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-translate/aapbdbdomjkkjkaonfhkkikfgjllcleb");

Now click on Add to Chrome, handle popup using Robot keys like TAB & EN

 Robot rb=new Robot(); rb.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_TAB); Thread.sleep(300); rb.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_TAB); Thread.sleep(1000); rb.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_ENTER); Thread.sleep(300); rb.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_ENTER); 

Now successfully added chrome extension to chrome browser. To launch chrome extension create a shortcut for this installed extension and using that shortcut key to open extension when you want to launch/open

driver.get("chrome://extensions/shortcuts"); 

click on shortcut icon and press shortcut key ex: Control+Q. Use the robot keys for this. Once you added this shortcut key by pressing this key you can launch extension.

Note that add_extension requires a .crx file therefore uncompressing it everytime which depending on the extension can be really slow (~1mn everytime on my PC for the extension I use). An alternative that's close to instantaneous is to use load-extension argument to load the folder containing the extension's code

opts.add_argument('--load-extension=./src/ublock') 

using System.IO; using System.IO.Compression; public static class ChromeExtension { public static string Execute() { var ParentPath = Directory.GetParent(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory()).Parent; var DirectoryPath = ParentPath.FullName.Remove(ParentPath.FullName.IndexOf(ParentPath.Name)); string startPath = $"{DirectoryPath}\\Exchanger\\ChromeExtension"; string zipPath = $"{DirectoryPath}Exchanger\\Extension.zip"; if (System.IO.File.Exists(zipPath)) { System.IO.File.Delete(startPath); } ZipFile.CreateFromDirectory(startPath, zipPath); if (System.IO.File.Exists($"{DirectoryPath}\\Exchanger\\Extension.crx")) { System.IO.File.Delete($"{DirectoryPath}\\Exchanger\\Extension.crx"); } System.IO.File.Move(zipPath, $"{DirectoryPath}\\Exchanger\\Extension.crx"); return $"{DirectoryPath}\\Exchanger\\Extension.crx"; } } 

....////....

Used: var options = new ChromeOptions(); options.AddExtension(ChromeExtension.Execute()); ....////.... 

2025 Edition: How to install and use Chrome Extension in Selenium (Python)

Step 1: Installation

1. Go to CRX Extractor/Downloader extension and install it.
2. Go to your extension page (e.g. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/...).
3. In your browser extensions bar, you will see CRX Extractor/Downloader extension.
4. Click on the extension and you will see Download As CRX option.

5. Save the crx file in your project directory.

Step 2: Use

from selenium import webdriver from selenium.webdriver.chrome.options import Options # Add Extension chrome_options = Options() chrome_options.add_extension("<extension>.crx") driver = webdriver.Chrome(chrome_options=chrome_options) 

Note: <extension> is the name of your extension in the project directory.