Despite the fact that Chrome is the most popular web browser today, the truth is that there are many users who do not like Google’s browser at all and opt for other alternatives on the market. This may be the case of Vivaldi, a browser that, although not as famous, is characterized by having incessant features and customization options. Also, being based on Chromium, it will allow us to use the entire catalog of Chrome extensions.
Vivaldi is a web browser that, being based on Chromium, we can handle without problems if we are used to using other options such as Firefox or Chrome, since its interface is quite similar, showing us the navigation bar and the tabs on the main screen. Although unlike what happens with Firefox, this browser does not have its own extension store . However, this can almost be considered a success, since we will not have problems and it will be possible to install any application that is available in the Chrome Store.
By using the extensions we will be able to add new functions to Vivaldi, thereby greatly extending the functionalities of our browser that will go far beyond visiting web pages. For this we will be able to make use of the add-ons found within the Chrome Web Store, as we will see below.
Is it safe to install extensions from Chrome?
Extensions can be considered trustworthy when they are created by a developer who follows the Chrome Web Store Developer Program Policies, so if they are officially available on the web, we shouldn’t distrust them. Google is responsible for reviewing all the accessories in its store to ensure that they are free of malware or that they can cause damage to our computer.
Despite this, since the extensions run directly in our browser, it is important that we choose carefully what we install in it. And there are situations where these add-ons can be used to access our computer and compromise our security, so it never hurts to be careful.
It is also very important that we are careful and do not abuse their use, since in this case they can compromise the performance of the browser, when we install more than we need and use. And it is that, in general, the use of extensions consumes a lot of energy and system resources, so it can end up affecting slower browsing.
Also, we should note that in some cases extensions made specifically for Chrome may behave differently when installed in Vivaldi and not work properly, although in most cases we shouldn’t have any issues.
Install extensions in Vivaldi
The Chrome Web Store is a store for web applications developed and maintained by Google for Chrome to be installed. Likewise, other Chromium-based web browsers like Vivaldi can also make use of its extensive content library. Therefore, if we want to install any application in Vivaldi we will be able to do so by following a few simple steps.
The first thing we are going to do is access the Chrome Web Store from our Vivaldi browser and explore its extensive catalog organized by categories (blogs, shopping, sports, productivity, accessibility, etc.), and in total we will have thousands of extensions to choose from. Once we find what we are looking for, just click on the Add to Chrome button and then on Add extension This will mean that, even if we are not using the Google browser, the extension will also be added to Vivaldi, as it is fully compatible with its architecture.
Manage installed plugins
Once the desired plugins are installed, we can manage them from the Vivaldi Extensions page. In order to access it, click on the “Menu” button that is located in the upper left part (button with a circle and a V inside it). This will open a drop-down menu where we must select “Tools” and then click on “Extensions” . Likewise, if we prefer to use keyboard shortcuts, we can access it by pressing “Ctrl + Shift + E”.
From this page we will be able to see an overview of each of the extensions that we currently have installed, as well as have the ability to deactivate or remove those plugins that we no longer need and adjust the settings specifically for each extension.
If we want to disable any extension, just click on the blue button that we find inside the add-on window so that it turns white. If what we want is to eliminate it completely, just click on its “Delete” button, and it will be deleted without a trace.
Show extensions in the address bar
Vivaldi also lets you choose between showing your installed extensions in the address bar and hiding them behind an extensions toggle button , should you prefer to keep your browser window cleaner. Once activated, the Extension toggle button will be found at the end of the address bar. To enable the toggle button we must do it from its Configuration section, which we access from its Menu button.
Once in the Configuration section, we click on the Address bar section that we find in the menu on the left. Now in the lower right part we must locate the “Visibility of extensions” section. Here we will have three options to choose from.
- Toggle visibility of only hidden extensions
- Toggle visibility of all extensions
Optionally, we can also check the “Show hidden extensions in a drop-down menu” section, which creates a button that when clicking on it shows all the extensions that we currently have hidden.
Also, it is possible to reorder all the buttons of each individual extension in the address bar by holding down the Shift key and dragging and dropping the extensions to the right place. In this way we can keep it organized according to our preferences and be able to access them more comfortably.
