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How to get the CRX file for Google Chrome extensions

Ever since Google announced that add-ons for Google Chrome can only be installed from their web store, many users want to know how they can obtain *.crx files directly for their favorite Google Chrome extensions. CRX files are the packed version of the extensions and can be used to install them offline, without visiting the Google Chrome web store. In this article, I would like to share a very simple way to obtain the crx file for any Chrome extension quickly.

For example, suppose we want the CRX for the 'Script Defender Lite' extension.

  1. Open the extension's page in the Chrome web store. For the Script Defender Lite extension it looks as follows:
    https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/script-defender-lite/candehlmleemkaeiighgnagnojmaebeb/details?hl=en-US
  2. Copy the extension identifier which is located between 'detail/extension-name-here/' and '/details' parts.
    In our example, the extension identifier of Script Defender Lite is
    candehlmleemkaeiighgnagnojmaebeb

    extension ID

  3. Now enter the following URL in your Chrome browser:
    https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx?response=redirect&x=id%3DTHE_EXTENSION_IDENTIFIER%26uc
    In case of Script Defender Lite the link becomes the following after substituting the extension identifier:
    https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx?response=redirect&x=id%3Dcandehlmleemkaeiighgnagnojmaebeb%26uc
  4. Press Enter. Chrome will download the crx file for you.
    downloaded crx

That's it. Now you can use the CRX file to install the extension offline on your PC or on another PC.

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

10 thoughts on “How to get the CRX file for Google Chrome extensions”

  1. Doesnt’ work, not at least on coolnovo 2.0.9.20 (chromium-based browser).This browser doesn’t allow me to install extensions since a pair of months and now I have to dl the crx file to install manuallly.

  2. This would be just great if I only could get it to work.
    I’ve tried downloading the crx file by using the method above but I think they have changed the url “https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx?response=redirect&x=id%3DTHE_EXTENSION_IDENTIFIER%26uc”.
    In fact, I even tried downloading the crx for Script Defender that you pprovided in your example (https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx?response=redirect&x=id%3Dcandehlmleemkaeiighgnagnojmaebeb%26uc) and I kept getting a “bad page” response.

  3. You can download CRX by using CRX Download at https://chromeapps.co/crx-downloader
    or you can find it by search (ID, apps name, theme name, game name…)

  4. When i put in a link it just brings up the google screen, with the url typed in. Even if i hit enter. the [censored] bro

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