Do you wish to use plugins for your favorite website and fail to do so? Do you face Chrome plugins not working issue? Sometimes the Google Chrome browser may get crashed while you are surfing the internet. This may occur due to some Chrome plugins not working. Read this article to resolve Chrome Plugins not working in Windows 10 problem. The entire text is based on about: plugins. Also, you will get an answer for how to access chrome plugins.
How to Fix Chrome Plugins Not Working in Windows 10
The possible reasons the plugins or extensions may not work on Google Chrome are listed below. If you have identified the reason for the issue, you can easily resolve the problem.
- A glitch in Google Chrome: As a base point, if there is a glitch on the Google Chrome app, it may not be functional and may not support plugins or extensions.
- Outdated Google Chrome: Using outdated Google Chrome may not support using the updated plugins.
- Corrupt installed extensions: If you have installed the plugins or extensions from some unauthorized third-party websites, the extension may be corrupt. This might not support you using the plugins on Google Chrome.
- Disruptions from experimental settings: Some of the experimental settings you performed on Google Chrome may disrupt you from using the extensions.
- Outdated Windows: If the Windows OS is outdated, it may not support the functioning of any of the functions on Google Chrome.
- Corrupt Google Chrome user profile: User profile in Google Chrome saves your most viewed and favorite websites. If the user profile folder is corrupt, you may not be able to use any function of Google Chrome.
Plugins and extensions serve the same purpose: to give you easy access to the websites. However, plugins aren’t available on Google Chrome on and after Version 57. So, you can use the extensions for the same purpose. You can install the extension from the Google Chrome web store. You might ask how to access Chrome plugins. You can easily navigate to the Extensions page on Chrome.
Method 1: Restart Chrome
You may need to force restart Google Chrome on your PC to clear the glitches in the app. Follow our guide on How to End Tasks in Windows 10. Then, restart the Chrome app.
Method 2: Update Chrome
Outdated browsers might not support extensions or plugins. To fix the bugs and problems, you have to update Google Chrome to the latest version. Follow the below steps.
1. Press the Windows key. Type Google Chrome and launch it.
2. Type chrome://settings/help in the address bar to directly launch the About Chrome page.
3A. If Google Chrome is updated to its latest version, it will show Chrome is up to date.
3B. If a new update is available, the browser will automatically update the browser to the latest version. Click Relaunch to restart the browser.
4. Finally, relaunch the browser with its latest version.
Also Read: Fix This Plugin is Not Supported error in Chrome
Method 3: Clear Browser Data
Abnormal aggregation of browsing data such as caches, cookies, and history files uses an unnecessary amount of Internet resources. This might also restrict plugins from functioning. Thus, implement the instructions below and delete the browsing data to get rid of this error. Read our guide on How to Clear Cache & Cookies in Google Chrome and clear the browsing data.
Wait till the unwanted data gets removed. Once done, close the Chrome application. Relaunch it and check if you can establish a secure connection.
Method 4: Update Extension (If Applicable)
All the extensions in Google Chrome are updated automatically. But note that these automatic updates happen only when Chrome schedules it. It is also possible sometimes that these scheduling may be delayed. Therefore, manually check and update the extension by following the steps.
1. Launch the Google Chrome browser from Windows Search.
2. Type chrome://extensions in the Chrome web address bar and hit Enter.
3. On the Extensions page, turn on the toggle for the Developer mode present in the upper right corner of the display screen.
4. Now, click on the Update option as shown.
Also Read: How to Fix PDFs Not Opening in Chrome
Method 5: Disable Browser Extensions (If Applicable)
The web extensions you have installed on your Google Chrome browser may have prevented plugins from working. To disable the web extensions, execute the steps mentioned below on your PC.
1. Open Google Chrome and click on the three vertical dots as done in the previous method.
2. Click on More tools in the list. In the drop-down list next to it, click on Extensions.
3. Turn off the toggle for the web extensions you are using for your Google Chrome app. Here, Google Meet Grid View is taken as an example.
Note: If the web extension is not essential, you can delete them by clicking on the Remove button. Here you can access Chrome plugins.
Method 6: Re-install Extensions (If Applicable)
If the update and re-enable methods did not work, try to re-install the extension. Follow to do the same.
1. Open Chrome browser from Windows Search.
2. In the address bar, type chrome://extensions, and press Enter key.
3. Click on the Remove option for the Google Meet Grid View extension to uninstall it.
4. Again, click on Remove on the confirmation popup.
5. Now, go back to the Chrome Web Store.
Note: To install other extensions, visit the Chrome Extension page and search for them.
6. Click on the Add to Chrome button.
7. Click on Add extension in the Add Google Meet Grid View confirmation popup.
Also Read: How to Remove Chrome Themes
Method 7: Reset Experimental Settings
The experimental settings may have disrupted the normal working process of the plugins. Reset them to resolve the Chrome plugins not working issue. Follow the below steps to access Chrome plugins and reset experimental settings.
1. Launch Chrome as done in the previous method.
2. Type chrome://flags/ in the search bar and hit Enter.
3. Click on the Reset all button to reset the experimental settings on Google Chrome.
4. Now, click on the Relaunch button.
Method 8: Update Chrome Components
The components on your Google Chrome need to be updated to allow you to access Chrome plugins or extensions and use them. Follow the below instructions to update Chrome components.
1. Launch Google Chrome as done earlier.
2. Type chrome://components/ in the search bar and hit Enter.
3A. If the component is outdated, click on the Check for update button on each component individually.
3B. If the component is updated, you will see a status Up-to-date.
Also Read: Fix Chrome Blocking Download Issue
Method 9: Disable JavaScript
JavaScript is used to improve Google Chrome, but this advancement can cause disturbance to the plugins or extensions. Read the article on this topic to disable JavaScript on Google Chrome.
Method 10: Delete Google Chrome App Folders
The cache files on the Google Chrome app may have caused disturbance to use your plugins on the Google Chrome app. You need to delete the files to use the extensions on Google Chrome. Follow the below steps.
1. Press Windows + R keys together to launch the Run dialog box.
2. Then type %localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\ and click on the OK button to open the AppData folder.
3. Select the file ShaderCache and press the Delete key to delete the cache file.
4. Similarly, delete the PepperFlash folder.
Also Read: How to Fix Chrome Keeps Crashing
Method 11: Reset Browser Settings
Resetting the browser will restore it to its default settings, and there are more possibilities that you can fix the discussed error. First, follow the below-mentioned steps to reset Google Chrome.
1. Launch Google Chrome as done earlier.
2. Click on the three-dotted icon as said in the above method.
3. Now, select the Settings option.
4. Here, click on the Advanced setting in the left pane and select the Reset and clean up option.
5. Now, click on the Restore settings to their original defaults option as depicted below.
6. Now, confirm the prompt by clicking on the Reset settings button as depicted.
Method 12: Create New User Profile
Chrome profiles are significantly used to maintain bookmarks, extensions, themes, and settings. Users often have different profiles to segregate personal and work-related browsing. There is no harm in making extensions work via a new chrome profile. If the user profile is corrupt on Google Chrome, you can try creating a new user profile using either of the following methods to fix Chrome plugins not working issues.
Option I: Rename Default Folder
1. Press Windows + R keys together to launch the Run dialog box.
2. Type %localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\ and click on the OK button to open the AppData folder.
3. Right-click on the file Default and select the option Rename in the menu.
4. Rename the file as Default-Bak and press the Enter key to create a new user profile for Google Chrome.
5. Launch Google Chrome.
Also Read: Fix Ethernet Doesn’t Have a Valid IP Configuration Error
Option II: Create New Chrome Profile
To create a new chrome profile, follow the steps mentioned below.
1. Open the Google Chrome browser as done earlier.
2. Click on the profile picture as shown.
3. Then, select the Add option as highlighted to create a new profile.
4. Click on Continue without an account.
Note: Click on Sign in to log in using your Gmail account.
5. Here, customize your profile by adding your desired name, profile picture, and theme color.
6. Now, click on Done, as shown below.
Note: If you do not want a desktop shortcut for this user, uncheck the Create a desktop shortcut for this user option.
7. Now, launch Google meeting with the new chrome profile and the Google Meet grid view fix extension.
Method 13: Update Windows
Any bugs and faulty updates in your computer can be fixed by Windows update. Microsoft releases frequent updates to fix Chrome plugins not working issues. Hence, make sure whether you are using the updated version of the Windows Operating System, and if any updates are pending in action, use our guide How to Download and Install Windows 10 Latest Update.
Also Read: How to Enable DNS over HTTPS in Chrome
Method 14: Run SFC and DISM Scans
If there are any malware files on your PC, it may stop you from using the plugins or extensions on Google Chrome. To check for the malware files, run SFC and DISM scans to access Chrome plugins easily.
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We hope that this article was helpful and you were able to fix Chrome plugins not working on Windows 10. Since the article is about: plugins, it must have helped you to resolve the issue. Please let us know your suggestions or queries on the article in the comments section below. Also, let us know what you want to learn next.