[Tip] Enable Secret Extensions Checkup Feature in Google Chrome
While checking various preferences/flags on Google Chrome Experiments page (chrome://flags), I noticed an interesting new flag named “Extensions Checkup“. Its description shows “Enable the extensions checkup experiment“.
Since description contains “Experiment” word, it seems the feature is under development and might get extra functionality in future versions of Chrome.
At the time of writing, this feature is deactivated and disabled by default. Interested users can manually activate and enable it. In this article, we’ll tell you how to enable and use this new feature in Google Chrome web browser.
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As the feature name suggests, I think this new feature has been developed to perform routine checkup of installed extensions in Chrome and if it finds suspicious extensions installed, it’ll alert the user by showing a notification message.
Currently when activated, this feature only shows header message (If you don’t recognize an extension, or if your browser isn’t working as expected, you can turn off or customize extensions here) on Extensions (chrome://extensions/) and New Tab pages in Chrome as shown in following screenshots:
Extensions Checkup Message on Extensions Page:
Extensions Checkup Message on New Tab Page:
Following steps will help you in turning on Extensions Checkup feature in Google Chrome browser:
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1. Open Google Chrome web browser and type chrome://flags/ in address bar and press Enter. It’ll open the advanced configuration page.
2. Now type checkup in the “Search flags” box.
It’ll directly go to following option:
Extensions Checkup
Enable the extensions checkup experiment – Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS
#extension-checkup
3. Click on the drop-down box given next to the option and you’ll see following options listed:
- Default
- Enabled
- Enabled on Startup – Performance Focused message
- Enabled on Startup – Privacy Focused message
- Enabled on Startup – Neutral Focused message
- Enabled NTP Promo – Performance Focused message
- Enabled NTP Promo – Privacy Focused message
- Enabled NTP Promo – Neutral Focused message
- Disabled
“Default” is disabled i.e. the feature is disabled.
If you want to activate and enable the feature, select Enabled from the drop-down box. It’ll add Extensions checkup message only on Extensions page.
If you select “Enabled on Startup – Performance Focused message” option, it’ll show performance related message on Extensions page.
If you select “Enabled on Startup – Privacy Focused message” option, it’ll show privacy related message on Extensions page.
If you select “Enabled on Startup – Neutral Focused message” option, it’ll show default message (same as Enabled option) on Extensions page.
If you select “Enabled NTP Promo – Performance Focused message” option, it’ll show performance related message on Extensions page as well as New Tab page.
If you select “Enabled NTP Promo – Privacy Focused message” option, it’ll show privacy related message on Extensions page as well as New Tab page.
If you select “Enabled NTP Promo – Neutral Focused message” option, it’ll show default message (same as Enabled option) on Extensions page as well as New Tab page.
If you select “Disabled” option, it’ll remove Extensions Checkup message from Extensions page and New Tab page.
4. After changing option, Google Chrome will ask you to restart the browser. Click on “Relaunch now” button to restart Google Chrome.
After restart, check Extensions page or New Tab page and you’ll see the newly added header message.
NOTE: Here are the full messages which are shown by this feature:
Neutral (default) focused message on Extensions page:
Manage your extensions
On this page you can see all the extensions installed in Chrome.
If you don’t recognize an extension, or if your browser isn’t working as expected, you can turn off or customize extensions here.
Performance focused message on Extensions page:
A healthier, happier Chrome
Some extensions can slow you down – especially ones you didn’t mean to install.
If you don’t recognize an extension, or if your browser isn’t working as expected, you can turn off or customize extensions here.
Privacy focused message on Extensions page:
Check your extensions
Some extensions can see your browsing activity – including personal information.
If you don’t recognize an extension, or if your browser isn’t working as expected, you can turn off or customize extensions here.
Neutral (default) focused message on New Tab page:
Got extensions? Manage your extensions in one easy place.
Performance focused message on New Tab page:
Web browsing should be fast. Take a moment to check your extensions now.
Privacy focused message on New Tab page:
Safety matters. Take a moment and check your extensions now.
PS: If you want to restore default settings, select “Default” option from the drop-down box and restart the browser.
Also Check:
[Tip] List of All Secret Internal Pages and URLs in Chrome, Firefox and Microsoft Edge
[Tip] Remove “Extensions” Menu Button from Google Chrome Toolbar
[Tip] Enable “Safety Check” and Redesigned Privacy Settings Page in Google Chrome
Followed the flags instructions, no problem. But, after that, entering the word “checkup” produced no results?
Removed from flags
That’s strange. The flag exists in one of my computers. After reading your comments, I double-checked and the flag still exists. Although when I checked in other machines, the flag didn’t exist. All computers have latest Chrome version.
Same. Doesn’t exist on my computer, running latest chrome too.
It’s funny. I restarted the computer which was having the flag in Chrome. After reboot the flag disappeared from Chrome. Strange. So it seems the flag was available for some time and then got removed remotely.