- A CRX extension file is a Chrome extension specially designed to extend the functionality of the Google browser through programs that provide it with features
- How can you open these files and convert them to other formats if necessary?
If you usually browse through Windows and use Chrome as your browser, you probably have noticed CRX files. In the end, we are talking about the most used operating system and browser in the world, so it would not be so strange that many have come across these contents. But what are CRX files there for? That is probably the question that many of you are asking yourself, and in this article we are going to answer it.
Simply put, a CRX extension file is a Chrome extension specially designed to extend the functionality of Google’s web browser through programs that provide you with functions.
Most CRX files are downloaded through the Chrome Web Storebut considering that anyone can create their own Chrome extensions and install them offline, it may come from another source.
Precisely, there are files that use this extension but may be created in other contexts. Surely one of the best examples is the files executed by Autodesk’s DWG TrueView
How to open CRX files easily on your PC?
As we said, the Chrome extension files are those that the Google browser uses. They are immediately installed, each operating system saves them in a location defined by default:
| windows | C:Users [username] AppDataLocalGoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensions |
| Mac | /Users/ [username] /Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default/Extensions |
| linux | ~/.config/google-chrome/Default/Extensions/ |
On the other hand, unofficial extensions or CRX files that were downloaded from outside the Chrome store require a separate set of instructions. Among others, open the Developer of the web browser.
In addition, the Opera browser can also take advantage of these extensions, as long as Install Chrome Extensions has been installed. Something similar happens with Edge and Vivaldi, which are two other browsers with CRX support.
On the other hand, since these are compressed files, a file decompression tool could well allow you to open it. If that doesn’t work, there are extensions like CRX Extractor that perform the same tasks.
However, all this will only let you see the compression data. But don’t run the program. It is that these extensions make sense only in the environments for which they were created, or those compatible with them.
And how to convert these extensions to other formats?
XPI files -from Firefox- and SAFARIEXTZ – from (Safari-) are similar to CRX files in that they are two file extensions used in those respective browsers and have no major importance outside of them.
Unfortunately, all those extensions cannot be easily converted to or from other formats.
We could say that the only exception to the rule is that Chrome extensions do work in Opera.
You can also convert Opera extensions to Chrome extensions by renaming the Opera .NEX file to Chrome .CRX file. But, we insist, this is only possible by going from Chrome to Opera or vice versa. That’s because Opera is one of many Chromium browsersChrome-based browsers.
Regarding those files, you have to manually install them in Chrome with the classic drag and drop technique.
On the other hand, there is no procedure or converter from Chrome extensions to Edge since absolutely all those chrome extensions can be installed in Edge in CRX format and by default.
After this review of what CRX files are and what they are for, do you have any other questions? Tell us!
