Chrome extension site access controls which websites an extension is allowed to read and change. To set it, right-click the extension icon, hover over This can read and change site data, and pick On click, On specific sites, or On all sites. On click is the safest choice, because the extension only runs when you tap its icon.
Many extensions ask to see every page you visit. That is handy for some tools and risky for others. The good news is that Chrome lets you decide, one extension at a time, how much of your browsing each one can touch.
What you need before you start
This works in Google Chrome on the desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux, and ChromeOS). Site access controls have shipped in Chrome for several versions, so any modern Chrome (Chrome 116 or newer) will have them. You do not need to be signed in to a Google account.
How do you change an extension’s site access?
- Find the extension icon on the Chrome toolbar. If you do not see it, click the Extensions puzzle-piece button to open the list.
- Right-click the extension icon (or right-click its name in the puzzle-piece list).
- Hover over This can read and change site data.
- Choose one of the three options. Pick When you click the extension for the tightest control, On [current site] to allow just the site you are on, or On all sites to let it run everywhere.
How do you set site access from the Extensions page?
The right-click menu is quick, but the Extensions page gives you more control, including adding several specific sites.
- Type chrome://extensions in the address bar and press Enter.
- Click Details under the extension you want to change.
- Scroll down to Site access.
- Choose On click, On specific sites, or On all sites.
- If you picked On specific sites, click Add a new page, type the website address, and click Add.
FAQ
What does “On click” do?
On click means the extension stays asleep until you click its icon. It cannot read or change a page on its own, so it is the most private setting for extensions you only use now and then.
Why is the site access option greyed out?
Some extensions are built to need access to every site to work at all. When a developer requires that, Chrome locks the setting and you cannot lower it. Your only choice there is to keep the extension or remove it.
Will limiting access break the extension?
It can. If a tool needs to see a page to do its job, restricting it may turn off some features on the sites you blocked. If something stops working, loosen the setting one step at a time until it behaves.
The bottom line
Site access is one of the easiest ways to make Chrome safer without removing the tools you like. Set the extensions you trust to On all sites, and drop everything else to On click. Check the list now and then, since new extensions default to broad access.
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