How To Install Google Chrome Extensions In Opera Browser (and Vice Versa)

Add-ons and extensions are one of the most popular features a web-browser can have. The only drawback being that your choice of browser limits what extra features and functionality are available to you.

Safari’s extensions don’t work in Firefox; Firefox add-on’s don’t work in Internet Explorer; and Internet Explorer… does it even have any of its own?!

With the popular web-browser Opera switching to the same web rendering engine as Google Chrome, namely Blink, the uneven playing field is levelling out: Chrome extensions can now be installed on Opera, and Opera’s new add-ons work in Chrome.

Developers and users alike will benefit from this, and whilst not all features of Chrome work in Opera at present (or vice versa) most, if not all, Chrome Extensions should work without a hitch.

So let’s see how you go about it.

Installing Chrome extensions in Opera

Step 1: Make sure that you’re running Opera 15 or later version. If you’re running a previous version, you must upgrade to the latest version before proceeding to the next step.

Step 2: In your Opera browser, visit Download Chrome Extension page, click Add to opera button to install the add-on.

Step 3: Once Download Chrome Extension is installed, visit Google Chrome Web Store page in your Opera browser and search for the extension that you wish to install on Opera.

Step 4: Open up the extension page that you would like to install, click Add to Opera button to install the extension on your browser.

Step 5: Once installed, a small pop-up bar will appear below the address bar saying “The extension was disabled because it is from unknown source. Go to the extensions manager to enable it”. However, during our test, we noticed that the browser only shows the pop-up message and doesn’t actually disable the installed extension.

And if the installed extension has been disabled and not appearing, click the Opera button located upper-left corner of the window, and then click Extensions to see options enable or disable all installed extensions.

Please note that the above method lets you install only extensions and not web apps available in Chrome Web Store.

Installing Opera extensions in Chrome

Step 1: Make sure that you’re running Chrome 28 or later version. If you’re running a previous version, you must upgrade to the latest version before proceeding to the next step.

Step 2: Then, go to the new Opera add-ons page. You have to visit this specific page in Opera—this is important because the page auto-detects which version you're using, and will only show you compatible extensions for that version of Opera. To get the extensions that'll also work in Chrome, you have to use Opera 15 to browse the store.

Step 3: When you find one, instead of clicking Add to Opera, right-click the button and select Save Linked Content As... and save the .nex extension file somewhere you can get to it.

Step 4: Grab the .nex file and rename it to end in .crx.

Step 5: Open Chrome, and drag and drop the .crx file onto Chrome. You'll be prompted to review the permissions before installing it, but that should be all.

[Opera Users Can Now Install Chrome Extensions (And Vice Versa!) | OMG! Chrome!]