Deactivate Chrome extensions without removing from synced devices

👤 Adamya Neupane 🕒 10 Mar 2023 📁 TECH

One of the only things that keep me on the Chrome-based Browser is the abundance of extensions. The seamless collaboration between browsers across different devices is also a huge plus. I use two Operating Systems. One is Linux and another is Windows. Linux is designated for all work-related tasks and windows for all game-related tasks. Because of this, having all the extensions in sync around the multiple OSs is very nice.

However, I sometimes find myself in a precarious position. I don’t want one of the extensions installed on windows to be present on Linux. Primarily because, in my work device, I would rather avoid extensions that distract me. And in the same way, I don’t want any work-related extensions on my gaming OS. Many of us want to do so to speed up Chrome and declutter its menu.

So, if you are asking the same question as me, let’s see how we can do this.

How to Deactivate Chrome Extensions Without Removing Sync?

This is a simple task. To deactivate a chrome extension, follow these steps:

Open the browser and Click on the three dots present in the top right corner of the browser.

fig. Disable Delete
In the dropdown menu, hover the mouse over or click on more tools.
Another dropdown appears which should have the extensions option.
Click on “Extensions”
You should see a page like this

fig. Extensions Page
Notice the blue button that is signaling “On”?
Click on the blue button so that it’s now off.
The extension will vanish as shown in the pictures below

fig. Extension On in Chrome Extension

fig. Extension Off in Chrome Extension

This is how you can disable a Chrome Extension without removing it from the synced devices. However, if you are sure that you don’t want this extension on any of your devices anymore. Make sure to read the rest of this article.

If the above-mentioned method isn’t working for you, you can try the next fix. Follow the above steps until step 3 and then take a look at the new steps now.

Click on “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
When you click, you’ll find a landing page that looks like this

fig. Sync Landing Page
From this, click on “Sync and Google Services”

fig. Sync and Google Services
Click on the “Manage What you Sync” option

fig. Manage Sync
Once there, you’ll see a page as shown below. Select the “Customize Sync” option.
This is how the page will look BEFORE you select “Customize Sync”

fig. Sync Everything
And this is how the page will look AFTER you select it.

fig. Customize Sync
Now, click on the button next to “Extensions”

fig. Click on Extension Toggle Button

How to Deactivate Chrome without removing sync using keyboard shortcuts?

Yes, you can deactivate chrome without removing sync using keyboard shortcuts, and here are the steps:

To open the Extensions menu, enter Ctrl+Shift+E on Windows or Command+Shift+E on Mac.
From there, use the arrow keys to find the extension you want to deactivate and hit "space" to turn it on or off.

Make sure to note that this stops every extension from syncing between devices. This is a rather hardcore option. But, it’s not as hardcore as the option we’ll be discussing next. That is, how do you completely remove extensions from Chrome?

How to Completely remove extensions

This task is a simple one as well. But make sure that you don’t need this extension anymore. Also, make sure that this extension is not in use in other synced devices. This is because this process completely eliminates the extension from your account. Meaning, it will also be removed from your other synced devices. Now, if you want to completely remove an extension, follow the below procedure.

Follow the same steps as above up until step 5.
Click on the “Remove” button as shown in the image

fig. Click on the Remove button
When prompted with a pop-up window like this, click on “Remove”

fig. Remove Popup

If the extension is constantly harassing you, hit the “Report Abuse” button as well. This will keep the extension on Google’s radar and if needed, Google will remove it.

FAQ:

Can I deactivate a Chrome extension without removing sync on all devices?

If you want to disable a Chrome application without also disabling sync on all of your devices, you can do so by turning off the extension on just one of those devices. This will only deactivate the extension on that particular device; however, it will continue to function normally on all other devices that are synced.

Deactivating a Chrome extension without removing sync affects browser speed and security?

Deactivating a Chrome extension without removing sync should not impact browser performance or security unless the extension is malicious or vulnerable. Reducing active extensions may enhance browser performance.

Can Chrome extensions be reactivated without deleting sync?

Turning on the toggle button next to a Chrome extension on a device reactivates it without removing sync. This will restore the extension on that device but not on other synced devices until you do so.

What if I mistakenly remove a Chrome extension from all synced devices?

Reinstalling a Chrome extension on each synced device restores its functionality if you mistakenly delete it. Make sure your synced options include extensions.

Without removing sync, how can I tell if a Chrome app is deactivated?

If a Chrome extension is deactivated without removing sync, the toggle button next to it in the Chrome menu will indicate this. The extension is deactivated on that device if the switch is off or greyed out, but it may still be active on other synced devices.

What will happen if I try to disable a Chrome application on one of my devices while it is still active on the other devices that are synced?

If you uninstall a Chrome extension from one device while it is still enabled on other synced devices, the application will be removed from the device that you uninstalled it from, but it will continue to be installed and enabled on other synced devices. Uninstalling an extension from each device individually is required in order to completely delete it from all devices that have been synced.

Conclusion

There are multiple ways to go about this. Each method has a pro and a con. But which one you select will widely depend on your needs. Someone might find the first option mentioned to best fit them.