Fix Chrome plugin not working in Windows 10
Do you want to use a plugin for your favorite website and haven't done so yet? Are you facing issues with Chrome plugins not working? Sometimes Google Chrome may crash when you surf the web. This can happen due to some Chrome plugins not working properly. Read this article to fix Chrome plugin not working in Windows 10. Full text based on about: plugins. Also, you will get answers on how to access chrome plugins.
How to Fix Chrome Plugins Not Working in Windows 10
Listed below are possible reasons why a plugin or extension might not work on Google Chrome. If you have identified the cause of the problem, you can easily fix the problem.
Failures in Google Chrome: As a benchmark, if a Google Chrome application fails, it may not function properly and may not support plugins or extensions.
Outdated Google Chrome: Using an outdated Google Chrome may not support the use of newer plug-ins.
Corrupted extension: If you installed a plugin or extension from some unauthorized third-party website, the extension might be corrupted. This may not support your use of plugins on Google Chrome.
Interference from experimental settings: Some experimental settings you perform on Google Chrome may interfere with your use of extensions.
Outdated Windows: If the Windows operating system is outdated, it may not support the operation of any features on Google Chrome.
Corrupted Google Chrome User Profile: User profiles in Google Chrome save your most visited and favorite websites. If the user profile folder is damaged, you may not be able to use any features of Google Chrome.
Plugins and extensions serve the same purpose: to give you easy access to a website. However, the plugin is not available on Google Chrome version 57 and later. So you can use the extension for the same purpose. You can install extensions from the Google Chrome web store. You might ask how to access Chrome plugins. You can easily navigate to the extension page on Chrome.
Method 1: Restart Chrome
You may need to force restart Google Chrome on your PC to clear the glitch in the application. Follow our guide on how to end a task in Windows 10. Then, restart the Chrome app.
Method 2: Update Chrome
Outdated browsers may not support extensions or plug-ins. To fix bugs and issues, you must update Google Chrome to the latest version. Follow the steps below.
1. Press the Windows key. Type Google Chrome and launch it.
2. Type chrome://settings/help in the address bar to directly launch the About Chrome page.
3A. If Google Chrome is updated to the latest version, it will show that Chrome is up to date.
3B. If a new update is available, the browser will automatically update the browser to the latest version. Click Restart to restart the browser.
4. Finally, restart your browser with the latest version.
Method 3: Clear browser data
Abnormal aggregation of browsing data such as caches, cookies, and historical files uses unnecessary Internet resources. This may also restrict plugins from running. So follow the instructions below and delete your browsing data to get rid of this error. Read our guide on how to clear cache and cookies in Google Chrome and clear browsing data.
Wait until the unwanted data is deleted. When done, close the Chrome app. Restart it and check if a secure connection can be established.
Method 4: Update the extension (if applicable)
All extensions in Google Chrome are automatically updated. Note, however, that these automatic updates only happen when Chrome schedules them. Sometimes these schedules may also be delayed. So follow the steps below to manually check and update the extension.
1. Launch the Google Chrome browser from Windows Search.
2. Type chrome://extensions in the Chrome URL bar and press Enter.
3. On the extension page, turn on the developer mode toggle switch in the upper right corner of the display screen.
4. Now, click on the update option as shown.
Method 5: Disable browser extensions (if applicable)
A web extension you have installed on Google Chrome may prevent the plugin from working. To disable web extensions, follow the steps mentioned below on your PC.
1. Open Google Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the previous method.
2. Click More Tools in the list. In the dropdown next to it, click Extensions.
3. Turn off the toggle switch for your web extension for the Google Chrome app. Here is an example of Google Meet Grid View.
Note: If the network extension is not required, you can remove it by clicking the "Remove" button. Here you can access Chrome plugins.
Method 6: Reinstall the extension (if applicable)
If the update and re-enable method doesn't work, try reinstalling the extension. Follow along and do the same thing.
1. Open the Chrome browser from Windows Search.
2. In the address bar, enter chrome://extensions and press Enter.
3. Click the Remove option for the Google Meet Grid View extension to uninstall it.
4. Click Delete again to confirm the popup.
5. Now, go back to the Chrome Web Store.
Note: To install other extensions, visit the Chrome Extensions page and search for them.
6. Click the Add to Chrome button.
7. Click Add extension in the Add Google Meet Grid View confirmation popup.
Method 7: Reset Experiment Settings
Experimental settings may have disrupted the plugin's normal working process. Reset them to fix Chrome plugins not working properly. Follow the steps below to access the Chrome plugin and reset the experiment settings.
1. Launch Chrome as in the previous method.
2. Type chrome://flags/ in the search bar and press Enter.
3. Click the Reset All button to reset the experimental settings on Google Chrome.
4. Now, click the Restart button.
Method 8: Update Chrome Components
Components on your Google Chrome need to be updated to allow you to access and use Chrome plugins or extensions. Follow the instructions below to update Chrome components.
1. Launch Google Chrome as described above.
2. Type chrome://components/ in the search bar and press Enter.
3A. If the components are out of date, click the Check for Updates button on each component individually.
3B. If the component has been updated, you will see the status as Up-to-date.
Method 9: Disable JavaScript
JavaScript is used to improve Google Chrome, but such improvements may interfere with plugins or extensions. Read the article on this topic to disable JavaScript on Google Chrome.
Method 10: Delete the Google Chrome Application Folder
Cached files on the Google Chrome app may interfere with your use of your plugins on the Google Chrome app. You need to delete the file to use the extension on Google Chrome. Follow the steps below.
1. Press the Windows + R keys simultaneously to launch the Run dialog.
2. Then enter %localappdata%GoogleChromeUser Data and click the OK button to open the AppData folder.
3. Select the file ShaderCache and press Delete to delete the cached file.
4. Similarly, delete the PepperFlash folder.
Method 11: Reset browser settings
Resetting your browser will restore it to its default settings, and there's a better chance that you can fix the bug in question. First, reset Google Chrome by following the steps below.
1. Launch Google Chrome as described above.
2. Tap the three-dot icon as described in the method above.
3. Now, select the Settings option.
4. Here, click Advanced Settings in the left pane and select Reset and Cleanup option.
5. Now, click the Restore settings to original defaults option as shown below.
6. Now confirm the prompt by clicking the Reset Settings button as shown.
Method 12: Create a new user profile
Chrome profiles are primarily used to maintain bookmarks, extensions, themes, and settings. Users often have different profiles to differentiate between personal and work-related browsing. There is no harm in making the extension work via the new chrome profile. If the user profile on Google Chrome is corrupted, you can try to create a new user profile using either of the following methods to fix the Chrome plugin not working properly.
Option I: Rename the default folder
1. Press the Windows + R keys simultaneously to launch the Run dialog.
2. Enter %localappdata%GoogleChromeUser Data and click the OK button to open the AppData folder.
3. Right-click the file Default and select the Rename option in the menu.
4. Rename the file to Default-Bak and press Enter to create a new user profile for Google Chrome.
5. Launch Google Chrome.
Option Two: Create a New Chrome Profile
To create a new chrome profile, follow the steps below.
1. Open the Google Chrome browser as described above.
2. Click on the avatar, as shown in the figure.
3. Then, select the highlighted Add option to create a new profile.
4. Click Continue without Account.
Note: Click Sign In to sign in with your Gmail account.
5. Here, customize your profile by adding your desired name, profile picture and theme color.
6. Now, click Done as shown in the image below.
Note: If you don't want a desktop shortcut for this user, uncheck the Create a desktop shortcut for this user option.
7. Now start a Google meeting with the new chrome profile and the Google Meet grid view fix extension.
Method 13: Update Windows
Windows Update can fix any bugs and bad updates on your computer. Microsoft releases frequent updates to fix Chrome plugins not working properly. So make sure you are using an updated version of the Windows operating system, and if any updates are pending, use our guide on how to download and install the latest Windows 10 update.
Method 14: Run an SFC and DISM scan
If you have any malware files on your PC, it may prevent you from using plugins or extensions on Google Chrome. To check for malware files, run SFC and DISM scans for easy access to Chrome plugins.
We hope this article was helpful and that you were able to fix Chrome plugins not working on Windows 10. Since this article is about: plugins, it must have helped you with this problem.