How to Remove Web Browser Extensions: A Step-By-Step Guide

Web browser extensions are beneficial to users. They block ads, save passwords, check grammar, and integrate your favorite tools right into the browser. 

But not all extensions are safe or necessary. Some may slow down performance, compromise privacy, or even introduce security risks.

Whether you are tasked with managing extensions for your team or just want to learn how to remove web browser extensions for yourself, this guide’s for you. 

Keep reading to learn what browser extensions are and why you might need to remove the ones that pose risks. We’ll also take you through the steps you’ll need to follow to remove them from popular browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. 

At the end, you’ll learn how to identify potentially harmful extensions and discover a better way to manage browser extension risks using Spin.AI’s Browser Extension Risk Assessment Tool.

Let’s jump right in.

What Are Web Browser Extensions?

A web browser extension — also known as an add-on or plugin — is a small software module that runs inside your browser and modifies or enhances its functionality. Extensions can change how a page looks, add tools to the toolbar, intercept web requests, or integrate external services. 

Examples include:

1. Ad blockers that remove ads and trackers
2. Password managers that autofill credentials
3. Productivity tools like tab managers and note takers
4. Developer tools that expose debugging interfaces

Since extensions run in the browser, they often request broad permissions; sometimes, they’ll request the ability to read and change all your data on the websites you visit. Those permissions make extensions powerful, but they can also be dangerous when abused or compromised.

Why You Might Need to Remove Browser Extensions

Removing unwanted or suspicious extensions is a critical security hygiene step. Reasons to remove extensions include:

1. Suspicion of malicious behavior, including unusual popups, unexpected redirection, or credential prompts. (Learn more about how Spin.AI’s researchers uncovered 14.2 million more victims in the RedDirection browser extension attack campaign.
2. Privacy risks stemming from extensions that collect or transmit browsing data to third parties.
3. Performance degradation from browser slowdowns, high memory use, or crashes.
4. Addressing redundancy and outdated tools by replacing multiple overlapping extensions with one trusted tool.
5. Compliance or policy enforcement, since only approved extensions are permitted in regulated organizations.

Often, users install an extension for a one-time need and forget about it, which isn’t great. 

By conducting regular audits and removing unneeded extensions, you can reduce the attack surface and keep sensitive data and systems safe. 

With that in mind, let’s examine how you can remove extensions across major browsers.

How to Remove Web Browser Extensions (Step-by-Step)

The steps to remove extensions vary by browser. Below, you’ll find instructions for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari. 

How to Remove Extensions from Google Chrome

Google Chrome is one of the most widely used browsers. As such, it’s also a common target for malicious extensions. Also, due to the sheer number of Chrome extensions that exist, some of them are poorly built.

Here’s how to safely remove extensions from Chrome:

Step 1: Open the Extensions Page

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner.
3. Navigate to Extensions > Manage Extensions.

4. You can also access all the extensions in Google Chrome by directly typing this into the address bar: chrome://extensions/

Step 2: Review Installed Extensions

On this page, you’ll see all active and inactive extensions, including their permissions and whether they’re enabled.

Step 3: Remove Unwanted Extensions

• To remove an extension, click Remove under its description.

• Confirm by clicking Remove again in the pop-up dialog.

Step 4: Disable (Optional)

If you’re unsure whether you want to permanently remove an extension, toggle the switch to disable it temporarily.

Step 5: Restart Chrome

Restart your browser to ensure all changes are applied.

As a user, you should regularly review your Chrome extensions list. Attackers often disguise malicious extensions with legitimate names.

How to Remove Extensions from Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge, built on Chromium, shares many features with Chrome but offers unique management options through its enterprise settings.

Step 1: Access Extensions

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner.
3. Select Extensions from the dropdown.
4. Choose Manage Extensions to view installed add-ons.

5. You can also directly access all the extensions installed in Microsoft Edge by typing this in your browser: edge://extensions

Step 2: Identify Extensions to Remove

Check the list of extensions. You can see which ones are turned on or off and view their permissions.

Step 3: Remove or Disable

1. Select the extension you want to remove or disable.
2. Click Remove to uninstall the extension.

3. Select Turn off to temporarily disable it.

Step 4: Confirm and Restart

Confirm the removal when prompted and restart your browser.

How to Remove Extensions from Safari

Safari extensions help enhance your browsing experience. But over time, some may slow down your browser or pose security risks. Here’s how to remove or disable unwanted Safari extensions on macOS.

Step 1: Access Safari Preferences

1. Launch Safari on your Mac.
2. From the top menu, select Safari > Settings (or Preferences, depending on your macOS version).

3. Click the Extensions tab to view all the extensions currently installed.

Step 2: Uninstall an Extension

To completely remove an extension:

1. Select the extension you want to delete from the list.
2. Click Uninstall, then confirm the removal.

3. Restart Safari to ensure the changes take effect.

Step 3: Delete Extensions Installed Through Apps

Some Safari extensions come bundled with applications downloaded from the Mac App Store. These aren’t removed through Safari’s settings alone. To delete them:

1. Open Finder and navigate to the Applications folder.
2. Look for the app associated with the extension (its name often matches or resembles the extension).
3. Drag the app to the Trash or right-click and select Move to Trash.
4. Empty the Trash, then relaunch Safari to remove the extension altogether.

How to Remove Extensions from Mozilla Firefox

Firefox extensions, known as add-ons, can be managed through the Add-ons Manager interface. Here’s how to find and remove them.

Step 1: Open the Add-ons Manager

1. Launch Firefox.
2. Click the menu button (☰) in the top-right corner.
3. Select Extensions and themes.

4. You can also access the extensions on Mozilla Firefox by typing this into the address bar: about:addons

Step 2: Manage Extensions

In the sidebar, click Extensions to view all installed add-ons.

Step 3: Remove Unwanted Extensions

1. Find the extension you want to remove.
2. Click the three-dot icon beside it.

3. Choose Remove and confirm.

Step 4: Restart Firefox

Restart Firefox to apply the changes.

How to Turn Off All Browser Extensions at Once (Quick Troubleshooting)

Sometimes, you need a clean browsing session. For example, maybe you need to troubleshoot a problem caused by an extension. In such scenarios, you can turn off all extensions without uninstalling them.

For Chrome or Edge

1. Visit chrome://extensions/ or edge://extensions/.
2. Toggle off all extensions manually.
3. Restart your browser.

For Firefox

1. Type about:addons in the address bar.
2. Toggle each extension off.

For Safari

1. Open Safari > Settings > Extensions.
2. Uncheck all enabled extensions.

Challenges and Risks of Managing Browser Extensions Manually

While removing extensions manually is straightforward, there are hidden challenges. Especially for organizations managing multiple browsers or hundreds of endpoints. While removing extensions, you may encounter these challenges.

1. Hidden and Obfuscated Extensions

Some malicious extensions disguise themselves with legitimate names or icons, making manual identification difficult.

2. Frequent Reinstallation

Users can unintentionally reinstall risky extensions after cleanup. Without centralized monitoring, dangerous extensions can return unnoticed.

3. Limited Visibility for IT and Security Teams

Security teams often lack unified visibility into browser extension risks across Chrome, Edge, and Firefox environments.

4. Risky Permissions and Data Exposure

Extensions can request extensive permissions, such as “read and change all your data on the websites you visit.”

5. Compliance and Data Governance Risks

Unauthorized extensions can lead to compliance violations by exposing sensitive data or connecting to unapproved APIs.

To address these challenges, Spin.AI offers a better way to manage your installed extensions.

A Better Way: Automate Extension Management with Spin.AI 

Manually managing browser extensions is tedious, time-consuming, and error-prone. 

For organizations with hundreds of users, keeping track of what’s installed and whether it’s safe can quickly become overwhelming. Even trusted extensions can introduce risks after updates, ownership changes, or new permission requests.

Spin.AI offers an automated, intelligent solution to simplify extension visibility and security across your entire environment.

Spin Browser Extension Risk Assessment Tool

Spin Browser Extension Risk Assessment Tool uses AI-driven analytics to automatically detect, evaluate, and manage browser extensions across user endpoints. It continuously scans for potential threats and assigns each extension a risk score based on multiple factors:

• Permissions and access levels: Evaluates what data or browser components an extension can view or modify.
• Developer trustworthiness: Reviews publisher reputation, ownership, and source integrity.
• API behavior and network activity: Detects hidden background data transfers or obfuscated scripts.
• Security and compliance posture: Confirms encryption, update cadence, and adherence to security policies.

Each extension is then assigned an AI-generated risk score, allowing administrators to spot and prioritize extensions that pose potential threats quickly. Spin.AI enables automated, policy-based actions such as disabling, removing, or quarantining risky extensions.

Wrapping Up

By automating browser extension management, Spin.AI helps teams protect user data, prevent unauthorized data flows, and reduce the attack surface introduced by third-party add-ons. It’s a proactive solution that turns what was once a tedious manual task into an efficient, scalable, and continuous protection process.

Ready to safeguard sensitive data? Start protecting your organization from malicious or high-risk browser extensions.→ Try Spin Browser Extension Risk Assessment today and gain complete visibility into your browser extension landscape.

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