Welcome to "Browser Plug-ins and Extensions." After watching this video, you will be able to: Define browser plug-ins, define browser extensions, and install and configure browser plug-ins and extensions. A web browser typically allows users to not only view HTML content, but also some other web-based content such as images, video, audio, and XML files. However, in most cases, to view other, more advanced types of content, you need additional software. A browser plug-in (also sometimes referred to as an add-in or add-on) is essentially a small piece of software that provides some specific bit of additional functionality to a web browser. In this way, you can use plug-ins to customize your browser, and therefore your browser experience. So, a plug-in extends the capabilities of your web browser. Common examples of a plug-in are the Adobe Reader plug-in that enables you to view PDF content, the Adobe Flash Player that lets you view FLV-formatted videos, or the Java plug-in that enables allows you to run applications written in the Java programming language. Typically, when you browse to a website that has this type of content available, and you do not already have the appropriate plug-in installed, you will be prompted with a link to download it. It is also worth noting that as plug-ins are improved to support new features or are updated to increase security, you will need to update your installed plug-ins too. Many web browsers now update their plug-ins automatically, but some older browsers may not. A browser extension is an application that provides extended functionality for a web browser, and allows users to customize their web browsers. Extensions and plug-ins may seem similar, and although they do provide seemingly similar benefits to a web browser, they actually work quite differently. A browser plug-in is an executable piece of software code that gives you added functionality on a specific web page or website, whereas browser extensions typically consist of source code that is not executable, but they extend the core functionality and features of the web browser itself; hence the term ‘extension.’ So, a browser extension can customize a web browser’s context menus, add buttons and toolbars, manage cookies, and block pop-up ads, for example, but a browser plug-in cannot. Browser extensions are widely used, but in the last few years, browser plug-ins have largely been deprecated by most popular web browsers and they no longer support them. As mentioned previously, some modern browsers do not support plug-ins at all, so in Google Chrome for example, there is no longer a plug-ins page available to view or the option to disable installed plug-ins. In browsers that still provide some support for standard plug-ins, such as Mozilla Firefox, you can configure the plug-in settings. In Firefox, you open the application menu, select Add-ons and themes, and select Plugins in the left menu, which then displays the installed plug-ins. Select the ellipsis button next to the name of the plug-in and select Manage. Here you can configure the individual plug-in’s settings, such as allowing automatic updates. You can also configure general plug-in settings in Firefox by selecting the “Tools for all add-ons” button. Here you can check for updates, view recent updates, install add-ons from a file, and configure the automatic updates setting. To configure browser plug-ins in Internet Explorer, you open the Tools menu, then select Manage add-ons. Select Toolbars and Extensions in the left menu, which then displays the installed plug-ins and extensions. By default, it shows all currently loaded add-ons, but you can change this to display all add-ons instead. Then you can configure an individual plug-in, such as enabling or disabling it. The method for installing browser extensions varies slightly between different web browsers. For example, to install web browser extensions in Microsoft Edge, you select the Extensions button on the toolbar, select Open Microsoft Edge Add-ons, search for the extension you want to install, select Get, and then select Add extension. Your new extension’s toolbar will now be visible in your web browser. Whereas, to install browser extensions in Google Chrome, you browse to the Chrome web store, then in the Extensions section, you search for the extension you want to install. Select the extension from the suggested list, select Add to Chrome, and then select Add extension. And your new extension’s toolbar will now be visible in your web browser. To configure browser extensions in Microsoft Edge, select the Extensions button on the toolbar, select Manage extensions, and then either select Details to configure the extension, or select Remove to delete the extension from the web browser. To configure browser extensions in Google Chrome, Select the “Customize and control Google Chrome” button, point to More tools, and then select Extensions. Here you can either configure the extension by clicking Details, remove it, or simply turn the extension on or off using the toggle switch. You may have noticed that some browser settings only allow you to disable a plug-in or extension, but they do not allow you to remove them. In these cases, you need to use the uninstall feature on your computer. For example, in Windows 10, from the Start menu, you select the ‘gear’ icon to open Settings, select Apps, and then select Apps and features. From this list of apps and features, you select the plug-in or extension you wish to remove and select Uninstall, then follow the instructions. You may also find that malicious plug-ins and extensions will typically not appear in the list of installed apps and features on your operating system, and they will require more work to remove. The simplest way to do this is to run some form of trusted anti-malware program, which will help you to remove the offending item. Genuine plug-ins and extensions developed by reputable organizations can be very useful additions to your web browser, and are safe to download and use, so to avoid malware ensure you trust the source of a plug-in or extension before you install it. In this video, you learned that: A browser plug-in is a small piece of software that provides some specific bit of additional functionality to a web browser, you need to update your installed plug-ins, most modern web browsers update plug-ins automatically, plug-ins are largely deprecated by the major web browsers, extensions enable users to customize a web browser, extensions can customize a browser’s context menus, add buttons and toolbars, manage cookies, and block pop-ups, extensions are widely used by all web browsers, and you should ensure you trust the plug-in or extension source before installing it.
