Google Chrome extensions are a great way to save time and resources as a designer. Oftentimes, designers have to be quick and smart in finding solutions to their client’s challenges.
This is where Google Chrome extensions come in. You can use some of these extensions to work more efficiently and easily
In this article, we are going to highlight the best Chrome extensions that you need as a designer. Hopefully, you find them resourceful and use them to get better results in your designs. Keep reading!
What are Chrome Extensions?
Google Chrome extensions are programs that you can install into Chrome browser in order to change the browser’s functionality. You can use these extensions to add new features to Chrome or modify the existing behavior of the program itself to make it more convenient for you.
Chrome text tensions can also speed up your browsing, remove or block annoying ads. These extensions are created using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
It is important that you install the extensions of your interest from the right source. You can either install it from the Chrome web store or the Firefox Browser Add-ons portal. That way you can be certain of the safety and legitimacy of the extension you want to install.
Read: Best Chrome Extensions for Doctors and Medical Personnel
Another important thing to note is that extensions should have a minimal interface while offering good functionality with limited overhead. Here are some examples of the functionality of Chrome extensions:
- Password manager
- Ads blocker
- Notes and to-do lists to Chrome
- Help to copy text from any website
Why Designers Need Chrome Extensions
There are many reasons why you need Chrome extensions as a designer but we are going to discuss these three.
- Creativity: You need Google Chrome extensions as a designer for improved creativity. Install extensions that have challenging features that you can adopt and practice to improve your skills and creativity level. You can pick images from the web and modify them for your designs.
- Time-saving: You can use Chrome extensions to automate some of your tasks so that you can save more time. You can also install extensions that help you grab colors from websites, adjust them and paste them into other programs. You must understand that time is money and your client would request quality design as fast as possible.
- Improved deliverability: When you are able to work more efficiently and save time, you can easily increase your deliverables while still churning out quality designs. This is another benefit of having Chrome extensions as a designer.
What Designers Should Look Out for in Chrome Extensions
Before you install any extension into your browser, here are a few things you should look out for so you don’t install bad extensions.
- Security
This is very important. Before you install any extension into your browser, research on the safety of the extension.
You can search on the internet about the extension, read up on the security and privacy policy. You can also read reviews from users before installing it.
To be on the safe side, make sure you install your extensions directly from the Chrome web store or Firefox Browser Add-ons portal.
- Features
It is a good practice to read about the features of the extension you’re interested in. This way you know what to expect and you know if the features of the extension match your design needs.
- Price
There are many great free extensions the same way there are extensions that come at a price. As much as you want to install quality extensions that match your needs, also consider your budget.
There are many extensions that are going to be within your budget and have the features that you need, so don’t be in a rush to get just anyone.
Read: Best Chrome Extensions for Event Planning & Management
Best Chrome Extensions for Designers
1. Image Downloader:
Pricing: Free
Install Image Downloader extension into your Chrome browser to browse and download images from the web. You can use Image Downloader to download multiple images at once and you can also use it to explore images on your current page. Image Downloader also allows you to save your images to a subfolder you can also rename the images for easy recognition.
2. WhatFont
Pricing: Free
WhatFont is a popular Chrome extension for developers and designers. If you are wondering about a font used on a website, WhatFont will identify the typeface for you. This free extension is unarguably the easiest way to identify fonts and inspect fonts on a webpage by just hovering on them. You can also use WhatFont to detect the services used to serve the web fonts.
3. Formplus
Pricing: Free
Formplus is another great extension that you can use in your designs. You can make use of Formplus to design forms of any kind and integrate them into your designs. This is easy because Formplus has over 1000 templates for you to select from.
4. The Squint test
Pricing: Free
This is another brilliant tool for you to understand the effectiveness of any website or landing page. It tells you what information is shown first to the user and what action it intends to take.
It also allows you to understand which section of your page is the”high traffic” section. You can also use it to judge the overall look of your body of text in a specific typeface.
5. Window Resizer
Pricing: Free
If you want to resize your browser window so that it can take on various screen resolutions, then you should consider the window resizer extension. This extension is specifically of benefit to web designers and developers because it offers layouts on different browser resolutions. You can use it to modify the Windows height and width, the position, and even the preset icon.
6. Stylebot
Pricing: Free
This extension helps designers to modify the appearance of any web page and sync the changes across browsers. Still, you can pick any elements and choose the changes you want to perform on it.
You can change the color, the margins, the fonts, and the visibility if you so wish. The Stylebot extension also improves the designers writing by offering modern language and style manuals. It is also very safe as it does not collect browsing history or any personal data.
7. Design Grid Overlay:
Pricing:
This extension helps designers to understand the space and grid system that is used on the website. This extension gives the designer control of the columns, gutter spacing, offset, and screen sizes that are of interest to the designer.
8. CSS Viewer:
Pricing: Free
This extension is a quick and easy-to-use tool that allows you to click on any image, text, or button on a web page and you can immediately see the CSS code that was used in designing them. So if you need to find out the CSS code implemented on a website then you can make use of the CSS viewer extension.
Read: How to Construct User Personas, User Stories & Archetypes (Examples + Templates)
9. Resolution Test:
Pricing:
The resolution test extension is designed for developers to test web pages in different screen resolutions. The extension changes the size of the browser window so that developers can preview their website in different screen resolutions. It also allows developers to customize their own resolution.
10. HTML to Figma:
Pricing:
This extension allows developers to import a web page to Figma layers. So you can use this extension to import real-life site tiles for your designs.
You can also use this extension to turn real site components into design components and also capture your current page and make it editable in the Figma layers.
HTML to Figma also allows designers to import components from storybooks and a great live web design for mockups inspiration.
11. UX Check:
Pricing: Free
Install UX Check extension to make your heuristic evaluation easier and faster. If you click on an element that does not support heuristic in your side pane, it allows you to add notes, take a screenshot and save it. You can use the UX Check extension to export everything to a docx file and share it with your team.
How Formplus Can Help Designers
There are unlimited things you could do on Formplus as a designer. Here are some of them.
- You can use Formplus to create forms using the Form builder. For easy access, you can add the Formplus Chrome extension to your browser and create all types of forms that you may need for your designs.
- You can use Formplus to conduct your design testing. Simply create survey questions about your designs and share it with your audience to respond to. Formplus allows you to share your survey or questionnaires through social media platforms, a QR code, or through emails.
- You can use Formplus payment integrations to receive payment from your clients. Formplus is fully integrated with payment platforms such as PayPal, Flutterwave, Paystack, and Stripe. You also do not need to worry about personal data as Formplus is very secure and seamless.
Conclusion
There are many ways you can make your work as a designer become faster and more effective. But you must understand that you don’t necessarily have to create everything from scratch.
There are extensions designed to simplify your work and increase your productivity such as those listed above. The important thing is to find the ones that work for you and make use of them.