Chrome prepares to auto-pin new extensions to the toolbar by default, but you can turn it off

Chrome is testing a new way to make extensions easier to find after installation. Instead of keeping new extension buttons tucked away in the Extensions menu, Chrome can automatically pin newly installed extensions to the toolbar.

Why Chrome is making this change

Many extensions rely on toolbar buttons for quick access, but users often miss them because Chrome keeps newly installed extensions inside the Extensions menu by default.

Some extensions even show onboarding pages that tell users to click the Extensions button and pin the extension manually after installation. Chrome’s new behavior removes that extra step by making extension buttons visible immediately.

A cleaner setup for some users, a crowded toolbar for others

The change could make extensions easier to discover, especially for tools users use often, such as password managers, screenshot tools, and productivity extensions.

At the same time, users who install many extensions may find their toolbar filling up faster. Chrome already lets users customize the toolbar and hide buttons they do not use. This new setting takes the opposite approach by placing newly installed extensions front and center.

Google describes the change in a commit titled “[Extensions] Add toggle for default pinning in chrome://extensions]” which says the change adds “a new user preference and a corresponding UI toggle” to control whether newly installed extensions are pinned to the toolbar by default. The commit also says the toggle is only shown when the feature flag is enabled and that the preference is set to true by default.

That means Chrome’s new “Pin new extensions” toggle controls whether newly installed extensions with toolbar actions appear on the toolbar automatically. Users who prefer a cleaner toolbar can switch the setting off.

Chrome is testing automatic extension pinning in Canary. The feature has been in development since at least March, and the underlying code is now in place. We tested it and confirmed the behavior: when enabled, newly installed extensions automatically pin to the toolbar. Turning off “Pin new extensions” in chrome://extensions disables auto-pinning for future installations, while extensions already pinned remain on the toolbar.

Any extensions installed after disabling the toggle stay hidden in the Extensions menu by default, just as they do in current Chrome. Google is also preparing to alert users about the change once it launches. There is still no guarantee the feature will reach Stable.