Migrating Chrome Extensions to Edge is Actually Simple ⚡️

Why Migrate Chrome Extensions to Edge?

In short, it’s to expand the extension to multiple platforms. This allows more users to access it while enabling us to gather more user feedback through this process.

Additionally, Edge is based on the Chromium kernel, which means most Chrome extensions can run directly on Edge. For extension developers, the migration cost is relatively lower (and by the way, Edge extension developers currently don’t need to pay registration fees 😊).

Edge’s user experience is getting better, but its extension ecosystem is far less rich than Chrome’s, presenting many opportunities.

Edge also has a Sidebar feature that can make extensions more user-friendly. (We’ll update more about this later)

How to Migrate?

Step 1: Test Chrome Extension Compatibility in Edge

Since both Edge and Chrome are based on Chromium, most Chrome extensions can run directly on Edge. However, to be absolutely sure, I recommend testing your extension in Edge first.

1. Open Edge and go to edge://extensions/.
2. Enable “Developer mode”.
3. Click “Load unpacked” and select your Chrome extension directory.

If the extension loads and runs normally, congratulations! You’ve completed most of the work and might not even need to modify the code before submitting to Edge. If you encounter issues, don’t worry. The following steps will help you resolve them.

Step 2: If Compatible, Check the manifest.json File

This step mainly involves removing or modifying Chrome-related elements or descriptions in the file.

1. If your manifest.json file contains update_url, remove it.
2. If the extension name or description in manifest.json contains “Chrome”, modify it to “Microsoft Edge”.
3. browser_action and page_action:

In Chrome, browser_action and page_action are separate fields, but in Edge, they are unified as action. If your extension uses these fields, replace them with action.

// Chrome
"browser_action": {
 "default_popup": "popup.html",
 "default_icon": "icon.png"
}
 
 
// Edge
"action": {
 "default_popup": "popup.html",
 "default_icon": "icon.png"
}

1. manifest_version: Ensure it’s MV3

Both Chrome and Edge support manifest_version: 3 (MV3). If you’re using manifest_version: 2 (MV2), consider upgrading to MV3 as MV2 is being phased out in Chrome.

After making these changes, you can package the extension as a new .zip file and submit it to Microsoft Partner Center.

Step 3: If Issues Occur, It’s Usually Due to Specific API Compatibility Issues. Fix Them!

1. If the extension uses chrome.runtime.connectNative to exchange messages with native applications

Ensure that the native messaging host manifest file sets allowed_origins to chrome-extension://[Microsoft-Catalog-extensionID].

1. User Agent String:

Edge’s user agent string differs from Chrome’s. If your extension relies on the user agent string to detect browser type, update the relevant logic.

// Chrome User Agent Example
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/91.0.4472.124 Safari/537.36
 
// Edge User Agent Example
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/91.0.4472.124 Safari/537.36 Edg/91.0.864.59
 

1. Important API Differences

While most APIs are compatible between Edge and Chrome, the following APIs require special attention. If used, test compatibility and make necessary modifications:

• chrome.identity: Edge doesn’t support chrome.identity.launchWebAuthFlow. If you use OAuth authentication, switch to Edge’s webAuthenticationBroker.
• chrome.gcm and chrome.instanceID: These APIs are unavailable in Edge. If you rely on these APIs for push notifications, use Edge’s web push API instead.
• chrome.syncFileSystem: Edge doesn’t support chrome.syncFileSystem. If you need file synchronization, use Edge’s OneDrive API or other cloud storage services.
• chrome.enterprise: Enterprise APIs may differ in Edge, especially for device management and policy-related APIs. If you’re developing enterprise extensions, refer to Edge’s enterprise documentation.
• chrome.proxy: Edge’s proxy settings differ from Chrome’s, especially in enterprise environments. Ensure proxy functionality works during testing.

Step 4: Publish on Edge

1. Before publishing, apply to become an Edge developer at Microsoft Partner Center. Once approved, you can publish.
2. Refer to the publishing documentation for publishing instructions.

🔔Tips:

Edge has fewer requirements for screenshots and descriptions compared to Chrome, but in the Edge extension marketplace, extensions with only a text description and no product images are less attractive to users.

About Edge Extension Review Time

According to the Overview, the review process takes 7 business days. (In comparison, Chrome typically completes reviews in about 2 days.)

Also, WXT is a Good choose to build extensions.

Appendix: Other Reference Documents

• Microsoft Edge Extension Development Documentation
• Chrome Extension Development Documentation
• Microsoft Partner Center
• Porting Chrome Extensions to Microsoft Edge