Google Chrome’s Web Store has thousands of extensions that you can download to enhance your browsing experience. Extensions give you extra functionality that you would typically not get from Chrome by default. If you use Google’s browser as your go-to tool for browsing the web, you probably have your favorite Chrome extensions installed at all times.
But did you know that Chrome has tons of features that make certain extensions unnecessary? So if you have extensions that provide certain features, you may not need to install them in Chrome because it already has similar functionality baked in. The advantage of using the built-in functionality over installing an extension is that it can help improve the performance of your browser. That’s why a simple hack like uninstalling older extensions can make Chrome faster.
1 Password manager
Chrome has Google’s Password Manager built in
A password manager is an essential tool in the current digital landscape, which is rife with data breaches. In June 2025, for example, over 16 billion records containing usernames and passwords were leaked from Facebook, Google, and Apple, according to Guardz. That’s why we never get tired of highlighting the importance of password managers, as they help you create stronger, unique passwords, which help in protecting your online accounts.
But you don’t need to pay for a password manager or install a different extension in Chrome when the browser offers a built-in solution. Like other password managers, it offers cross-device sync functionality, which ensures you can always log in to your accounts even if you switch devices—as long as you sync passwords to your Google account. Auto-fill is also available, making it convenient to log in to accounts without copying and pasting your username and password combination.
You also get an additional notes field on every saved login, which you can use to add two-factor authentication recovery keys, or even multiple logins. Google Password Manager also offers a password checkup tool that scans your credentials and notifies you if multiple accounts share the same password, if one of your accounts is compromised, or if an account uses a weak password. It also supports passkeys for even more secure logins on supported websites. We typically don’t recommend using a browser password manager, but you can do so if you observe certain precautions.
You Can Use Your Browser Password Manager If You Take These 5 Precautions
Your browser password manager isn't the most secure option, but you can take steps to improve its security.
2 Screenshots
Take screenshots with Chrome
If you regularly have to take screenshots of websites and web pages for future reference or due to your line of work, you probably have an extension for that. And there are many great extensions for taking screenshots in Chrome’s Web Store, some with millions of users. However, you definitely don’t need an extension to take a screenshot because Chrome has a similar feature available.
Chrome’s screenshot feature is hidden, buried in the app’s Developer Tools, which explains why many people don’t know it exists and always rely on extensions. Chrome’s tool is versatile, just like third-party extensions, and can capture a screenshot of a specific area on a page or a full-page scrolling screenshot. You can also capture a normal screenshot of the area in view.
To take a screenshot using Chrome’s built-in tool, follow these steps:
- Open Chrome’s Developer Tools by using the Ctrl + Shift + I (Windows and Linux) or Cmd + Option + I (macOS) command. Alternatively, you can click the three-dot menu in the top-right of the browser, select More tools > Developer Tools.
- Once Developer Tools is open, use the Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows and Linux) or Cmd + Shift + P (macOS) keyboard shortcut to open the Command Menu for running tasks.
- In the Command entry field, type screenshot to see available options.
- Finally, select one of the capturing options, such as Capture screenshot or Capture full page screenshot.
Chrome will take a screenshot of the page and save it to your Downloads folder or any other folder that you’ve designated as the save location for your downloaded files. Once you’re done taking your screenshot, you can close Developer Tools by using the same Ctrl + Shift + I (Windows and Linux) or Cmd + Option + I keyboard shortcuts or by clicking the Close (X icon) button in the top right of the tool.
3 Page translation
No more copying and pasting to translate
One of the handy features in Chrome that works silently in the background, sometimes without you even realizing it, is Google Translate. Although you can access Google Translate on its dedicated website, the company has also integrated it into Chrome, making it easy to use the tool in the browser. To translate any web page, you simply visit it in Chrome, and the browser will automatically detect the language used.
If the language on the page is not the same as what you’ve set on your system, the tool will display a Page Translation option on the right-hand side of the address bar. You’ll be shown the currently detected language and your browser’s language. All you have to do is select your system language in the Page Translation tool, and the current web page will be translated.
If you prefer a language other than the one Chrome suggests, you can click the three-dot menu (Translate Options), select Choose another language, and then pick your preferred option. This will automatically translate the page to your preferred language. So if you ever want to translate a page using a foreign language, Chrome comes in handy, and you don’t need an extension for that.
4 Reading list
Ditch read-it-later extensions
There are many read-it-later extensions in the Chrome Web Store despite Pocket, one of the most popular options, shutting down in 2025. But if you use Chrome as your browser, you don’t need yet another read-it-later extension to get the same job done. Chrome has a special feature that allows you to save web pages that you’d like to go through later when you have the time. Saving a web page to your reading list in Chrome is easy. Open the browser and follow these steps:
- Open a web page you’d like to read later.
- Click the three-dot menu in the top right, then navigate to Bookmarks and lists > Reading list.
- Select the Add tab to reading list to add your currently open tab.
The page you’re on will be instantly added to your reading list. When you need to go through your list, follow the same instructions but select Show reading list instead of Add tab to reading list in the final step. Chrome will open a sidebar with all your saved items, starting with the most recent ones. Once you’ve read a page, you can select Mark current tab as read in the sidebar, and Chrome will place it under a distinct section in the list called Pages that you've read.
Chrome is more than enough for certain tasks
Some browser extensions are game-changers, but you might not necessarily need all that you’ve currently installed in Chrome. Sure, Google Chrome might not be the most feature-rich browser compared to the likes of Vivaldi, but you’d be surprised to hear that it has a couple of handy features you may never have heard of that make installing certain extensions unnecessary.
Especially with the obvious performance hit associated with installing browser extensions, make sure that the functionality you yearn for from a given add-on doesn't already exist in Chrome before you hit the Add to Chrome button in the Web Store.