13 Must-Have Chrome Extensions for Educators

Chrome Extensions make doing things on Chrome faster, easier and more convenient. Clip a article and send it directly to your note app, send a link to colleagues without opening another tab, model for your students how to do a citation. It’s incredible what these little programs allow you to do. Before we get started, let’s make sure you understand what a Chrome Extension is:

What Are Chrome Extensions?

Extensions are small software programs that customize your browsing experience. They enable you to tailor Chrome functionality and behavior to your individual needs or preferences. There are hundreds of Chrome Extensions. You can attach them to your browser on a bar and leave them running in the background or activate them when you want to use them.

It is important to note that you should not have more than 10 Chrome Extensions open at a time or they begin to slow down your computer. Fortunately, one of our recommendations is an extension that lets you turn on and off the extensions you want at any time!

The following extensions I am recommending will increase your efficiency, provide a benefit to content/curriculum, allow you to connect with other teachers/parents/students, and enhance your workflow as an educator. So here we go….

13 Must Have Chrome Extensions for Educators

• Grammarly – This AI powered writing assistant helps you compose bold, clear, mistake-free writing in your emails and any document you are composing through your browser.
• AdblockPlus & Adblock for YouTube – Tired of trying to show a video in class and having ads pop-up? These 2 extensions allow your videos to be shown distraction and clutter free!
• Google Keep – Every teacher should have a Google Keep account. If you don’t, it’s time to jump on board. This program is amazing at holding things you want for later, like web pages, photos and URL’s. The Google Keep Extension allows you to click the button extension and send whatever you are looking at on the web directly to your Google Keep account for later. Google Keep is synced across all platforms and all your devices.
• Screencastify – The #1 screen recorder for Chrome. Capture, edit and share videos in seconds.
• Bitly – A URL Shortener. Trying to send the students to a site and want to make it easy for them? Create a shorter URL.
• OneTab – Declutter and save memory on your computer. If you are like me, you can have many tabs open at the same time and not want to close them because you are working on multiple projects. OneTab will put all your open tabs into a list and save them. When needed, you can restore them individually or all at once.
• Pocket – The best way to save articles, videos and more. When you find something in Chrome that you want to view later, put it in Pocket.
• TabResize – Split Screen made easy. Have you ever had the need to see two screens at the same time, but they are in the same open window in different tabs? This extension will resize the CURRENT tab and tabs to the RIGHT into layouts on separate windows.
• Extensity – Manage all your extensions!  You can quickly access your Chrome extension settings, organize your extensions by category, and disable or enable extensions with one click.
• Easybib – Don’t we all just need a citation machine which makes things easy for us in one click? Well, thank heavens for Easybib which does all that and more by being a toolbar on your chrome browser which helps you cite websites in one click. It also gives you advice on the credibility of the website you’re citing and its website provides guides and resources for you to understand citation formats.
• EdPuzzle and InsertLearning – 2 extensions that allows you to turn web pages and videos into personalized lessons for students. By clicking the extension, teachers can add comments, highlights, sticky notes, questions, discussion prompts and other interactive content to any website.

Bonus Section: 3 Must Have Chrome Extensions for Anyone to Make Your Life Better

• LastPass – You only need to remember one password with this free password manager that allows you store all your passwords in one place. LastPass then gives you a single master password that you will use on every site going forward. LastPass works across all your devices.
• Momentum –  Get inspired with a daily photo and quote and set your daily focus. Replace the new tab page with a personal dashboard featuring to-do, weather, and inspiration
• Bitmoji – Bitmoji allows users to create a personal avatar of themselves that can be sent in your messages. Simple and fun.