Installing extensions: Difference between revisions

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:''This article was written for Firefox and Thunderbird but also applies to SeaMonkey 2.''
By default, extensions are installed for the current user only, but they can also be installed across multiple profiles and even globally.
By default, extensions are installed for the current user only, but they can also be installed across multiple profiles and even globally.


Once installed, extensions can be configured by opening the Extensions Manager ("Tools -> Extensions")  or by selecting "Extensions" from the the Add-ons Manager in Firefox 2.0 ("Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions") selecting the extension from the list, and then clicking the "Options" button. (If this button is disabled then the extension is not user-configurable.)
Once installed, extensions can be configured by selecting "Extensions" from the the Add-ons Manager ("Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions") selecting the extension from the list, and then clicking the "Options" button. (If this button is disabled then the extension is not user-configurable.)


If you experience problems installing or [[Updating add-ons| updating]] an extension you should consult the [[Unable to install themes or extensions (Firefox) | list of known causes]] before visiting the author’s home page for that extension to check for relevant known issues.
If you experience problems installing or [[Updating add-ons| updating an extension]] read [[Unable to install themes or extensions - Firefox |this article]] for a list of possible causes and solutions before visiting the author’s web page for that extension to check for known issues.


==Single-user installation==
==Single-user installation==
To install an extension in the current user profile, simply activate the installer file (which has a ".xpi" file extension) within your Mozilla application. For [[Firefox]] and the [[Mozilla Suite]] this can be done by clicking on a link to an installer file (such as the "Install" button on [https://addons.mozilla.org Mozilla Add-ons]) or by saving the installer file to your computer and dragging it into any Firefox window or opening it from the File menu. For [[Thunderbird]] you should [[Extensions (Thunderbird) | use the Extensions Manager]].
* {{Firefox}}: To install an extension in the current user profile, simply click the Install button on [https://addons.mozilla.org Firefox Add-ons] or by saving the extension (which has a ".xpi" file extension) to your computer and dragging it into any Firefox window or opening it from the File menu.
* {{Thunderbird}}: Download the extension, open Add-ons and click its the Install button. [[Extensions (Thunderbird) | Details...]]


Extensions installed in this way will not appear in any other profiles which currently exist or which are later created.
Extensions installed in this way will not appear in any other profiles which currently exist or which are later created.


==Multi-user installation==
==Multi-user installation==
Multi-user installations are useful if more than one person uses your application. You should install and use the [https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=421 Mr Tech Local Install] extension to configure your extension installations for multiple users. Alternatively you could simply allow multiple users to use the same profile; you must ensure that the [[profile folder]] is accessible to each of them on your system.
Multi-user installations are useful if more than one person uses your application. You should install and use the [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/421 MR Tech's Toolkit] extension to configure your extension installations for multiple users. Alternatively you could simply allow multiple users to use the same profile; you must ensure that the [[profile folder]] is accessible to each of them on your system.


==Global installation==
==Global installation==
A global installation will install an extension to the application directory rather than within a profile, so it will be available to all users. To perform a global installation you should not activate the .xpi installer file within your Mozilla application. Instead, download and save it to disk and ensure that you [[Kill application | close the application completely]]. Then restart it with the following [[command line arguments]]:
A global installation will install an extension to the application directory rather than within a profile, so it will be available to all users. To perform a global installation you should not activate the .xpi installer file within your Mozilla application. Instead, download and save it to disk and ensure that you [[Kill application | close the application completely]].
-install-global-extension "<path-to-extension>\extname.xpi"
 
where "extname.xpi" is the name of the installer file.
Then follow one of the following options:
* Copy the .xpi file into the [[Installation_directory|<installation directory>]]\extensions folder ([[Installation_directory|<installation directory>]]'''\browser\extensions''' folder, in Firefox 21 and above  [http://mike.kaply.com/2013/05/13/more-major-changes-coming-in-firefox-21/]).  When you start your Mozilla application again, it displays an installation dialog, asking "The following items were found in your Extensions folder. Do you want to install them?"
* '''Deprecated''' ([https://developer.mozilla.org/En/Command_Line_Options#Add-ons as of Gecko 1.9.2, FF 3.6.x, TB 3.1.x)]: Restart your Mozilla application with the following [[command line arguments]]:
  -install-global-extension "<path-to-extension>\extname.xpi"
where "extname.xpi" is the name of the installer file. This command line option has been dropped as of Gecko 1.9.2.


Depending on the extension, each user may need to configure a globally-installed extension independently.
Depending on the extension, each user may need to configure a globally-installed extension independently.
If you want to do a silent administrative install that immediately makes the extension available to limited users, you need either:
* to uncompress the .xpi file yourself (as a ZIP file) to an appropriately named (extension's ID) folder. On Linux/Unix platforms you can use a helper script to [[Determine extension ID|determine extension IDs]] in an automated fashion.
* start Firefox as a user who has write permissions to [[Installation_directory|<installation directory>]]\extensions and agree to have the items installed; then Firefox will uncompress the .xpi file to the extension's folder.


==Changing installation status==
==Changing installation status==
Line 27: Line 40:
==Location of extension files==
==Location of extension files==
Extension files are located in the "extensions" subfolder of the [[profile folder]] (single-user) and in the "extensions" subfolder of the [[installation directory]] (global); there is one folder per extension, named using their ID codes. To tell which is which, look inside each folder&rsquo;s "chrome" subfolder where you will find some human-readable information regarding the extension.
Extension files are located in the "extensions" subfolder of the [[profile folder]] (single-user) and in the "extensions" subfolder of the [[installation directory]] (global); there is one folder per extension, named using their ID codes. To tell which is which, look inside each folder&rsquo;s "chrome" subfolder where you will find some human-readable information regarding the extension.
Note: Starting in Gecko 2.0 (Firefox 4 / Thunderbird 3.3 / SeaMonkey 2.1), XPI files are no longer unpacked when extensions are installed. Instead, the XPI itself is placed in the extensions directory, and files are loaded directly out of the package.  See [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Extensions/Updating_extensions_for_Firefox_4 Updating extensions for Firefox 4] for details.  [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/extension_packaging]
==External links==
*[https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Installing_extensions Installing extensions - MDN Docs]
*[https://developer.mozilla.org/en/extension_packaging Extension Packaging - MDN Docs]
===Related bug reports===
*[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=476430 Bug 476430 - Make third-party add-ons disabled on startup, and allow users to activate them]
*[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=519357 Bug 519357 - (compdir-lockdown) Only load known components from app directory]
*[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=533038 Bug 533038 - (packedxpi) Extensions should not be extracted into the profile directory, but installed/stored as XPI file]


[[Category:Installation and update (Firefox)]]
[[Category:Installation and update (Firefox)]]
[[Category:Extensions (Firefox)]]
[[Category:Extensions (Firefox)]]
[[Category:Extensions (Thunderbird)]]
[[Category:Extensions (Thunderbird)]]
[[Category:SeaMonkey]]

Latest revision as of 11:41, 19 April 2014

This article was written for Firefox and Thunderbird but also applies to SeaMonkey 2.

By default, extensions are installed for the current user only, but they can also be installed across multiple profiles and even globally.

Once installed, extensions can be configured by selecting "Extensions" from the the Add-ons Manager ("Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions") selecting the extension from the list, and then clicking the "Options" button. (If this button is disabled then the extension is not user-configurable.)

If you experience problems installing or updating an extension read this article for a list of possible causes and solutions before visiting the author’s web page for that extension to check for known issues.

Single-user installation

  • Firefox: To install an extension in the current user profile, simply click the Install button on Firefox Add-ons or by saving the extension (which has a ".xpi" file extension) to your computer and dragging it into any Firefox window or opening it from the File menu.
  • Thunderbird: Download the extension, open Add-ons and click its the Install button. Details...

Extensions installed in this way will not appear in any other profiles which currently exist or which are later created.

Multi-user installation

Multi-user installations are useful if more than one person uses your application. You should install and use the MR Tech's Toolkit extension to configure your extension installations for multiple users. Alternatively you could simply allow multiple users to use the same profile; you must ensure that the profile folder is accessible to each of them on your system.

Global installation

A global installation will install an extension to the application directory rather than within a profile, so it will be available to all users. To perform a global installation you should not activate the .xpi installer file within your Mozilla application. Instead, download and save it to disk and ensure that you close the application completely.

Then follow one of the following options:

 -install-global-extension "<path-to-extension>\extname.xpi"

where "extname.xpi" is the name of the installer file. This command line option has been dropped as of Gecko 1.9.2.

Depending on the extension, each user may need to configure a globally-installed extension independently.

If you want to do a silent administrative install that immediately makes the extension available to limited users, you need either:

  • to uncompress the .xpi file yourself (as a ZIP file) to an appropriately named (extension's ID) folder. On Linux/Unix platforms you can use a helper script to determine extension IDs in an automated fashion.
  • start Firefox as a user who has write permissions to <installation directory>\extensions and agree to have the items installed; then Firefox will uncompress the .xpi file to the extension's folder.

Changing installation status

If you wish to change the installation type of an extension from single-user to global (or vice versa), or move or copy it from one user profile to another, you should uninstall the extension and perform one of the installation methods above.

Advanced users may wish to try moving the extension files manually between the appropriate locations, as described below. Note that although this procedure should work on version 1.5 and above of Firefox and Thunderbird, and perhaps on versions 1.0.x, it is not guaranteed, and it could break your extension, your profile or even your application.

Location of extension files

Extension files are located in the "extensions" subfolder of the profile folder (single-user) and in the "extensions" subfolder of the installation directory (global); there is one folder per extension, named using their ID codes. To tell which is which, look inside each folder’s "chrome" subfolder where you will find some human-readable information regarding the extension.

Note: Starting in Gecko 2.0 (Firefox 4 / Thunderbird 3.3 / SeaMonkey 2.1), XPI files are no longer unpacked when extensions are installed. Instead, the XPI itself is placed in the extensions directory, and files are loaded directly out of the package. See Updating extensions for Firefox 4 for details. [2]

External links

Related bug reports