How to Install Chrome Extensions in Opera and Opera Extensions in Chrome

The final version of Opera 15 is out, and this is the first Opera browser to be built upon Blink/Webkit, the engine that drives Google Chrome. With the underlying code being the same, it’s inevitable that both browsers will share features that are similar and compatible with each other. Even extensions built for either browser now works on both. This opens a floodgate of extensions for Opera users and at the same time allow Chrome users a chance to taste the small but rich library of Opera extensions.

Install Chrome Extensions in Opera

To gain access to Chrome extensions from Opera, simply install the Download Chrome Extension in Opera and then visit the Chrome Store and choose the extensions you want to install. You will find that the blue “Add to Chrome” button is now replaced with a red “Add to Opera” button. Click on it to install the Chrome extension in Opera.

Note, that you can only install extensions and not Chrome apps.

Install Opera Extensions in Chrome

Installing Opera extensions in Chrome is also possible, it just requires a little more work to be done.

Start by visiting the page for the Opera extension that you want to install in Chrome in the Opera browser. Now right click over the green “Add to Opera” button and choose the option to save the linked content. This will download the Opera extension as a file having the extension .NEX.

Change the file extension from .NEX to .CRX, the format supported by Chrome.

After that, open Chrome and access the Chrome Extensions page (chrome://extensions) and drag and drop the file you downloaded and renamed. This will install the extension.