Short answer: The official WordPress Browser Extension is now available for Chrome and Chromium-based browsers, plus Safari on macOS. It can hide the WordPress admin bar without removing your shortcuts, open the editor for the content you are viewing, remember your WordPress sites locally, detect WordPress sites, and provide practical testing tools.[1][2]
Official download links
- Chrome and Chromium browsers: Install from the Chrome Web Store.[3]
- Safari on macOS: Install from the Mac App Store.[4]
- Source code and issue tracker: View the WordPress GitHub repository.[2]
Use the official store listings above rather than similarly named third-party extensions.
What the extension does
The extension puts WordPress site-management shortcuts in your browser toolbar. When you visit a site, its icon indicates whether WordPress was detected and whether you are signed in. On a site you manage, the popup can take you to the dashboard or directly to the editor for the post, page, taxonomy, or template currently on screen.[1][3]
Its most useful everyday feature is admin-bar control. You can hide the front-end admin bar for selected sites, or hide it by default, while keeping common WordPress shortcuts available from the toolbar. This gives you a view closer to what visitors see without repeatedly changing your WordPress profile setting.[1]
The extension also includes tools to highlight block boundaries, open a phone-sized preview window, reload with cache busting, and clear site data. The Chrome listing also documents Query Monitor toggling when Query Monitor is available.[1][3]
How to install it in Chrome or a Chromium browser
- Open the official Chrome Web Store listing linked above.
- Select the store’s install button and approve the requested permissions.
- Pin the WordPress icon to the browser toolbar for faster access.
- Visit a WordPress site where you are already signed in.
- Open the extension and choose whether to hide the admin bar on that site.
- Test the dashboard and edit shortcuts on content you are allowed to edit.
Store installations are signed and update automatically, according to the project repository.[2]
How to install it in Safari on macOS
- Install the official app from the Mac App Store.
- Launch the app once.
- Open Safari → Settings → Extensions.
- Enable the WordPress Browser Extension.
- Visit a WordPress site and select the WordPress toolbar icon.
- Grant access for the current site, or for every website if you want automatic WordPress detection while browsing.
The Safari setup steps and permission choices are documented in the official App Store listing and project repository.[2][4]
Five practical workflows
1. Check a page without the admin bar
Hide the admin bar, refresh the page, and check sticky headers, viewport spacing, or scroll effects. This helps separate a real front-end layout issue from an artifact created by the logged-in admin bar.[1]
2. Jump directly from a live page to its editor
Open the extension while viewing a post or page and use its edit shortcut. On block themes, template-backed pages can open in the Site Editor.[1][3]
3. Keep multiple WordPress sites one click away
The My Sites launcher remembers sites you sign in to and stores that list locally in the browser. This can reduce dashboard-bookmark clutter for people who manage several WordPress installations.[1][3]
4. Run a quick mobile review
Open the phone-sized preview and check the page’s navigation, headings, buttons, forms, cookie banner, and long text. Treat this as a fast visual check, not a substitute for testing on real devices.
5. Bypass a stale cached view
Use cache-busting reload when a recent page or CSS change does not appear. If the problem remains, continue with your site, plugin, CDN, or hosting cache controls; the extension is a convenient first check, not a complete cache-management system.
Privacy: what is stored and where?
WordPress says the extension does its work on the user’s device. Preferences and the list of signed-in sites stay in the browser, and the official announcement says there is no tracking or analytics.[1] The Chrome listing says it has no developer-controlled server and stores preferences, a limited site-detection cache, and the My Sites list locally.[3] Apple’s listing says the developer does not collect data and describes the extension as using the WordPress site’s own REST API when an administrator is signed in.[4]
Even with a privacy-focused design, review browser-extension permissions before installation and install only from the official store pages.
Who should use it?
The extension is most useful for:
- WordPress site owners who want a visitor-like view while signed in;
- editors who frequently move between a live page and its editor;
- agencies or freelancers who manage multiple WordPress sites;
- block-theme builders who need quick access to templates;
- developers and QA testers who use block outlines, mobile preview, cache busting, or site-data controls.
Casual site visitors who do not manage WordPress sites will get less value from it.
Quick safety checklist
- Install only from the official Chrome Web Store or Mac App Store links.
- Confirm the publisher and listing before approving permissions.
- Keep your browser and extension updated.
- Grant access only at the scope you need.
- Test editing shortcuts on a non-critical page first.
- Do not treat mobile preview as a replacement for real-device testing.
- Report reproducible bugs through the official GitHub issue tracker.[2]
Frequently asked questions
Is the WordPress Browser Extension official?
Yes. WordPress.org announced it as the official WordPress Browser Extension, and the open-source project is hosted under the WordPress organization on GitHub.[1][2]
Is it free?
The official Mac App Store listing marks it as free, and the project is open source.[2][4]
Which browsers are supported?
The official announcement lists Google Chrome and Chromium-based browsers, plus Safari on macOS.[1]
Does it replace a WordPress plugin?
No. It provides browser-level shortcuts and testing tools without requiring installation on each site, but it does not replace plugins that add site features, backups, security controls, SEO tools, or full cache management.
Does it send my list of WordPress sites to WordPress.org?
The official announcement says the site list and preferences stay in the browser and that nothing is sent elsewhere. The store listings similarly describe local storage and no analytics or telemetry.[1][3][4]
Can it open the exact page I am viewing in the editor?
When you are signed in with appropriate access, the extension can link to the editor for the post, page, taxonomy, or template being viewed. Template-backed pages can open in the Site Editor on block themes.[1][3]
Related WordPress guide
Before this final-release follow-up, see the WordPress 7.1 beta testing checklist for the earlier compatibility-testing context.