Tutorial · 7 min read
How to Publish a Chrome Extension to the Web Store (2026 Guide)
Step-by-step: from a generated .zip to a live listing on the Chrome Web Store, including review tips that get you approved on the first try.
Building the extension is the easy part. Getting it through Chrome Web Store review is where most first-time publishers stall. Here's the exact path from a ManifestGo-generated .zip to a live listing.
Before you upload
- Pay the one-time $5 Chrome Web Store developer fee.
- Prepare a 128x128 icon, at least one 1280x800 screenshot, and a short promo tile.
- Write a 132-character summary and a longer description that explains the value, not the implementation.
- Make sure your Manifest V3 permissions are the minimum needed — every extra permission slows review.
The upload flow
- Go to chrome.google.com/webstore/devconsole and click 'New item'.
- Upload the .zip ManifestGo generated.
- Fill in store listing: name, summary, description, screenshots, category.
- Add a privacy policy URL — required even if you don't collect data.
- Justify each permission in the 'Privacy practices' tab.
- Submit for review.
Why extensions get rejected
- Requesting broad host permissions (`<all_urls>`) without justification.
- Missing or generic privacy policy.
- Screenshots that don't match the described functionality.
- Remote code execution — banned under MV3.
Review usually takes 1-3 business days for a clean submission. If you're rejected, the email tells you exactly which policy to fix — resubmit the same day.