15 Useful Google+ Browser Extensions for Google Chrome Browser

Just like many new platforms the Google+ interface is not optimal and every user might want to customize their G+ experience.
Luckily the online community is fast and several Google Chrome browser extensions for Google+ have already found their way to the Chrome Store.

Many users have already mentioned that they wished they could share better or organize their stream better, others wished that G+ had additional features or even a more colorful design. We found 15 Google+ extensions for the Chrome web browser, which can improve your G+ experience.
Neither of them is an extension to -1. ;)

1. Skin & Share for Google+ Facebook

Skins & Share for Google+ Facebook is a simple extension insertion social media buttons, all while the extension can switch the design and add more contrast to Google+. Funnily enough the extension also allows to remove contrast from the Facebook design.

Remove contrast from Facebook header with Skins & Share for Google+ Facebook

We did notice a minor bug with the extension: the skin selector for Facebook will also display below like buttons if these are given a specific height in the code (Hint: check above!)

Get Skin & Share for Google+ Facebook here

2. Google+ Ultimate

Google+ Ultimate is a simple more contrast rich design improvement for Google+.

google-plus-chrome-extensions-3 — More contrast and pinned header navigation and sidebar

Google+ Ultimate also pins the header navigation and Google+ navigation/tab bar to the top of your browser, as well as making the sidebar pinned. I do think this was the first Google+ extension I used.

Although not as pleasing visually, Google+ Ultimate now also supports side-by-side view for larger windows/screen resolutions.

Google+ side-by-side view — Side by side view thanks to Google+ Ultimate

Get Google+ Ultimate here.

3. Beautify G+

google-plus-chrome-extensions-5 — Add Audio notifications with Beautify G+

Beautify G+ could arguably be misnamed and barely changes the Google+ design. Beautify+ allows the user to configure several areas of the design, pinning the sidebars and header or even add audio notifications.

Additionally the extension allows to display notification count in the browser tab and remove suggested users as well as the ‘Go mobile’ area (which did not work for me).

Beautify G+ is mainly for those who want to preserve the basic look of Google+, with some improvements.

Get Beautify G+ here.

4. G+me for Google Plus

google-plus-chrome-extensions-6 — Transform your Google+ stream in a real-time dashboard with G+me

G+me for Google Plus is an extension for power content consumers or people who struggle with how Google+ pushes content with new comments to the top every time. The extension transforms your stream in a collapsible dashboard, with quick access to content upon hover.

G+me also updates the entries with visible display of new comments, without bumping these back to the top. The extension is great but would be even better if there were a way to include autoload for ‘More’. With only limited items in the feed the improvement might be rather minimal.

A great feature of G+me is the notification stuck to the extension icon in the Google Chrome toolbar.

Get G+me for Google+ here

5. FaceG+

For those who absolutely can’t live without there preferred blue social network, but want to enjoy G+, FaceG+ comes to the rescue and does exactly what it says on the tin.

google-plus-chrome-extensions-7 — Get your favorite blue back, now on Google+

Get FaceG+ here.

6. Share+ Social Buttons

google-plus-chrome-extensions-8 — Add social media buttons to Google+

Want to share your Google+ content on other social networks? This one does exactly what it says on the tin and allows you to share any content found on G+ to the most popular social platforms. Whether others can read it or not depends on one’s privacy settings.

Get Share+ Social Buttons for Google+ here

7. G+Fix

google-plus-chrome-extensions-9 — Fix the header navigation in Google+ with G+Fix

G+Fix is a small and simple extension doing just one thing: pin the header navigation and keep it visible at any time when scrolling your Google+ stream.
Note that this extension does not work for other Google properties.

Get G+Fix here.

8. G+ Count Favicon

google-plus-chrome-extensions-10 — Pin the notification count to your browser tab

The G+ Count Favicon extension pins the notification count to the browser’s tab favicon, always keeping you easily updated with the newest comments or shares.

Get G+ Count Favicon here.

9. G Plus Plus

G Plus Plus is a plugin for the true Google+ junkie who constantly wants to return to Google+, no matter how hidden the tab is or how many browser windows they have opened. Just click the ++ icon in the extensions bar of Chrome and you will be taken to the G+ tab.

Get G Plus Plus here.

10. Adhik

google-plus-extensions-chrome-11 — Add contrast to Google+ with Adhik

Adhik is another more contrast rich style for Google Chrome. Adhik highly improves the separation of items in the feed.

Get Adhik here.

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11. Goo Plus Manager

google-plus-chrome-extension-12 — Social Media Buttons and Translation with Goo Plus Manager

Goo Plus Manager expands Google Plus with several new and handy shortcuts/hotkey combinations (Using AddThis). Goo Plus Manager also includes links to translate every item in the feed and offers easy access to the Goo.gl shortlinks API.

Additionally Goo Plus Manager adds a dropdown menu with quick access to all Google+ sections to the header navigation.

Get Goo Plus Manager here.

12. g-

Get distracted easily by Google+? Don’t want to be notified whenever there’s an update… g- does remove the Share and notification count from the header navigation, to help users be less distracted when using other Google properties. Do not install is you spend too much time on Google+, g- is contra-productive to your G+ experience.

Those who truly don’t get anything done, thanks to Google+, can get g- here.

13. Google+ Stream Filtering

google-plus-chrome-extensions-13 — Stream filtered to show only LEGO content

If you constantly leave your Google+ window open and want to filter certain content out, or read only selective content, the German Google+ Stream Filtering extension allows you to do so.
With help of the extension you can now have everything which doesn’t, or does, contain any of the keywords you entered, be hidden in your stream. Be careful this extension is very powerful and has can make your stream show nothing. Do not blend out Google+.

Get Google+ Stream Filtering here.

14. +onFB

google-plus-chrome-extensions-14 — Add +1 button to Facebook with +onFB

If you still spend time on Facebook and love to discover new content on the network, you can now also +1 the content, and links, thanks to the handy +onFB extension.

Get +onFB here.

15. Google+♡

If +1 doesn’t do it for you, and you have never played role play games, you can now feel the love on G+ thanks to Google+♡ instead.

Get Google+♡ here and start feeling the love on all Google web properties, web sites.

Bonus: 16. Favorite G+ Stream

Favorite G+ Stream allows you to set a preferred circle as default circle for your G+ stream. Get it here.

As usually, you can follow me on Google+ for even more Google+ musings.

Franky Branckaute

Franky is CEO, Editor and 21/7 Muppet on Duty at Splashpress Media. Occasionally he even sleeps. More sporadically even he also blogs about the professional online life at iFranky. He also is regular Guest Lecturer on all things blogging and 'web 2.0'ish'. Follow him on Twitter.