Unable to Install HLS Downloader Plugin in Brave Browser Using .crx File

[lunar-shadow]

Describe the bug
Unable to install the HLS Downloader plugin in Brave browser by using the .crx file provided on the GitHub repository. Brave is disabling the extension, which is consistent with its security measures.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Download the HLS Downloader .crx file from the releases page: https://github.com/puemos/hls-downloader/releases
2. Open the Brave browser.
3. Navigate to brave://extensions/
4. Drag and drop the downloaded .crx file onto the extensions page.
5. Observe the message indicating that Brave has disabled the extension.

Expected behavior
I expected to be able to install HLS Downloader plugin using the .crx file without any issues.

Screenshots
NA

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: Mac OS 14.4.1
• Browser: Brave
• Version: 1.65.123 Chromium: 124.0.6367.91 (Official Build) (arm6]

Smartphone (please complete the following information):
NA

Additional context
According to Brave's support documentation (https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017914832-Why-am-I-seeing-the-message-extensions-disabled-by-Brave?hl=en-US), extensions may be disabled if they didn't come from the Chrome Web Store or if they were determined to be unsafe.

[onestix]

Samer issue here on the latest version of Chrome on Windows Version 124.0.6367.119 (Official Build) (64-bit)

[puemos]

Ca you try to install the zip?

[trimechee]

Hello, @mervynlobo @onestix this is normal, chrome does not like users to install extensions outside the chrome store because chrome web store is apparently paid and developers have to pay money....chrome wants to keep control over the functionalities of the extensions like prohibiting downloading from youtube, in addition apparently chrome is energy intensive including javascript high timer and it is not a good idea for the battery to use chrome as a downloader....

there are many reliable, energy-efficient chromium web browsers that allow you to install extensions and our beloved Hls-downloader outside the chrome web store as well as far from google censorship such as:

https://github.com/uazo/cromite

https://github.com/Alex313031/thorium

https://chromium.woolyss.com/

https://www.catsxp.com/ (this chineese web browser can install microsoft edge extensions and it seems it is based on brave browser, some say it is open source, others say it is not open source, I was going to install it but I gave up because I find it surprising that they say on their site: "Users are not allowed to reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble this software product" while they use the source code of brave or chromium apparently, in addition the Chinese communist party requires Chinese companies to spy on people....I don't 'don't blame this browser but you have to be wary, we hope for an audit on this browser....

and maybe :

https://whale.naver.com/en/

maybe if it doesn't tire him, Mr @puemos can try adding our beloved Hls-downloader to the naver whale store

https://store.whale.naver.com/extensions/popular

because naver whale browser is a famous Korean web browser, of course if the naver store is free otherwise it is not not worth it :)

I think our belved Hls-downlader, maybe it will be good to include in its FAQ, to advise users not to use chrome browser and use other web browsers which do not censor extensions like reliable browsers : librewolf, mercury, ghostery, edge. ..

https://github.com/Alex313031/Mercury

https://github.com/ghostery/user-agent-desktop?tab=readme-ov-file

https://gitlab.com/librewolf-community/browser/bsys6/-/releases

and floorp browser, waterfox browser, mullvad browser..and many other opens source browsers.....

Thank you so much !

[onestix]

Thanks for your detailed response, this is understood!

[trimechee]

Thank you :) we can even add these rare tricks i discovered to more ecenomize battery when downloading big files :

add shortcut

--enable-features=UseEcoQoSForBackgroundProcess --enable-low-end-device-mode

chrome:flags
disable :
smooth scrolling
Auto-disable Accessibility

chrome://flags/#memory-saver-multi-state-mode
Enable the multi-state option for Memory Saver Mode

-show-component-extension-options

--disable-extensions

chrome://version to see if the command line flag is there

[lunar-shadow]

I tried the suggested method and it works perfectly. Here are the steps for others who might need them:

1. Download the zip file from the releases page.
2. Unzip the file to extract the dist folder.
3. Drag and drop the dist folder to the extensions page.

[NerOfTheRings]

I have the same problem both on Brave and Microsoft Edge

[trimechee]

I can add crx file to brave and edge, jut download crx file and rename crx with zip, may be Mr @puemos can add this awesome trick to FAQ

[NerOfTheRings]

I can add crx file to brave and edge, jut download crx file and rename crx with zip, may be Mr @puemos can add this awesome trick to FAQ

Thanks dude it worked

[trimechee]

good news, thank you :)

in chromium browser in woolyss site, we can even install directly the crx extensions more easily outside the web store, let's note an interesting and strange thing, I personally did several tests and comparisons with brave, opera, ungoogled chromium, ecosia browsers... .

these browsers seem incapable of blocking heavy ads and cannot activate the native function of heavy ad blocking and anti crypto currency mining useful especially after the transition to manifest v3 and the ad blockers will become less powerful, probably blocking heavy ads does not work on these web browsers because they block Google services, except chromium browser can block heavy ads, with edge browser....

so unfortunately this takes away a lot of the interest and relevance of other browsers based on chromium:

https://chromium.woolyss.com/

https://heavy-ads.glitch.me/

https://blog.chromium.org/2020/05/resource-heavy-ads-in-chrome.html

I also tested with Firefox and Firefox forks like Mercury Browser, Ghostery Browser, Librewolf.... and we can easily install extensions outside the Firefox store by activating these flags:

install extension addon outside firefox store
about:config
xpinstall.signatures.required false
extensions.quarantinedDomains.enabled false

May be Mr @puemos should advise users to use chromium browser of woolyss site to avoid store censorship and be able to use this magnificent extension without restriction ! or may be i will make a reference issue to suggest the use of chromium browser...