Do I need to restart Chrome after installing?
No. Chrome loads the extension immediately. The only thing you may need is a refresh of tabs that were already playing media, so the extension can attach to them.
Install and Update Sound Booster
Always install from the official listing so you get the real extension and Chrome’s update channel.
Install
- Open the Sound Booster page on the Chrome Web Store.
- Click Add to Chrome and confirm.
- Pin the icon from the puzzle menu for quick access.
Update
Chrome updates extensions in the background. To force a check, open chrome://extensions, enable Developer mode, and click Update. Reload open media tabs after a major update so the content script attaches cleanly.
After updating Chrome itself
If boosts stop after a browser update, refresh the page, confirm the extension is still enabled, and re-grant site access if Chrome reset permissions. Reinstall only if the extension is missing or disabled by policy.
Before you install
The extension is built for desktop Chrome on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS. You do not need to sign in to Chrome to install it, but if you use Chrome sync, installed extensions can follow you to your other computers. Extensions belong to a browser profile, so if you use separate profiles for work and personal browsing, install Sound Booster in the profile where you actually watch lectures or videos.
Chromium-based browsers such as Edge or Brave can usually add extensions from the Chrome Web Store as well, although the menus and prompts differ slightly. This help center is written for Chrome, so the steps below use Chrome’s wording.
Pinning the icon so you can find it
After installing, Chrome often hides the new icon inside the puzzle-piece Extensions menu. Click that puzzle piece, find Sound Booster in the list, and click the pin next to it. The icon then stays in the toolbar, one click away from the volume slider. If you ever wonder where it went after a Chrome update or a profile change, the puzzle-piece menu is the first place to look.
Two ways to open the same settings
- Type
chrome://extensionsin the address bar to see every installed extension. - Click the puzzle piece, then Manage extensions, for the same page.
- On that page, Details shows the version number, site access and incognito options.
How updates really work
Chrome checks the Web Store for new versions of your extensions every few hours while the browser is open, and installs them without asking you to restart Chrome. That means you can be on a newer version than yesterday without noticing. The version number appears in the extension’s Details page, which is the quickest way to confirm what you are running when you contact support.
A background update replaces the extension’s code, but a page that was already open keeps using the old copy until you reload it. If a video tab was open during an update and the slider behaves strangely, reload that tab once before assuming anything is broken.
Reinstalling cleanly
- Open
chrome://extensionsand click Remove on Sound Booster. - Close and reopen Chrome so no old copy lingers in running tabs.
- Install again from the official Web Store listing and pin the icon.
- Reload the tab you want to boost and test with a short video.
A fresh install is a good last step after permissions were changed many times or another extension may have interfered. Settings stored by the extension may need to be set again afterwards.
Incognito windows and other profiles
Chrome does not run extensions in Incognito unless you allow it. Open the extension’s Details page and switch on Allow in Incognito if you want boost there. Guest mode and other Chrome profiles are separate worlds: an extension installed in one profile does not appear in the others.
If Add to Chrome is missing or greyed out
- You may be on a mobile browser, which does not support desktop extensions.
- A work or school administrator may block installs; open
chrome://managementto see whether your browser is managed. - A very old Chrome version can fail to install new extensions, so update the browser first.
- Sideloaded or unpacked copies are not the official extension; use the store listing for a normal install and updates.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install Sound Booster on more than one computer?
Yes. Install it in each browser profile where you want it. If Chrome sync is on, Chrome can offer the same extensions on your other signed-in computers, but you still decide what stays enabled on each one.
How do I know I have the official version?
Install only from the Chrome Web Store link used on this site and check that the listing shows the Sound Booster name and publisher. Copies from other websites or shared files are not covered by Chrome’s update channel.
Why did the icon disappear after an update?
Check the puzzle-piece menu first; the extension is usually still installed and only needs pinning again. If it is missing from the list, open chrome://extensions and make sure it is switched on.
Does an update reset my settings?
Updates normally keep the extension installed and working. If a level or option looks different afterwards, set it again once and reload the tab you are using.