Connect the SWG bar Chrome extension

The SWG bar Chrome extension is a companion to the Mac app. It uses Chrome native messaging to retrieve local domain results. You need the desktop app installed; the extension is not an independent HTTPS inspection detector.

Set up the companion

1. Install and open SWG bar on a compatible Mac.
2. Open the Chrome Web Store link from the Plugins view or the Chrome section of the SWG bar home page.
3. Review the store’s permissions and install the extension in the Chrome profile you use for browsing. Chrome 120 or later is required by the extension manifest.
4. Open an HTTPS website, then open the extension to see the result associated with its domain.

The extension interface supports English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. The website also has other language versions; that does not imply the extension interface supports all website languages.

Understand the displayed result

The extension reads results already available from the local app. It does not start a fresh probe and does not read the certificate from Chrome’s current TLS session. If the result is absent or stale, check the same hostname in SWG bar and obtain fresh evidence there.

Different Chrome profiles can have different extension installations. Private browsing, proxy settings, and application-specific routing can also affect what you observe. Compare the hostname and time, not just the page title.

Troubleshoot the connection

If Chrome cannot connect to the native host, confirm that the Mac app is installed, open it, and check its Plugins view. Restart Chrome after installation if necessary. On a managed device, an extension or native messaging policy may require administrator approval.

If the extension connects but has no result, visit the site and inspect it in the app first. A missing result is not a finding that the connection is uninspected.

Read the extension privacy notice for the data boundary, and how SWG bar works for the probe and certificate checks.