Extension Store Submission

Extension Store Submission

Complete guides for submitting browser extensions to Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons (AMO), Safari App Store, and Edge Add-ons. Covers account setup, asset preparation, submission process, and post-publication management.

Store Overview

Chrome Web Store

Account Setup

1. Create or use existing Google account
2. Pay $5 one-time registration fee at Chrome Web Store Developer Dashboard
3. Verify account (email verification required)
4. Set up payment profile for paid extensions

Required Assets

Submission Process

1. Package Extension
   $ wxt zip          # Creates .output/<name>-<version>-chrome.zip

2. Upload to Dashboard
   → Developer Dashboard → Items → Add New Item
   → Upload ZIP file

3. Complete Store Listing
   → Description (up to 132 chars visible)
   → Screenshots (actual functionality)
   → Category selection
   → Language/region targeting

4. Privacy Practices
   → Data collection disclosure
   → Privacy policy URL (if collecting data)
   → Permissions justification

5. Submit for Review
   → Preview listing
   → Submit for review

Permission Justifications

Chrome requires justification for sensitive permissions:

Common Rejection Reasons

Review Acceleration

• Provide clear testing instructions in reviewer notes
• Include demo account if login required
• Document all permission usage in privacy section
• Respond quickly to reviewer questions
• No policy violations = faster reviews

Firefox Add-ons (AMO)

Account Setup

1. Create Firefox Account at addons.mozilla.org
2. No registration fee required
3. Enable two-factor authentication (recommended)
4. Complete developer agreement

Required Manifest Fields

{
  "browser_specific_settings": {
    "gecko": {
      "id": "extension@example.com",
      "strict_min_version": "109.0",
      "data_collection_permissions": {
        "required": [],
        "optional": ["technicalAndInteraction"]
      }
    }
  }
}

Required Assets

Submission Process

1. Build Extension
   $ wxt zip -b firefox  # Creates .output/<name>-<version>-firefox.zip

2. Sign Extension (optional for self-distribution)
   $ web-ext sign --api-key=KEY --api-secret=SECRET

3. Submit to AMO
   → addons.mozilla.org → Submit a New Add-on
   → Upload ZIP file
   → Choose visibility (listed/unlisted)

4. Provide Information
   → Extension name and summary
   → Category selection
   → Support email/URL
   → License selection

5. Source Code Submission (if minified)
   → Upload source archive
   → Include build instructions

6. Review Notes
   → Testing instructions
   → Permission explanations
   → Third-party library list

Data Collection Permissions (Required 2025+)

{
  "browser_specific_settings": {
    "gecko": {
      "data_collection_permissions": {
        "required": ["technicalAndInteraction"],
        "optional": ["locationData", "healthData"]
      }
    }
  }
}

Common Rejection Reasons

Listed vs Unlisted

Use unlisted for: Enterprise deployments, beta testing, private tools.

Safari App Store

Account Setup

1. Enroll in Apple Developer Program ($99/year)
2. Create App Store Connect account
3. Generate signing certificates in Xcode
4. Register App ID in Developer Portal

Converting Web Extension

# Convert existing extension to Safari format
xcrun safari-web-extension-converter /path/to/extension \
  --project-location /path/to/output \
  --app-name "Extension Name" \
  --bundle-identifier com.example.extension

# Open generated Xcode project
open /path/to/output/Extension\ Name.xcodeproj

Required Assets

Privacy Manifest (PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN"
  "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
  <key>NSPrivacyTracking</key>
  <false/>
  <key>NSPrivacyTrackingDomains</key>
  <array/>
  <key>NSPrivacyCollectedDataTypes</key>
  <array>
    <dict>
      <key>NSPrivacyCollectedDataType</key>
      <string>NSPrivacyCollectedDataTypeBrowsingHistory</string>
      <key>NSPrivacyCollectedDataTypeLinked</key>
      <false/>
      <key>NSPrivacyCollectedDataTypeTracking</key>
      <false/>
      <key>NSPrivacyCollectedDataTypePurposes</key>
      <array>
        <string>NSPrivacyCollectedDataTypePurposeAppFunctionality</string>
      </array>
    </dict>
  </array>
  <key>NSPrivacyAccessedAPITypes</key>
  <array/>
</dict>
</plist>

Submission Process

1. Build in Xcode
   → Product → Archive
   → Select archive → Distribute App
   → App Store Connect → Upload

2. App Store Connect
   → Create new app record
   → Fill app information
   → Upload screenshots
   → Complete privacy questionnaire

3. Submit for Review
   → Select build
   → Add review notes
   → Submit for review

Common Rejection Reasons

App Store Guidelines for Extensions

• Extension must have a containing app with functionality
• Containing app cannot be empty (add settings, instructions)
• Extension should work offline where applicable
• Must provide clear instructions for enabling extension

Edge Add-ons

Account Setup

1. Create Microsoft Partner Center account
2. No registration fee required
3. Complete verification process
4. Accept developer agreement

Submission Process

1. Package Extension (same as Chrome)
   $ wxt zip          # Chrome format works for Edge

2. Partner Center
   → Partner Center → Microsoft Edge → Extensions
   → Create new extension
   → Upload ZIP file

3. Complete Listing
   → Store listing information
   → Screenshots and assets
   → Category selection

4. Submit for Review
   → Preview and submit

Chrome Extension Migration

Edge accepts Chrome extensions with minimal changes:

{
  "manifest_version": 3,
  "name": "Extension Name",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "Description"
  // No Edge-specific fields required
}

Version Management

Semantic Versioning

MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH

1.0.0 → Initial release
1.0.1 → Bug fix
1.1.0 → New feature (backward compatible)
2.0.0 → Breaking changes

Update Strategy

Staged Rollouts

Chrome Web Store supports staged rollouts:

1. Developer Dashboard → Item → Package
2. Upload new version
3. Set rollout percentage (5%, 10%, 50%, 100%)
4. Monitor crash reports and reviews
5. Increase percentage or rollback

Review Timeline Tips

Faster Reviews

1. Clear description: Explain exactly what extension does
2. Test instructions: Step-by-step for reviewers
3. Demo credentials: If login required
4. Permission docs: Why each permission is needed
5. Clean code: No obfuscation, no suspicious patterns
6. Policy compliance: Follow all guidelines

When Reviews Take Longer

Post-Publication

Monitoring

• Crash reports: Chrome DevTools, Firefox crash reporting
• User reviews: Respond promptly, address issues
• Analytics: Usage patterns, feature adoption
• Security: Watch for vulnerability reports

Responding to Reviews

Do:
- Thank users for feedback
- Acknowledge issues promptly
- Provide solutions or workarounds
- Follow up after fixes

Don't:
- Argue with users
- Make excuses
- Ignore negative reviews
- Promise features you can't deliver

Handling Rejection

1. Read rejection reason carefully
2. Understand the specific policy violated
3. Make necessary changes
4. Document changes in notes
5. Resubmit with explanation
6. Appeal if rejection seems incorrect

Multi-Store Publishing Workflow

# Build for all stores
wxt zip                    # Chrome/Edge
wxt zip -b firefox         # Firefox

# Safari requires Xcode build
# Open project and archive

# Submit in order of review speed
1. Edge Add-ons (fastest)
2. Chrome Web Store
3. Firefox Add-ons
4. Safari App Store (slowest)

Related Resources

• store-submission-reviewer agent: Pre-submission compliance checking
• cross-browser-compatibility skill: API compatibility matrices
• validate-extension command: Automated validation

Quality Checklist

Before submitting to any store:

• All functionality tested on target browser
• Screenshots show actual extension features
• Description accurately describes functionality
• Privacy policy covers all data collection
• All permissions justified and documented
• No deprecated APIs or patterns
• Version number incremented correctly
• Store-specific requirements met