Add Simple Startup Password to Chrome

Add Simple Startup Password to Chrome

The routine is no different from adding any other extension. When the password extension is added, you will need to set a password. To do this, you will need to click on the wrench icon in the top right corner of your Chrome browser window.

In the sidebar, click on the Extensions tab.

You will see the list of all of your installed extensions. Scroll down and click the Options link next to Simple Startup Password.

The only option is to set a password. Keep in mind, if you do not remember the password, you cannot access Google Chrome.

Using Simple Startup Password

To use Simple Startup Password after it is installed and your password is created, simply open Google Chrome. The homepage will load and the you will be prompted to enter a password.

If you enter the wrong password in a couple of times, then the browser window closes. There is no Forgot your password link or other recovery option. So make sure you don’t forget your password. It’s a good idea to keep a record of it somewhere private on your PC for later reference, in case you forget it.

Multiple user profiles

For those of you who use several Chrome profiles, you can install Simple Startup Password on each profile. When a new profile is opened, you will need to enter the password for that Chrome profile.

Here is the potential problem you may see. When Chrome is opened, it will automatically open the with the profile that was last used. There is no option to change profiles until the password for the active profile is entered. So if your brother exits out of Chrome while logged into his profile then leaves, you cannot use your profile without his password.

A possible workaround may be to have a generic profile without any password protection. Before each user closes the browser, they could switch to the generic profile for the next user.

Conclusion

I think this is a very easy way to password your browser to safeguard against people who may want to look through your bookmarks or browsing history. If you are paranoid about someone looking through your digital tracks, you  will want to give Simple Startup Password a try.