Jenny Wilson 
Submitting to the Chrome Web Store is not complicated, but there are enough steps that it is easy to miss one and delay your launch by 3–5 business days while the review team processes your re-submission. This checklist covers everything you need before you hit Submit.
Developer Account Setup
- Chrome Web Store developer account registered at chrome.google.com/webstore/devconsole — one-time $5 registration fee
- Payment profile linked if you plan to charge for the extension (required even if you handle billing through Stripe — Chrome needs a valid payment profile on file)
- Two-factor authentication enabled on your Google account
Extension Package
- Production build created with your release build command (
pnpm build:chromein LightningAddon) - Extension loads cleanly on a fresh Chrome profile with no console errors
- All features tested on the fresh profile — auth, billing flow, core functionality
- Extension version number set correctly in
manifest.json— start at1.0.0, not0.x.x(Store policy) - Manifest description field filled in (max 132 characters, this appears in search results)
- Default locale set if using
_localesdirectory;enrequired if targeting English speakers - Icons included: 16×16, 48×48, and 128×128 PNG icons in the package
-
web_accessible_resourcesaudited — only expose files that genuinely need to be accessible from web pages - Permissions audited — remove any permissions not actively used; privileged permissions must be optional
Store Listing Assets
- Store icon: 128×128 PNG, no rounded corners (Chrome rounds them) — use a simple, recognizable mark
- Small promo tile: 440×280 PNG — required for appearing in category pages; text should be minimal and legible at small size
- Screenshots: minimum 1, maximum 5 — 1280×800 or 640×400 PNG/JPG, showing real extension UI not mockups
- Screenshots show real functionality — reviewers compare screenshots to actual behavior
- Promotional video (optional but recommended): YouTube URL of a 30–90 second demo
Store Listing Copy
- Extension name: clear, describes function, no competitor brand names, under 75 characters
- Short description: 132 characters, used in search results — write this as a benefit statement, not a feature list
- Detailed description: explain what the extension does, why someone should install it, key features, and how to get started. Include your primary keywords naturally. Avoid keyword stuffing — it triggers manual review flags.
- Category selected appropriately (Productivity, Developer Tools, etc.)
- Language: set correctly to match your description language
Privacy & Legal
- Privacy policy URL linked in the store listing — required if extension accesses any user data (even just storage)
- Privacy policy hosted at a stable URL (not localhost, not a GitHub gist)
- Data disclosure completed in the developer console — Chrome now requires you to explicitly declare what user data you collect, store, and share
- Justification written for each sensitive permission (history, tabs, bookmarks, etc.) — you will be asked for this during submission
- Terms of service URL (recommended, not required)
Post-Submission Checklist
- Developer notes filled in during submission — if your extension requires an account or specific setup to test, explain it here. Reviewers do not have long to spend on each extension; make their job easy.
- Submission acknowledgment received — Chrome sends a confirmation email; review typically takes 1–3 business days for new extensions, longer if it triggers manual review
After Approval
- Store listing URL saved and added to your marketing channels
- Review monitoring set up — log in to the developer console weekly to respond to user reviews (response rate affects store ranking)
- Analytics connected — Chrome Web Store provides basic install/uninstall metrics; connect a proper analytics solution inside the extension if you need behavior data
- Update pipeline tested — submit a minor version bump to verify that your update process works before you need it urgently
- Support channel set up — an email address or help page that users can reach when things break
Common Reasons for Delay (Not Outright Rejection)
- Missing privacy policy for an extension that uses storage
- Data disclosure form incomplete
- Screenshots do not match described functionality
- Developer notes absent when account/setup is required to test
Most of these add 3–5 business days for a reviewer follow-up cycle. Addressing them before submission keeps your launch date intact.
The First 48 Hours After Approval
Publish the store listing, then share it immediately. The Chrome Web Store algorithm gives more weight to extensions that show engagement immediately after publishing. A burst of installs in the first 48 hours improves your search ranking more than the same installs spread over two weeks.
Post to relevant communities (relevant subreddits, Indie Hackers, Hacker News Show HN, Product Hunt), your email list if you have one, and your social channels. Make it easy for people to share with a clear one-line description of what the extension does.
The hardest part of launching on the Chrome Web Store is not the submission — it is getting your first 100 real users who will leave honest reviews. Plan for that as seriously as you plan for the technical launch.
