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

Store	Review Time	Fee	Manifest Version	Update Frequency
Chrome Web Store	1-3 days	$5 (one-time)	V3 required	On submission
Firefox Add-ons	1-5 days	Free	V2 or V3	On submission
Safari App Store	1-7 days	$99/year	V3 required	App Store Connect
Edge Add-ons	1-7 days	Free	V3 required	Partner Center

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

Asset	Dimensions	Format	Notes
Icon	128x128	PNG	Required in manifest
Screenshots	1280x800 or 640x400	PNG/JPEG	1-5 required
Promotional tile (small)	440x280	PNG/JPEG	Optional
Promotional tile (large)	920x680	PNG/JPEG	Featured extensions
Marquee	1400x560	PNG/JPEG	Homepage features

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:

Permission	Requires Justification	Example Justification
<all_urls>	Yes	"Required to inject content script on all pages for ad blocking"
tabs	Yes	"Needed to track tab URLs for bookmark sync"
webRequest	Yes	"Required to modify request headers for privacy protection"
history	Yes	"Core functionality: history search and management"
cookies	Yes	"Session management for authenticated API calls"

Common Rejection Reasons

Reason	Policy	Fix
Misleading metadata	Accurate descriptions	Match listing to functionality
Insufficient functionality	Single purpose	Add meaningful features
Excessive permissions	Minimum necessary	Remove unused permissions
Remote code execution	No remote code	Bundle all scripts
Trademark violation	IP rights	Remove protected terms
Spam/deceptive	Quality guidelines	Provide genuine value

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

Asset	Dimensions	Format	Notes
Icon	48x48, 96x96	PNG	Required in manifest
Screenshots	Any reasonable	PNG/JPEG	1+ showing functionality
Header image	700x280	PNG/JPEG	Optional

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"]
      }
    }
  }
}

Permission	Description
technicalAndInteraction	Usage patterns, crash reports
locationData	Geographic information
healthData	Health-related data
financialData	Payment/financial info
personalIdentifiers	Names, emails, accounts

Common Rejection Reasons

Reason	Fix
Missing gecko.id	Add unique email-format ID
Obfuscated code without source	Submit source code archive
eval() or new Function() usage	Refactor to static code
Inline scripts in HTML	Move to external files
Missing data consent	Add data_collection_permissions
Security vulnerabilities	Fix reported issues

Listed vs Unlisted

Type	Review	Distribution	Updates
Listed	Full review	AMO search/install	Auto-update
Unlisted	Automated	Direct download	Manual or auto

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

Asset	Dimensions	Format	Notes
App Icon	1024x1024	PNG	Plus all required sizes
Screenshots (iPhone)	Various sizes	PNG	Per device class
Screenshots (iPad)	Various sizes	PNG	If supporting iPad
Screenshots (Mac)	2880x1800	PNG	For Mac App Store

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

Guideline	Issue	Fix
2.1 Performance	App crashes	Test on all target devices
2.3 Accurate Metadata	Screenshots don't match	Update screenshots
2.5 Software Requirements	Missing privacy manifest	Add PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy
4.2 Minimum Functionality	Extension does too little	Add meaningful features
5.1 Privacy	Undisclosed data collection	Update privacy policy

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

Store	Update Method	Notes
Chrome	Upload new version	Same item, increment version
Firefox	Upload new version	Must be higher version
Safari	New build in Xcode	Increment build number
Edge	Upload new version	Same extension ID

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

Scenario	Typical Delay	Mitigation
First submission	+2-3 days	Thorough preparation
Sensitive permissions	+1-2 days	Detailed justification
Code review required	+3-5 days	Submit source code
Policy questions	Variable	Respond quickly
High volume periods	+1-3 days	Avoid holidays

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