Do Chrome Extensions Need a Privacy Policy? (Google’s Requirements)

Short answer: most Chrome extensions need a privacy policy, and getting it wrong is one of the most common reasons extensions are rejected or removed. Here's exactly when you need one and what it must say.

When do you need a privacy policy?

Google requires a privacy policy if your extension collects or transmits user data — and "user data" is defined broadly. You need one if your extension does any of the following:

• Handles personally identifiable information (names, emails, addresses).
• Accesses authentication or financial information.
• Reads web content, browsing activity, or form inputs.
• Sends any data to a remote server or third-party service.

If your extension is fully local and touches none of the above, you may not strictly need one — but you must still complete the privacy practices disclosures, and having a policy builds trust.

What Google requires you to disclose

In the Developer Dashboard "Privacy practices" tab you must:

• Justify every permission and host permission in your manifest.
• Declare a single purpose for the extension.
• State what data you collect and whether you sell or transfer it.
• Certify compliance with Google's Limited Use and data policies.
• Link to your privacy policy URL.

What to include in the policy itself

• Who you are and how to contact you.
• What data you collect and why.
• How data is used, stored, and protected.
• Any third-party services that receive data.
• Data retention and user rights (access, deletion) — required under GDPR/CCPA.
• An effective / last-updated date.

Where to host it

Host the policy at a stable, public URL — your website, a GitHub Pages page, or a dedicated subpage. It must be reachable without logging in, and the URL must stay live. Avoid Google Docs links and anything that can expire.

Common mistakes that get extensions rejected

• Requesting permissions you don't justify in the policy.
• A dead or login-gated privacy policy URL.
• Generic, copy-pasted policies that don't match what the extension actually does.
• Collecting data that isn't tied to the extension's single purpose.

Extino generates a Chrome Web Store-ready privacy policy tailored to your extension's actual permissions and data use — so it matches your listing and passes review.