Full Chrome Web Store Extension Support on iPad

mjeed51

I am requesting full and reliable support for Chrome Web Store extensions on iPad. Currently, while Orion allows installing Chrome extensions, some of them only work partially or fail entirely on iPad, despite working perfectly on desktop.

For example, the extension Popup Blocker (strict) should block every request to open new windows, but on iPad it sometimes works and sometimes stops functioning. Full compatibility would make extension behavior consistent with the desktop experience, saving users from switching devices and improving workflow efficiency.

A user could install an extension from the Chrome Web Store on iPad and have it work exactly as on desktop, with no loss in features or stability. For example:
• Popup Blocker (strict): Consistently blocks unwanted popups 100% of the time.
• Ad blockers: Fully apply advanced filtering and cosmetic rules.
• Password managers: Autofill credentials smoothly and securely.
• Productivity tools: Web clippers, note-taking tools, and tab managers function exactly as they do on desktop.

Currently, no major iPad browser offers full, stable support for Chrome Web Store extensions. Extending Orion’s partial support to full compatibility would make Orion the first in the iPad market to achieve this, creating a significant competitive advantage and greatly enhancing the user experience.

jeanetienne

Hi mjeed51, and thank you for taking the time to write a detailed ticket.

Implementing support for web extions in WebKit (the rendering engine powering Orion and Safari on macOS and iOS/iPadOS) is quite a technical challenge. On macOS we can make good progress with supporting web extensions, but it proves more difficult on iOS/iPadOS, due to the more closed nature of the platform. This means we have a more restricted access to WebKit and as a result less options to add web extensions features.

This is such an enormous task that we chose to prioritise adding support for the most popular web extensions for now, rather than trying to support everything. It would be very valuable to know what are your top 5 or even top 10 extensions that you would love to see fully supported on Orion. Your suggestions will help us track which extensions are most requested by the community.

Thank you for your help in making Orion a better browser!

mjeed51

jeanetienne

Thank you for your detailed explanation. I understand the technical limitations on iOS/iPadOS due to the closed nature of the platform and the restrictions in WebKit.

If I were to choose only one extension to prioritize, it would be Popup Blocker (strict). As I mentioned earlier, it is by far the best and most effective extension for blocking unwanted pop-up windows. In my experience, no other extension comes close to its reliability and strictness in preventing unwanted popups. Having it fully supported and working on iPad exactly as it does on desktop would be a huge improvement to the browsing experience.

I believe that achieving full functionality for this extension would benefit a wide range of users, as popups remain a common annoyance and security risk across many websites.

Thank you again for your work on Orion and for considering this request.

Yannick

hey! Popup Blocker (strict) is already on our list. So I'll close the ticket 🙂

mjeed51

Yannick
Got it, thanks for the update! Glad to know it’s already on your list.