BROWSER EXTENSIONS, EXPLAINED SIMPLY

What is an extension?

A browser extension is a small app you add to Chrome to give websites extra abilities. WorkBench adds those extra abilities directly around ChatGPT.

Add to ChromeSee how it works ↓
No new website to learn. Open ChatGPT as normal.
chatgpt.com
ChatGPT + WorkBench
BEFORE

ChatGPT

You chat, ask questions and create work in the normal ChatGPT experience.

What can I help with?
+Ask anything●
Install once
+Add
WorkBench
Upgrade
your workflow
Notes
Folders
AFTER

Same ChatGPT.
More you can do.

PromptsWritingAdaptive RunSkills
Work with the same conversation
+Ask anything●
THE SIMPLE VERSION

Think of it as an upgrade for your browser.

You already know the basic idea because extensions behave like other add-ons you use every day.

⌕

A website is where you go.

You visit a website in a tab. When you leave the website, its interface stays behind.

＋

An extension stays with Chrome.

You add it once and Chrome can make its tools available while you browse supported websites.

W

WorkBench works around ChatGPT.

It adds controls to the experience you already use, instead of asking you to move your work somewhere else.

YOUR WORKWorkBenchExtra browser tools: create, run, build, organise and reuse.
WEBSITEChatGPTThe product and conversation you already use.
BROWSERGoogle ChromeThe place that loads both the website and the extension.
WHERE DOES IT LIVE?

WorkBench is a layer, not a replacement.

Chrome runs the extension. ChatGPT remains ChatGPT. WorkBench adds its own interface and capabilities around the page when you choose to use them.

The easiest mental model: Chrome → ChatGPT → WorkBench tools.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER INSTALLING?

Four steps. Then use ChatGPT normally.

The extension becomes available in your browser. You decide when to use its extra tools.

1

Add it to Chrome

Install WorkBench once from Chrome.

2

Open ChatGPT

Go to ChatGPT exactly as you normally would.

3

WorkBench appears

The extra toolbar and browser controls become available on the page.

4

Use what you need

Keep chatting normally or use WorkBench for a bigger job.

Q&A

Browser extensions without the jargon.

The questions people usually have before installing one.

What is a browser extension?

A browser extension is a small app that adds extra features to your web browser. You install it once, and it can add useful tools to websites you already use.

So what does WorkBench do?

WorkBench adds extra tools around ChatGPT so you can create, organise, reuse and run more complex work without leaving the browser experience you already use.

Does WorkBench replace ChatGPT?

No. You continue using ChatGPT normally. WorkBench is a separate browser extension that adds its own controls and capabilities around the page.

Do I need to learn a new app?

No. WorkBench appears in the browser experience you already know. You can start with one feature and use more only when they are useful.

Is an extension the same as a website?

No. A website is somewhere you visit. An extension becomes part of your browser and can add functionality while you are using supported websites.

Is it the same as an app?

The idea is similar. A phone app adds capabilities to your phone; a browser extension adds capabilities to your browser.

Why make WorkBench an extension instead of another website?

Because the tools can sit where the work is already happening. That reduces tab switching and lets WorkBench act on browser context when you explicitly choose an action.

Does WorkBench change ChatGPT itself?

No. WorkBench does not become part of ChatGPT. It is a separate extension that adds its own interface around the page.

What happens if I turn WorkBench off?

ChatGPT continues to work normally. WorkBench is an additional layer, not something ChatGPT depends on.

Do I have to use every WorkBench feature?

No. Use only the tools that help with the job you are doing.

Keep ChatGPT. Add more ways to work.

Install WorkBench in Chrome and use its tools directly around the ChatGPT experience you already know.

Add to Chrome
WorkBench MCP · release 1.28.704

Browser control with clear boundaries.

WorkBench pairs an approved Chrome browser with ChatGPT. A pairing connects the browser; it does not grant access to every website. You choose a permitted page before WorkBench can read or act on it.

Available on permitted pages

  • Browser pairing and connection status.
  • Tab discovery and Page inspection for selected readable tabs.
  • Screenshot and webpage-context handling.
  • Click, type and navigation, including supported select and checkbox controls.
  • Exact source verification and temporary highlighting.

Supported with limits

  • Direct text-based PDF pages can be read and checked when text is extractable.
  • Scanned or image-only PDFs may not expose extractable text.
  • Pages, same-origin content and action targets must remain accessible and permitted.
  • An action can be attempted while completion remains unconfirmed.

Not available in this build

Keyboard events, hover, drag-and-drop and console access are unavailable in this build because they require Chrome debugger permission.

Use the supported page controls and the visible result instead.

Need the first successful task? Follow the concise setup and recovery guide in Support. For data handling, see Privacy & permissions.