Installation

The beta extension is installed as an unpacked Chrome extension. There is no Chrome Web Store installation step for this beta release.

Install the Beta Extension

  1. Start ThinkForge Desktop.
  2. In Chrome, open chrome://extensions.
  3. Turn on Developer mode in the upper-right corner.
  4. Select Load unpacked.
  5. Select the ThinkForgeExtension folder shown in ThinkForge Desktop's Chrome Extension Setup dialog.
  6. Confirm that Think Forge Extension, version 2.0.0, appears and is enabled.

The desktop setup dialog can copy the exact extension path. Use that path rather than selecting a parent folder or a ZIP file.

Pinning the extension to Chrome's toolbar is optional.

Open the Side Panel

Open Chrome's side-panel selector and choose Think Forge Extension. The toolbar action is also configured to open the side panel, but it has a second handler for Quick Tag Lookup. If clicking the extension icon opens Quick Tag Lookup, use Chrome's side-panel selector for the full panel.

Ctrl+Shift+K on Windows or Command+Shift+K on macOS opens Quick Tag Lookup. Change the shortcut at chrome://extensions/shortcuts.

Connect ThinkForge Desktop

Desktop integration is disabled by default:

  1. Keep ThinkForge Desktop running on the same computer.
  2. Open the extension side panel.
  3. Go to Settings > TF Desktop.
  4. Turn on Desktop Integration.
  5. Wait for the status to show Connected.

The diagnostics card shows connection state, install state, desktop version, protocol, and readiness. The connection is local to localhost:19222.

Desktop integration enables project capture, SK Memory operations, desktop tool launchers, project-document context-menu insertion, and desktop-initiated Power Strip Browser Commands.

Permissions

The extension requests these permissions at installation:

  • Storage — browser-local settings and extension data
  • Side Panel — the main panel
  • Tabs — active-tab and platform detection
  • Scripting — extraction and insertion on permitted pages
  • Windows — Quick Tag Lookup and other extension windows
  • Context Menus — bookmark and insert-document commands
  • Notifications — operation and connection feedback

Host access is included for the eight supported AI-chat sites, thinkforge.app, and localhost.

Clipboard read is optional and requested by clipboard features when needed. General web-page access is also optional. If capture or insertion on an arbitrary site reports that page access is unavailable, open the extension's Chrome details page and grant site access for that site or for all sites, as you prefer.

Chrome does not allow script injection into browser-internal pages such as chrome:// pages or the Chrome Web Store.

Updating an Unpacked Beta

When you replace the beta files:

  1. Open chrome://extensions.
  2. Find Think Forge Extension.
  3. Select Reload.
  4. Refresh any already-open supported AI-chat tabs so their scripts reload.
  5. Reopen the side panel and check Settings > TF Desktop.

Chrome does not automatically update an unpacked extension.

Troubleshooting

Desktop Integration says Disabled — Turn it on under Settings > TF Desktop. The default is off.

Not Running or Not Connected — Start ThinkForge Desktop, then use the diagnostics refresh action. Confirm no security tool is blocking localhost:19222.

Q&A list is empty — Refresh the AI-chat tab, then use Navigator's refresh control. Site changes can temporarily break extraction.

General page capture contains only metadata — Grant Chrome site access for that page and retry.

Browser commands are visible but fail — Power Strip decides visibility from the foreground application. Chrome can be in front even when the extension is disconnected. Reconnect in TF Desktop settings.