How do I install PostSnag manually from a build file? (Advanced)

You can install PostSnag manually by downloading a build file from PostSnag's downloads page at postsnag.com/downloads and loading it into Chrome yourself through Developer mode. This is an advanced, optional path. Most people should install from the Chrome Web Store instead, since it updates itself automatically and needs no extra steps.

When you'd actually use this

The Chrome Web Store is the recommended way to install PostSnag for everyone: it's simpler, and Chrome keeps it updated in the background without you doing anything. A manual install exists for two narrower, more technical reasons: wanting the latest build without waiting on the usual Chrome Web Store flow, or wanting to try a pre-release beta build early. Neither is necessary for normal use. If you're not sure which path you need, use "How do I install PostSnag from the Chrome Web Store?" instead.

The two manual options on the downloads page

Alongside the Chrome Web Store link, postsnag.com/downloads lists two ways to get a build file directly:

• Latest stable build (GitHub Releases): the same code that's on the Chrome Web Store, packaged as a .zip file you download and load yourself instead of going through Chrome's own install flow.

• Beta channel: pre-release builds, tagged like vX.Y.Z-beta, built off PostSnag's pre-release channel. Beta builds can include features or fixes not yet in the stable Chrome Web Store version, but they're less tested and meant for people comfortable testing early, not for everyday use.

If you're not sure which to pick, use the latest stable build, not the beta channel.

The downloads page itself is a simple, bare page with just the download options; it doesn't have the site's usual menu. That's normal, not a sign something's broken. Use your browser's back button, or go to postsnag.com directly, to get back to the rest of the site.

How to install a manual build

1. Go to PostSnag's downloads page at postsnag.com/downloads.

2. Download the build you want: the latest stable build, or a beta build if you specifically want one.

3. Unzip the downloaded file to a folder on your computer. Keep this folder where it is; Chrome loads the extension directly from it, and moving or deleting the folder later will break it.

4. Open a new tab and go to chrome://extensions.

5. Turn on Developer mode using the toggle in the top-right corner.

6. Click Load unpacked.

7. Select the unzipped folder.

[Screenshot: chrome://extensions with Developer mode on and the Load unpacked button visible]

PostSnag now appears in your extensions list. Pin it to your toolbar the same way as a Chrome Web Store install, then open a Facebook page and sign in with the same email and password, or Continue with Google, you'd normally use. See "How do I pin PostSnag to my browser toolbar?" and "How do I sign in to the PostSnag extension?" for those steps.

The tradeoff versus the Chrome Web Store

A Chrome Web Store install updates automatically in the background; see "How do I update PostSnag to the latest version?" A manually loaded build stays exactly as downloaded until you repeat these steps yourself with a newer file, so you'll need to check postsnag.com/downloads again if you want to stay current.

Chrome may also show a banner noting you have extensions loaded in Developer mode, sometimes with a Disable developer mode extensions button. That banner is expected once you've loaded a manual build; just don't click that button, since it would turn off every Developer-mode extension you have loaded, PostSnag included. If you'd rather switch back to the simpler path later, remove the manual build from chrome://extensions and install PostSnag from the Chrome Web Store instead.

Don't run both at once

Avoid installing both the Chrome Web Store version and a manual build at the same time. A sideloaded copy gets treated as a separate extension from the Chrome Web Store version, so Chrome will happily run both, but you'd end up with two copies of PostSnag both trying to work on the same Facebook page at once. Remove one before adding the other.

Common questions

Why isn't the Chrome Web Store enough for everyone?
It is, for almost everyone. A manual install exists for advanced or specific needs, like testing a beta build, not as a better default.

Does a manually installed build capture posts differently?
No. Capture works exactly the same way regardless of how PostSnag was installed. Only how it updates is different.

How do I know if I need a manual install?
If you're not sure, you don't. Install from the Chrome Web Store.

Will Chrome warn me about Developer mode?
Chrome may show a banner noting you have extensions loaded in Developer mode. That's expected for a manually loaded build and doesn't affect how PostSnag itself works, as long as you don't click the button that disables Developer-mode extensions.

Does a manual install cost extra or need a different account?
No. Pricing and your account work the same either way. Sign in with the same email and password, or Continue with Google, you'd use on the Chrome Web Store version.