If you receive a message Could not move extension directory into profile when you try to install a browser extension from the Chrome webstore on Google Chrome web browser in Windows 11/10, then this post will show you how to fix the problem.
Could not move extension directory into profile Chrome error
You will see this message when your try to install an extension, and the browser is not able to move the extension directory & files into your profile folder. Try these suggestions and see if any of them make the problem go away.
1] Restart Chrome
Close the Chrome browser, restart it after a minute, and see if you can install the extension again. If need be, run Chrome.exe as administrator and try.
2] Clear browsing cache
Open Chrome and press the Ctrl+Shift Del keys to clear your Internet cache and browsing data.
You may select all except Passwords & Autofill form data and click on the Clear Browsing Data button.
3] Clear Chrome User Data
Close the Chrome browser. Open File Explorer and copy-paste the following path in the address bar and hit Enter:
%LocalAppData%\Google\Chrome\User Data\
Locate the “Default” folder and rename it as “Default-backup.”
Now open Chrome again. A new “Default” folder will be automatically re-created. Now try installing the browser extension and see.
4] Reset Chrome
If nothing helps you may have to Reset Chrome or reinstall the browser.
Let us know if any of these steps helped you resolve the issue.
5] Switch to another profile
If you use multiple profiles on the Google Chrome browser, then you can switch to another Chrome profile and see if you are able to install the extension.
For this, click on the Profile icon available on the top-right part of Chrome browser, and select a profile from the Other profiles section. If there is no profile, then you can use the Add option to create a new profile and then use that profile to install the extension(s).
Hope this helps.
Why is Chrome not allowing me to enable an extension?
If you can’t enable an extension and you see the message Extensions Disabled, then it is because Chrome itself blocked or turned off that extension for safety purposes. Usually, if some extension is determined unsafe or comes from a source other than the Chrome Web Store, then Chrome can turn off or disable such extensions. You also won’t be able to enable or install an extension if your administrator has disabled it.
How to add extensions to Chrome when blocked by administrator?
If your organization’s administrator has blocked extensions, you can’t add them yourself. But, as a Chrome Enterprise admin, you can enable or add extensions. For this, sign in to Google Admin console > Menu > Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions > Users & browsers. After that, click on Additional settings > Allow/block mode > and Edit. Find the extensions that are blocked. Under the Installation policy, select Allow or Unblock, and click on the Save option.
See this post if you are facing several Google Chrome issues.
