Install · Ingredient Check

First, download the file

Open the latest release and scroll to Assets. There are two ZIP files; pick the one for your browser.

Your browser	Download this file
Chrome (116 or newer)	`ingredient-check-version.zip`
Firefox (142 or newer)	`ingredient-check-version-firefox.zip`

Go to the latest release

These are development packages. The Chrome one loads in Developer mode. The Firefox one is unsigned, so it loads temporarily; see below.

Chrome

Extract the ZIP into a folder you will keep, such as Documents/ingredient-check. Do not delete or move it afterwards: Chrome reads the extension from that folder.
Open chrome://extensions (paste it into the address bar) and turn on Developer mode, the switch at the top right.
Click Load unpacked and choose the extracted folder, the one that contains manifest.json.
Pin it. Click the puzzle-piece icon in the toolbar and pin Ingredient Check. A short setup opens the first time.

Chrome may show a banner about developer-mode extensions each time it starts. That is expected for this kind of install; dismiss it.

Firefox

Extract the -firefox.zip into a folder.
Open about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox (paste it into the address bar).
Click Load Temporary Add-on and select the manifest.json inside the extracted folder.
Allow the stores you use. Open the extension's permissions and grant site access for the retailers you shop at.

Firefox removes temporary add-ons when it restarts, so repeat step 3 after a restart. Keeping it permanently needs Mozilla signing; see the browser setup guide.

Check that it worked

Open any grocery product page on a supported store, for example an Amazon food product.
A score panel appears under the title, with a number from 0 to 100.
Click the panel to open it and read the reasons. The toolbar icon shows the same score for the current product.

If the page is not a food product, or the label is missing, the panel says so rather than guessing.

First-run setup

The first time you open the extension, a one-minute setup asks about:

Your goals, such as weight loss, vitamins or training. You can combine them. See goals.
Allergens and diets you avoid. These show as warnings and never change the score.
An avoid list of ingredients you do not want.
Four fetch choices, each recommended and switched on by default: rate every search result, look up certification tables, read label photos on your computer, and fall back to the barcode database. The barcode lookup asks Chrome for one extra permission.

Change any of it later from the toolbar icon → Settings, or choose Run setup again. The privacy page lists what each choice sends.

Updating

Download the newer ZIP from the latest release.
Extract it over the files in the same folder you used before.
Open chrome://extensions and press Reload on the Ingredient Check card.

Keeping the same folder keeps your settings, local history and the extension's identity. Use a fresh folder only for a brand-new install. Firefox temporary add-ons are loaded again from the new folder.

Something not working?

There is no Load unpacked button

Turn on Developer mode on chrome://extensions. The switch is at the top right of the page.

Chrome says the manifest file is missing

You selected the wrong folder. Choose the folder that directly contains manifest.json. Some extractors add one more folder around it; open it and choose the inner one.

I downloaded the wrong ZIP

The ZIP with -firefox in its name is only for Firefox. Chrome needs the one without it. Errors on the extension card after loading usually mean this.

Nothing appears on the store page

Reload the page after installing. Make sure the extension is switched on in the toolbar popup, and that the store is one of the supported stores. Some stores are previews that are still being validated.

A product has no score

The label may be missing or unreadable. The product page offers a paste box where you can type the ingredients, and the extension scores what you paste. More on why.

My settings disappeared after an update

Chrome ties an unpacked extension to its folder. Update by extracting over the same folder rather than loading a new one. Settings backed up through your browser's sync can be restored from Settings → Backup.

Still stuck? Use Report a problem or idea in the toolbar popup, or email jackson29382938@gmail.com.