Troubleshooting Extensions

Browser extensions usually work without any issues, but when something goes wrong, this guide will help you fix it. Most problems have simple solutions.

Start with Test Connection

Open Settings > Browser Extension and click Test Connection. Each browser under Supported Browsers then shows a status:

Ready — the extension answered; everything works
Not running — open the browser, then test again
No response — make sure the extension is enabled, then retry
Not detected — the extension isn't installed in that browser; click Install to set it up
Not tested — run Test Connection to check

Safari doesn't need a connection test: its row reads Ready as soon as the extension is enabled in Safari.

Extension Not Showing Up

In Safari: Open Safari > Settings > Extensions and make sure Fetchii is checked. If it's not in the list at all, verify that Fetchii is installed in your Applications folder, then restart Safari.

In Chrome/Chromium browsers: Open the extensions page (like chrome://extensions) and check that the Fetchii extension is in the list and turned on. If it's not there, install it again — the Chrome & Chromium Installation guide covers both the Web Store and the offline install.

If the extension is enabled but you can't see the icon, you might need to add it to your toolbar:

Safari: Right-click the toolbar > Customize Toolbar > drag Fetchii icon to toolbar
Chrome: Click the puzzle piece icon > find Fetchii > click the pin icon

Downloads Failing with Authentication Errors

If downloads fail with authentication errors or cookies aren't being sent:

First, check if Fetchii is running. The extension communicates with the main app, so it won't work if Fetchii isn't open. Look for Fetchii in your Dock or menu bar.

If Fetchii is running, try restarting your browser. Sometimes the connection between the extension and the app gets stuck, and a restart clears it up.

Still not working? Try disabling and re-enabling the extension in your browser settings, or reload it entirely. In Fetchii, the failed download's Resolve… button opens the sign-in sheet, where Retry with Extension tries again with fresh cookies.

Extension Can't Reach Fetchii

This means the extension can talk to your browser, but can't reach the Fetchii app.

Make sure Fetchii is actually running (check the Dock or menu bar)
Quit and restart your browser completely — not just close the window, but quit the app
Try reloading the extension from the extensions page
Click Test Connection in Settings > Browser Extension to see where it stops
If none of that works, reinstall the extension (see below)

Native Messaging Problems

"Native messaging" is how browser extensions communicate with desktop apps. If this connection breaks, downloads won't reach Fetchii.

Quick fix: Quit both the browser and Fetchii, then relaunch Fetchii first, followed by your browser. This often re-establishes the connection.

If that doesn't work, try reinstalling Fetchii — this will re-register the native messaging host automatically.

Browser-Specific Issues

Safari

Extension disabled after macOS update: Apple sometimes resets extension permissions during system updates. Go to Safari > Settings > Extensions and re-enable it.

Downloads not working: Try disabling and re-enabling the extension. If that doesn't help, restart Safari. For persistent issues, check Console.app for error messages.

Chrome

"Not from Chrome Web Store" warning: This only appears if you used the offline install (Developer Mode). Just click "Keep" to dismiss it. Chrome may show this warning periodically — installing from the Web Store avoids it.

Extension disappears after updates: Chrome sometimes removes unpacked extensions during updates. Just load it again from the same folder, or switch to the Web Store version.

Brave

Shields blocking the extension: If the extension doesn't work on certain sites, try clicking the Shields icon and disabling shields for that site temporarily.

Edge

SmartScreen warnings: Edge might show security warnings for local extensions. These are safe to dismiss for the Fetchii extension.

Permission Problems

Site not allowed: If the extension works on some sites but not others:

Safari: Go to Safari > Settings > Extensions > Fetchii > Edit Websites, and add the site
Chrome: Click the extension icon on that site and select "Always allow on this site"

Cookie access denied: Check your browser's privacy settings. Make sure cookies aren't being blocked for the site you're trying to download from. Some strict privacy settings can prevent extensions from accessing cookies.

Reinstalling Extensions

Sometimes a fresh install fixes stubborn issues. In Settings > Browser Extension, the More Setup Tools button (…) next to Test Connection has Re-run Setup and Open Extensions Page for each installed browser.

Safari

The Safari extension reinstalls automatically with Fetchii:

Delete Fetchii from Applications
Download and install Fetchii again
Enable the extension in Safari Settings

Chrome/Chromium

Open the extensions page
Find Fetchii and click Remove
In Fetchii, choose Re-run Setup for that browser
Install from the Web Store, or expand Install offline (advanced) and load the folder at /Applications/Fetchii.app/Contents/Resources/BrowserExtension/
Pin it to your toolbar again

Still Stuck?

If nothing here helps:

Make sure you're running the latest version of Fetchii
Try a different browser to see if the issue is browser-specific
Check the Fetchii FAQ for known issues
Reach out to support with your browser name/version and what error you're seeing — More Setup Tools > Copy Setup Info copies the details we need