Chromebooks and managed browsers often can't run desktop software. That's the case an extension is built for, and it's worth knowing where its limits are.
What an extension can do
- Keep the tab you're using from being treated as idle by the web apps running in it
- Hold a screen wake lock while the extension is running, so the display stays on
- Keep a tally of notifications from the web apps you have open, for a recap when you return
What it can't do
- Work when Chrome is closed. The extension lives in the browser. Close it and it stops.
- Override ChromeOS policy. If an administrator enforces a lock or sign-out timer, the extension doesn't change it.
- Affect other apps. It covers what runs in the browser, not a separate desktop chat client.
Making it reliable
Pin the extension so you can see its state, keep the tab you care about open, and plug the Chromebook in for long sessions.