Chrome Permission Audit

Chrome extension 'storage' permission: local settings vs server-side data.

What does the 'storage' permission do in Chrome extensions? Understand the difference between chrome.storage.local, chrome.storage.sync, and what AI extensions store on remote servers.

Best fit

Best for users checking how AI extensions store custom prompts, UI preferences, email accounts, and conversation history.

Technical Manifest Audit

Permission specification & risk profile.

Review how Chrome enforces storage in Manifest V3 and how to tell legitimate user-triggered extensions apart from intrusive tools.

Risk level: Lowerstorage
Chrome install-time warning
None (displays no install-time warning in Chrome)
Manifest V3 declaration
{
  "manifest_version": 3,
  "permissions": ["storage"]
}
Legitimate uses vs. red flags
What to verify before granting this permission to an AI browser tool.

Legitimate AI reading uses

  • Saving your custom system prompts, keyboard shortcut preferences, and panel color/opacity settings
  • Persisting your preferred page-context level (`Minimal`, `Basic`, `Detailed`) across browser restarts
  • Storing local conversation history threads so you can revisit recent explanations

Red flags to watch for

  • Storing unencrypted third-party API keys in globally readable page `localStorage` instead of isolated `chrome.storage`
  • Claiming 'everything is stored locally' while silently syncing full browsing logs to an undisclosed backend
How Vezz me handles this: Vezz me uses `chrome.storage` to save your custom prompts, UI customization (colors, opacity, position), context settings, and email identifier locally in your browser, and supports 1-click JSON export/import of your saved prompts.
Step-by-step workflow

How to run this workflow in place.

1

Understand isolated extension storage

`chrome.storage` is isolated from webpage scripts—websites you visit cannot read what an extension saves in `chrome.storage`.

2

Separate local settings from cloud API processing

While UI settings and saved prompts live in `chrome.storage`, generating an AI answer requires sending your selected text and question to an AI inference API.

3

Back up your custom prompts

Use Vezz me's Export button to save your custom prompts as a portable `.json` file at any time.

Key details

Why this approach works better than switching tabs.

Why extensions use chrome.storage instead of window.localStorage
Webpages have `window.localStorage`, but extensions need their own isolated storage bucket that persists across all tabs and works inside Manifest V3 service workers.
  • `chrome.storage.sync` syncs small settings (like saved prompts and theme colors) across your signed-in Chrome browsers
  • `chrome.storage.local` stores larger local state on your machine
  • Websites you visit cannot inspect or tamper with data stored inside `chrome.storage`
What Vezz me stores locally vs on the server
Transparency requires separating local browser preferences from server-side account state.
  • Stored locally via `chrome.storage`: custom prompts, prompt presets, panel colors/opacity/position, auto-hide timer, context level, and recent conversation history
  • Stored server-side: your email address, monthly usage counter (10 free answers/month), and Stripe subscription status
  • Transmitted on user trigger: selected text, your question, and enabled page context to generate the AI response
Frequently asked questions

Common questions about chrome permission audit.

Why doesn't Chrome show a warning for the storage permission?

Because `chrome.storage` only lets an extension save and read its own private settings on your device—it does not grant access to your personal files, cookies, or websites.

Can I export the prompts Vezz me saves in storage?

Yes. Open the Vezz me extension popup, scroll to Saved Prompts, and click Export to download all your custom prompts as a standard JSON file.

Related workflows & guides

Explore connected pages.

Custom prompt preset library
Browse and download JSON prompt presets for Vezz me.
Open guide
Vezz me Privacy Policy
Full breakdown of local storage, server retention, and AI processing.
Open guide
Permission checker
Compare all Chrome extension permissions.
Open guide
All Extension Security & Permissions
Browse the complete directory of extension security & permissions on Vezz me.
View hub directory
Available for Chrome and Firefox

Ready to try this workflow on your own reading?

Install Vezz me free, highlight text on any webpage, and press your customizable shortcut (default: Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X on Mac) to get an answer right beside the source.

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