Browser extension: start page new tab and focus timer

The WidgetStore browser extension opens your start page in every new tab and puts a few everyday tools in your toolbar: a focus timer, your next to-do, today's habits, daily check-in and "Save this page". It's free for Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Firefox on desktop. Learn more at /extension.

Install

The extension is on its way to the Chrome Web Store, Edge Add-ons and Firefox Add-ons. Once it's listed, click "Add to Chrome" (or your browser) on the extension page and it will update automatically.

Try it now in developer mode

Until the store listings are live, you can install a preview in Chrome or Edge:

1. On the extension page, click "Try it now: download the zip for developer mode" and unzip it into a folder you'll keep.
2. Open chrome://extensions in Chrome or edge://extensions in Edge.
3. Turn on "Developer mode" (top right in Chrome, left side in Edge).
4. Click "Load unpacked" and choose the folder you unzipped.

Connect your account

The focus timer and the Simple new tab work without an account. To see your start page, to-dos, habits and Sparks:

1. Click the WidgetStore icon in your toolbar, then "Sign in & connect" (this page also opens right after you install).
2. Sign in to WidgetStore on the page that opens (skip if you're already signed in) and choose what to show in new tabs.
3. Click "Connect". When you see "You're connected", the tab closes by itself.

You never type or store your password in the extension. The website uses your existing sign-in to create a one-time code that's valid for 60 seconds and hands it to the extension. The connection lasts 30 days; after that, click "Reconnect". You can disconnect at any time in the extension's settings.

New tab

When you open a new tab, the extension instantly draws the last saved version of your start page (its name, wallpaper and site icons) while the real one loads, then swaps it in. Offline, it stays on the saved version and the site links still work.

In the extension's settings (toolbar icon → gear), choose what new tabs show:

Option	What you see
My start page	The start page you picked (change it any time)
Focus space	Focus space: timer, ambient sounds, to-dos and habits
Simple	A clock, a search box and your start page sites, without loading the website
Browser's own new tab	No new tab override (Chrome only; the popup and right-click menu keep working)

Toolbar popup

• Focus timer: click "Start focus". It keeps running when the popup closes and notifies you when time's up. Finished sessions are logged to your Focus space and show up on the website, your start page and focus widgets. The length follows your Focus space settings.
• Next up: to-dos sorted by priority and due date. Click the circle to complete one, the timer icon to "Focus on this", and type in the box and press Enter to add one.
• Habits today: one tap to check in. Habits you do several times a day count up with each tap.
• Daily check-in: click "Check in" to earn Sparks.
• Save this page to your start page: saves the current page to Read later on your start page.

Right-click menu and address bar

• Right-click a page or link → "Save to start page (Read later)".
• Select text (or right-click a page or link) → "Add to to-dos" to turn it into a to-do.
• Type ws and a space in the address bar to search widgets and the sites on your start page. Press Enter to open.

Privacy and permissions

The extension only talks to widgetstore.net, never reads your browsing history and doesn't run on other websites. It sends a page's address and title, or the text you selected, only when you click "Save this page" or "Add to to-dos". See what each permission is for on the extension page, and the full details in the "Browser extension" section of our privacy policy.

FAQ

The new tab asks me to sign in. Click "Sign in & connect" in the extension first. If your browser keeps the website's sign-in separate inside the extension (some Firefox settings do), the extension signs the new tab in once using its own connection.

I changed my start page but the new tab looks the same. Each new tab loads your latest start page. Offline, it shows the last saved version.

Why does "Save to start page" open a small window? The website does the saving (it's the same page as the "Save to WidgetStore" bookmarklet), and the window closes by itself when it's done.