[BUG] Claude in Chrome v1.0.63 - Extension not connecting to Claude Code after March 20 update

Status Closed — not planned
Maintainer reply None cached
Activity 11 comments · opened Mar 21, 2026 · closed May 25, 2026

Preflight Checklist

  • [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
  • [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
  • [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Bug Description

After the Chrome extension updated to v1.0.63 on March 20, 2026,
the extension can no longer connect to Claude Code.

Error Message

"Claude in Chrome is not connected - The Chrome extension isn't
reachable."

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Update Claude in Chrome extension to v1.0.63 (March 20 update)
  2. Open Claude Code in terminal
  3. Try to use any browser automation tool
  4. Connection fails immediately

Environment

  • Claude in Chrome extension: v1.0.63 (updated March 20, 2026)
  • OS: macOS
  • Chrome: latest
  • Claude Code: latest

What I've Tried

  • Extension is enabled ✓
  • Logged in with same account as Claude Code ✓
  • Site access set to "On all sites" ✓
  • Restarted Chrome ✓
  • Extension is pinned to toolbar ✓
  • Everything was working fine before the March 20 update

Expected Behavior

Extension connects to Claude Code and allows browser automation.

Actual Behavior

Connection always fails. The reconnect dialog appears but
reconnecting does not help.

What Should Happen?

fix it

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Install Claude in Chrome extension v1.0.63 (updated March 20, 2026)
  2. Open Claude Code in terminal and start a conversation
  3. In Claude Code, attempt any browser tool call

(e.g., tabs_context_mcp or navigate)

  1. Extension shows "Claude in Chrome is not connected" error
  2. Clicking reconnect in the dialog does not resolve the issue

Note: This worked correctly before the March 20 update.
All permissions are correctly configured:

  • Extension enabled
  • Logged in with same Anthropic account
  • Site access set to "On all sites"

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

Claude 1.1.7714 (3bd6f6) 2026-03-19T14:50:53.000Z

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

_No response_

View original on GitHub ↗

11 Comments

github-actions[bot] · 5 months ago

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

  1. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/36471
  2. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/36706
  3. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/36551

This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.

  • If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead
  • To prevent auto-closure, add a comment or 👎 this comment

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

trevorsentilink · 5 months ago

I believe I'm having this exact same issue. I've opened a support ticket but no response yet.

enkr1 · 5 months ago

Still experiencing this on macOS (Darwin 25.3.0, Chrome latest). tabs_context_mcp returns "Browser extension is not connected" consistently. Been broken for days. Any update on a fix? @anthropics/claude-code

houserooms · 5 months ago

Same issue here. macOS Sequoia, Claude Code desktop app, Chrome extension v1.0.63. Worked reliably for weeks, broke around 20 March. Extension shows connected in Chrome but tabs_context_mcp always returns not connected. Tried everything — restart Chrome, reconnect extension, switch orgs, create missing native messaging host file. Nothing works. Filed #38845 with full details.

wesnishio · 5 months ago

Had the same issue. Root cause: Chrome had already downloaded newer versions (1.0.62, 1.0.63, 1.0.64) to disk, but was still running 1.0.61. The native host expected a newer version, causing silent connection failure.

Fix: go to chrome://extensions and click the Update button at the top. This forces Chrome to actually load the latest version. claude --chrome connected immediately after.

fwdbhatti · 4 months ago

Experiencing the same issue. Running Claude in Chrome via Cowork Desktop — the tabs_context_mcp call consistently returns "Claude in Chrome is not connected." The Control Chrome MCP connector works fine and can read tabs, so it's specifically the Claude in Chrome extension that fails to connect. Chrome is open and the extension is installed. Tried multiple retries with no luck.

meljendy95 · 4 months ago

Still reproducing on 2026-04-15 (macOS 15.3, Claude Code Opus 4.6). tabs_context_mcp and tabs_create_mcp succeed; navigate on the freshly created tab returns 'Browser extension is not connected'. Same session, back-to-back calls. Retrying does not help. Playwright MCP works as a local fallback but anything needing the user's real authenticated browser is blocked.

fwdbhatti · 4 months ago

I figured out that you have to relogin your chrome extension but going in the settings of the extension it self.
good luck

houserooms · 4 months ago

17 April 2026 — still reproducing after 15 April Desktop update

Two days after the 15 April Desktop auto-update, tabs_context_mcp still returns "Claude in Chrome is not connected". Confirmed:

  • Same account on extension and Desktop app.
  • Full Chrome quit & relaunch: no effect.
  • Full Desktop quit & relaunch: no effect.
  • No environment variable interference (no ANTHROPIC_API_KEY export).
  • /usage works — subscription auth is fine, not an API-key-mode case.

This is the Cowork Mode pairing regression described in #48806. The extension thinks it's connected; Cowork never receives the handshake.

Cumulative impact: roughly half a working day lost this week waiting for a feature that is advertised as working. Please escalate.

github-actions[bot] · 3 months ago

Closing for now — inactive for too long. Please open a new issue if this is still relevant.

github-actions[bot] · 1 month ago

This issue has been automatically locked since it was closed and has not had any activity for 7 days. If you're experiencing a similar issue, please file a new issue and reference this one if it's relevant.