claude-in-chrome: extension verified installed/enabled/logged-in but never detected by list_connected_browsers or switch_browser

Description

The Claude in Chrome browser extension never connects to a Claude Code CLI session, despite the extension being verified correctly installed, enabled, and logged in.

Environment

• OS: Windows 11 Pro (10.0.26200)
• Browser: Google Chrome, extension ID fcoeoabgfenejglbffodgkkbkcdhcgfn, version 1.0.85, installed from the Chrome Web Store (from_webstore: true in Chrome's Secure Preferences), disable_reasons: [] (not disabled by Chrome)
• Claude Code CLI running on Windows (PowerShell/Git Bash), same account logged in

Steps taken (all failed to establish a connection)

1. Called tabs_context_mcp — always returns: "Browser extension is not connected. Please ensure the Claude browser extension is installed and running..."
2. Called list_connected_browsers — always returns [] (empty), even immediately after confirming a fresh login in the extension.
3. Called switch_browser (broadcasts a pairing request to every Chrome instance with the extension and waits up to 2 minutes for the user to click Connect) — returns: "No other browsers available to switch to. Open Chrome with the Claude extension in another browser to switch." This happened even with Chrome open, the extension enabled, and the user actively logged into claude.ai in the extension at the time of the call.
4. Verified Chrome itself was running (34 processes) at the time of testing.
5. Verified via direct inspection of Chrome's Secure Preferences file that the extension is the genuine Chrome Web Store build, enabled, not disabled, and has previously started its service worker (has_started_service_worker: true).
6. Restarted Chrome and retried — no change.

Expected behavior

After confirming login in the Claude extension within Chrome, list_connected_browsers (or a switch_browser broadcast) should detect and be able to pair with that Chrome instance.

Actual behavior

The Claude Code CLI session never detects any connected browser, across multiple attempts over several days, despite every extension-side precondition (installed, enabled, logged in) being independently verified.

Additional notes

The user's default/primary browser is Opera, with Chrome running in the background — Chrome extension install/state was independently confirmed valid via direct file inspection rather than relying on the user's report alone, to rule out a simple "not actually installed" explanation before filing this.