When a Chrome extension says it can inspect browser history or delete traces, the permission model matters.
Two permissions are especially important for this category:
historybrowsingData
Why the history permission exists
The extension needs access to relevant history entries in order to scan, match, and review them. Without that permission, a cleanup workflow cannot accurately show a user which URLs matched the configured filters.
Why the browsingData permission exists
Cleanup does not stop at URLs. Depending on the product, users may also want related browser traces removed, such as cookies or cache for matching origins.
That requires the extension to use the browser’s cleanup APIs deliberately and transparently.
The real trust test
The permission list alone does not tell the whole story. Users should also look for:
- whether processing is local or remote
- whether deletion is manual by default or automatic
- whether the extension explains exactly which data types are affected
- whether the UI exposes the cleanup plan before destructive actions run
That is the standard a serious cleanup extension should meet.