The best Chrome privacy extensions for hiding info on screen
"Privacy extension" is a vague category that covers everything from ad blockers to fingerprint randomizers. This list focuses specifically on extensions for hiding information that's visible on your screen — for screenshots, recordings, presentations, or just keeping nosy coworkers out of your dashboard.
I've installed and tested each of these. Where I work for one of them (RedactPro), I'll say so explicitly.
1. Tracker blockers (uBlock Origin, Ghostery, Privacy Badger)
uBlock Origin ~30M+ users · Free
The gold-standard ad and tracker blocker. Blocks ad networks, fingerprinters, malware domains, and CNAME-cloaked trackers.
Pros: open source, no premium tier, lightweight, doesn't whitelist anyone
Cons: doesn't help you hide your own dashboard for a Loom recording
Verdict: install regardless. It's not a "redaction" tool but it removes a category of leakage you don't think about — invisible analytics tracking your activity.
2. Cookie / consent managers (Consent-O-Matic, I Don't Care About Cookies)
Consent-O-Matic ~150K users · Free
Auto-rejects cookie banners on every site. Saves clicking "reject all" on 12 different banners every morning.
Pros: aggressive in your favor (default-rejects optional cookies)
Cons: some sites refuse to load if you reject all; unrelated to screen redaction
Verdict: install for daily quality of life, not for screenshot redaction.
3. Anti-fingerprint (CanvasBlocker, Random Agent)
CanvasBlocker Firefox-only, similar exists for Chrome · Free
Spoofs canvas / WebGL / audio fingerprints to defeat browser fingerprinting techniques.
Pros: protects against tracking that uBlock can't catch
Cons: breaks some legitimate sites, learning curve
Verdict: niche, for users who actively browse threat-modeling forums. Doesn't help with redaction.
4. Screen-content redaction (Blurweb, RedactPro)
This is the category most people don't realize they need until they leak a customer email in a tweet.
Blurweb ~2K customers · $17 lifetime via AppSumo
Single-mode blur tool. Click an element on a page, blur it. Simple and reliable.
Pros: stable, low price, low complexity, solo founder (responsive)
Cons: only blur (no pixelate, solid bar, color); no auto-detect; no drag-region; no screenshot integration
Verdict: good if you blur once a month. Outgrown quickly if you redact daily.
RedactPro (yes, that's us) From $4.99/mo · Free tier
Four redaction modes (blur, pixelate, solid black bar, custom color), auto-detect for 11 sensitive patterns, drag-region selection, screenshot capture, keyboard shortcuts.
Pros: auto-detect catches emails, API keys, IPs, JWTs, credit cards in one keystroke; multiple redact styles; works on any page; flexible pricing (monthly, annual, or lifetime)
Cons: the cheapest paid tier is monthly subscription, not free for power users; new product (limited review history at launch)
Verdict: we're biased, obviously. But if you redact more than once a week, the auto-detect alone justifies the $4.99/month — or just grab the $79 lifetime if you hate renewals.
5. Privacy-first browsing (Privacy Possum, Click & Clean)
Privacy Possum ~50K users · Free
Limits what data trackers can collect by sending corrupt-looking telemetry instead of blocking outright.
Pros: works alongside uBlock without conflicts
Cons: last meaningful update was years ago; project may be abandoned
Verdict: skip — uBlock + Privacy Badger covers this better.
The "set up once" privacy stack we recommend
If you want a balanced setup that protects privacy without breaking sites or your workflow:
- uBlock Origin — ad/tracker blocking
- Privacy Badger — adaptive tracker blocking
- Consent-O-Matic — auto-reject cookie banners
- RedactPro (or Blurweb) — hide info before screenshotting/recording
That's four extensions, all maintained, all with clear value. Each addresses a different layer of privacy: network requests (uBlock), tracker behavior (Privacy Badger), consent dialogs (Consent-O-Matic), and visible screen content (RedactPro).