Input file
CRX
- Full Name: Google Chrome Extension Installer File Format
- Developer: Google
Output file
XPI
- Full Name: Firefox Browser Extension Format
- Developer: Mozilla
What is CRX file?
The CRX file extension is used to identify .CRX files, web browser add-on packages for Google Chrome. This file format was first introduced by Google in 2009 and is used mainly in Chrome to personalize the users’ experience with the browser. The CRX package file contains images, HTML documents, JavaScript, as well as other information necessary for the browser to perform properly. [ ⏩ ] CRX file extension
What is XPI file?
The XPI file extension is the file format for Mozilla Installer package, which is used by different Mozilla applications, such as Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey. It is a type of zipped archive, derived from the JAR file format, and is used to install themes and extensions to any of the aforementioned Mozilla applications, in order to customize the application for an individual. [ ⏩ ] XPI file extension
Software, that you can use to convert
How to convert the file from CRX to XPI?
To successfully convert the CRX file to XPI, you should install one of the applications from the list. After installing the software, open the program and select the file you want to convert (file-name.CRX). The next step is to select the target format from the list, in this case XPI (usually converters allow you to convert to several different formats, so check out their features - maybe one of the available formats will suit you more than XPI).
What is a file conversion?
A data conversion is normally an automated process to some extent. The effect of the operation of one program is automatically the input product of another application. If that does not happen we need to help the process a little bit and convert the file on our own, e.g. CRX to XPI. To obtain a matched structure of the data, it is necessary to use an appropriate converter.
Program for converting CRX files to XPI files is a kind of a "binary code translator" compensating for the differences in the code or translating it in such a way so that another application could use it. For us, as users, the visible change will be only another file extension. (After converting the file, it will be the extension XPI, while before this step we had the CRX file). For the programs, the difference is on a much higher level – either the application will be able to open a new XPI file, or not.