Reddit users appear to have pinpointed the issue.
By on March 16, 2026
Google has taken down a popular Chrome extension due to malware concerns. Credit: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Do you use the Chrome extension “Save image as Type?” If so, you’re among the over one million users who discovered this morning that Google has disabled the extension in your Chrome web browser. The reason provided in the notification is that Chrome found malware in “Save image as Type.” Consequently, the extension has been removed from the Chrome Web Store.
“Save image as Type” was a straightforward yet popular tool, allowing users to right-click on any web image and select options to save it as a PNG, JPG, or WebP file. While it’s unclear what malicious activity the “Save image as Type” Chrome extension was involved in, Android Authority notes that several Reddit threads have recently surfaced discussing issues with the extension.
It seems “Save image as Type” users need not worry about sensitive data theft. Reddit users examining the extension’s code suggest it was swapping affiliate codes for sites like Amazon and Best Buy to misappropriate commissions. AdamConwayIE, a Redditor, stated, “I dumped the data the extension stored and found the sites it was accessing. It was using karmanow with over 578 sites ready to go. It would load a site in a hidden iFrame with the affiliate code, replacing an existing one in your browser.”
The same extension on Microsoft Edge was flagged over a year ago on Reddit for similar behavior. According to XDA Developers, the Chrome extension has had this issue documented for quite some time, even when Google previously featured it in the Chrome Web Store. An archived page of the now-removed Chrome extension shows “Save image as Type” had over one million users, received more than 1,700 reviews, and had a 4.2 out of 5-star rating.
We’ll see if Google reinstates it in the Chrome Web Store if the issue is resolved.