🧩 Chrome Extension Authentication
In addition to the Built-in mode (internal Chromium), the app supports Chrome Extension mode — using your real Chrome browser. This mode is recommended for stability and resource efficiency.
Comparison
| 🖥️ Built-in (Default) | 🧩 Chrome Extension (Recommended) | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | None required | Install extension from Chrome Web Store |
| Browser | Automatic Chromium (hidden) | Your real Chrome browser |
| Resource Usage | High — launches hidden Chromium (RAM & CPU) | Very light — reuses existing Chrome session |
| Speed | Slower (browser launch overhead) | Faster — no browser launch needed |
| Stability | May encounter session issues | Smoother — uses real login session |
| Requirement | None | Keep Chrome open with Flow page |
Recommendation: If you already use Chrome, the Extension mode is strongly recommended — significantly lighter and faster.
Setup Steps
Follow these steps:
- Install Extension — Install G-Labs Automation - Auth Helper from Chrome Web Store into your main Google Chrome browser
- Open Flow Page — In Chrome, go to labs.google/fx/tools/flow
- Sign In — Log in with any Google account on the Flow page
- Select Mode in App — Open Settings → Authentication tab, choose Chrome Extension mode
- Check Connection — Click 🔍 Check Connection and make sure both Bridge and Extension show green status
After installing the Extension, refresh the Flow page (F5) to activate it. Check the connection status with the app before starting any generation.
Important Notes
- Only 1 Google account needed in Chrome — Regardless of how many Gemini accounts you have in the app (5, 10, 20...), you only need to sign in with a single Google account on the Flow page. The Extension doesn't use this account for image/video generation — it only uses the login session to handle authentication tokens.
- Keep the Flow tab open — You don't need to stay on the Flow tab while generating. Feel free to work in other tabs (browse the web, watch YouTube, etc.) without any impact. Just don't close the Flow tab.
- Extension works automatically — When the app needs authentication, the Extension handles it in the background. You'll see a small G-Labs icon in the corner of the Flow page with a badge showing the number of tokens processed.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Bridge: Red | App has not started the bridge — click 🔍 Check Connection in Settings → Authentication |
| Extension: Red | Chrome does not have the Extension or Flow page is not open — install Extension + open Flow + refresh page |
| Token errors persist | Refresh the Flow page (F5). The extension auto-refreshes the session on errors/403 (event-driven, not a fixed timer) |
| Flow tab closed | Extension will automatically reopen a Flow tab when needed |