Browser Compatibility
Chrome versions, permissions, and known compatibility issues.
Supported Browsers
Primary Support
| Browser | Minimum Version | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome | Version 109+ | Fully supported |
| Microsoft Edge | Version 109+ | Fully supported* |
| Chromium | Version 109+ | Fully supported |
*Edge uses the same extension from Chrome Web Store.
Not Supported
| Browser | Reason |
|---|---|
| Firefox | A different extension API. See below |
| Safari | A different extension API. No build exists |
| Opera | Limited, may work with workarounds |
| Brave | May work, not officially tested |
| Arc | May work, not officially tested |
Firefox and Safari, honestly
Chrome is the only browser AssisT is released for. The repository contains groundwork for a Firefox port: a cross-browser API wrapper, a build:firefox build target and a Firefox manifest. That is scaffolding, not a shipped product. There is no Firefox release you can install today, and there is no Safari build at all.
If you need AssisT on a browser other than Chrome, use Edge or another Chromium browser that installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
Chrome Version Requirements
Checking Your Chrome Version
- Click three dots menu (top-right)
- Click Help → About Google Chrome
- Version number is displayed
- Chrome auto-updates, but check if updates are paused
Minimum Requirements
| Feature | Chrome Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core extension | 109+ | Manifest V3 and the offscreen API |
| Speech recognition | 25+ | Web Speech API |
| Text-to-Speech | 33+ | Speech Synthesis API |
| OCR | 109+ | Worker thread support |
| IndexedDB (annotations) | 23+ | Data storage |
| Browser AI (WebLLM) | 113+ | WebGPU support required |
Recommended
- The latest stable Chrome or Edge for security, features and best performance
- Auto-update enabled
Required Permissions
When you install AssisT, Chrome asks for access to a short list of sites, not to every website:
Permission Explanations
| Permission | Why It’s Needed |
|---|---|
| Canvas, Moodle, Google Classroom and Google Docs | AssisT runs on these learning sites without you switching anything on |
| Hugging Face | To download a Browser AI model, only when you choose one |
| Storage | Saves your settings, notes, citations and preferences on this device |
| Tabs | Notices when you move to a supported learning site |
| activeTab and scripting | Run AssisT on the page you are on, including after you press Enable Everywhere |
| contextMenus | The right-click options Save Citation and Describe Image with AI |
| offscreen | A hidden page inside the extension for background work, such as your citation library and Browser AI. It runs on your computer and sends nothing |
The privacy policy lists every permission and every address, with what is sent to each.
Optional Permissions
These are never asked for at install. Chrome asks at the moment you choose the feature.
| Permission | Feature | When Asked |
|---|---|---|
| All websites | AssisT on sites other than the learning platforms | When you press Enable Everywhere |
| localhost | Local AI (Ollama) on your own computer | When you switch Local AI on |
| Free Dictionary API | Word lookup | When you allow word lookups, in the same press as AssisT’s question |
| MyMemory | Translation and Translate Page | When you allow translation, in the same press as AssisT’s question |
| Crossref | Citation details from a DOI | When you allow DOI lookups, in the same press as AssisT’s question |
| jsDelivr | Read from Images in a language other than English | When you allow that language file to be downloaded |
| Semantic Scholar | Checking a reference online by its title | When you turn on online citation checking |
| A cloud AI provider | Cloud AI with your own key | When you save a key for that provider, or press Allow access |
Microphone
Dictation needs your microphone, so Chrome asks the site you are on for microphone access the first time you dictate there. AssisT also asks you once before dictation first starts, because Chrome’s speech recognition sends the sound of your voice to Google.
Managing Permissions
- Go to
chrome://extensions - Find AssisT
- Click Details
- Scroll to Permissions
- Review or modify permissions
Note: Removing permissions may break associated features.
Platform Compatibility
Windows
| Windows Version | Status |
|---|---|
| Windows 11 | Fully supported |
| Windows 10 | Fully supported |
| Windows 8.1 | Works, end of support |
| Windows 7 | Chrome no longer supports |
Windows-specific notes:
- Neural voices available through Windows Settings
- High contrast mode compatible with Screen Color Overlay
macOS
| macOS Version | Status |
|---|---|
| Ventura (13) | Fully supported |
| Monterey (12) | Fully supported |
| Big Sur (11) | Fully supported |
| Catalina (10.15) | Works, older Chrome versions |
macOS-specific notes:
- macOS voices available for TTS
- System accessibility settings respected
Chrome OS
| Chrome OS | Status |
|---|---|
| Current stable | Fully supported |
| Beta/Dev channels | Should work, may have issues |
| School-managed devices | May require admin approval |
Chrome OS-specific notes:
- Extensions may be managed by school/organisation
- Some features may be disabled by policy
- Check with IT for managed devices
Linux
| Distribution | Status |
|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04+ | Fully supported |
| Debian 10+ | Fully supported |
| Fedora 33+ | Fully supported |
| Other | Should work with Chrome 109+ |
Linux-specific notes:
- TTS voices depend on installed speech synthesis
- May need to install additional voice packages
- Chrome installation method doesn’t affect extension
Known Compatibility Issues
Websites with Known Issues
| Website | Issue | Workaround |
|---|---|---|
| Google Docs, Sheets and Slides | The document is drawn on a canvas, so AssisT cannot read or select its words: no highlight menu, no word-by-word highlighting on the document, and tools that read the page cannot see its text. The AssisT toolbar can sit over part of a spreadsheet or the Slides filmstrip | None yet. Google Classroom pages are not affected. See Troubleshooting |
| Canvas LMS | Some quiz pages block overlays | The Canvas LMS support’s Quiz Helper adapts |
| YouTube | Video captions affect TTS | Disable captions |
| Twitter/X | Dynamic content resets settings | Re-enable per page |
| Heavy JavaScript interferes | Limited support |
Feature-Specific Issues
| Feature | Known Limitation |
|---|---|
| TTS | Some PDFs not readable (image-based) |
| OCR | Accuracy varies by image quality |
| Screen Color Overlay | Some sites use complex layering that blocks overlays |
| Annotations | URL changes lose note positioning |
| Focus Mode | Complex overlays may conflict |
Enterprise/School Environments
Managed Chrome
If Chrome is managed by your organisation:
- Extension installation may require IT approval
- Some features may be disabled by policy
- Settings may not sync between devices
- Updates may be delayed by organisation
Checking for Management
- Go to
chrome://management - If page shows “Your browser is managed,” contact IT
- Organisation may have specific installation procedures
Common School Restrictions
| Restriction | Impact |
|---|---|
| Extension whitelist | May need IT to add AssisT |
| Microphone blocked | STT won’t work |
| Storage limits | Annotations may be limited |
| Incognito disabled | N/A for AssisT |
Requesting Installation
Provide IT with:
- Extension name: AssisT
- Chrome Web Store link
- Purpose: Educational accessibility tool
- Permissions explanation (above)
Performance Considerations
Minimum Hardware
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB+ |
| Processor | Dual-core | Quad-core |
| Storage | 100 MB free | 500 MB+ free |
Features with Higher Requirements
| Feature | Resource Usage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TTS + Highlighting | Moderate CPU | Per-page processing |
| OCR | High CPU (brief) | During capture only |
| AI — Local (Ollama) | High RAM/VRAM | 8GB+ RAM recommended, GPU accelerated |
| AI — Browser (WebLLM) | High GPU/VRAM | WebGPU required, 4GB+ VRAM for larger models |
| AI — Cloud | Low (network) | Minimal local resources, requires internet |
| Multiple features | Cumulative | Disable unused features |
Optimising Performance
- Disable unused features — Only enable what you use
- Use features on-demand — Don’t auto-enable everything
- Close other tabs — Reduce Chrome memory usage
- Restart Chrome periodically — Clears memory buildup
- Update Chrome — Newer versions often perform better
Accessibility Compatibility
Screen Readers
AssisT’s controls are built as standard ARIA widgets and are keyboard-operable, but it has not yet been tested with NVDA, JAWS or VoiceOver. See the Accessibility Conformance Report for what has been checked.
Notes:
- AssisT features supplement, not replace, screen readers
- TTS can be used alongside screen reader
- Focus management follows WCAG guidelines
System Accessibility Settings
AssisT respects:
prefers-reduced-motion— Disables animationsprefers-color-scheme— Respected for system theme preferences- High contrast mode — Compatible with AssisT overlays
- Increased text size — Works with Text Customisation
Troubleshooting Browser Issues
Chrome Won’t Update
Solutions:
- Click menu → Help → About Google Chrome
- If stuck, restart Chrome
- Check internet connection
- On managed devices, contact IT
Extension Disabled After Update
Solutions:
- Re-enable at
chrome://extensions - Chrome may have updated permission requirements
- Review and accept new permissions
- If persistent, reinstall extension
Features Work in Chrome but Not Edge
Solutions:
- Check Edge version (should be 109+)
- Extension may need reinstall on Edge
- Some Edge policies differ from Chrome
- Verify permissions in Edge settings
Getting Help
Before Reporting Issues
- Check this compatibility guide
- Try in fresh Chrome profile (no other extensions)
- Test in Incognito mode
- Note browser version and OS
Information to Include
When reporting compatibility issues:
- Browser and version
- Operating system and version
- Other extensions installed
- Steps to reproduce
- Screenshot or video if possible