Google's Watchlist button keeps disappearing. This brings it back.

What it does

Install (about 2 minutes)

Computer only for now. It works in Chrome, Brave and Edge on a Mac, Windows or Linux computer. Phones and tablets can't run it yet. If you're on your phone, send yourself this link and open it on your computer.

The extension isn't in the Chrome Web Store yet, so it's installed by hand. It's a one-time setup and nothing technical is needed.

1. Download bring-back-my-google-watchlist.zip and unzip it. On a Mac, double-click it. On Windows, right-click it and choose Extract All. You get a folder called bring-back-my-google-watchlist.
2. Move that folder somewhere permanent, like your Documents folder, and remember where. The browser runs the extension from it, and updates go in the same place.
3. Open the extensions page. Type chrome://extensions in the address bar and press Enter. (Brave: brave://extensions, Edge: edge://extensions.)
4. Turn on Developer mode with the switch in the top-right corner. (In Edge it's in the left-hand menu.)
5. Click “Load unpacked”. It appears at the top left once Developer mode is on.
6. Choose the folder. In the window that opens, find the bring-back-my-google-watchlist folder from step 2, click it once, then click Select (on Windows: Select Folder). Pick the folder itself; you don't need to open it.
7. Done. The extension appears on the page, and a welcome page opens to walk you through the rest.

Chrome may show a “Disable developer mode extensions” message when it starts, or “Chrome recommends you review this extension” on the extensions page. Both are normal for extensions installed by hand rather than from the Chrome Web Store. Close the first one (don't choose Disable), and click Keep on the second.

First-time setup

Right after installing, a welcome page opens with three steps. Each one ticks itself off when it's done.

1. Sign in with Google. Your list is then saved to your account and stays the same in every browser you use. If Google says the app isn't verified, click Advanced, then Continue. You can also skip this and keep the list on one browser.
2. Bring over your old Google watchlist. Click Open my Google saves, open your watchlist collection (often Search Watchlist or Google TV watchlist), scroll to the bottom, and click Import to My Watchlist in the bottom-right corner. Posters and years for imported titles fill in by themselves over the next few minutes.
3. Use it like before. Search my watchlist on Google any time, or click Add to watchlist under the title of any movie or show. You can also open the list from the extension's icon in the toolbar. If you don't see the icon, click the puzzle-piece icon and pin it.

Closed the welcome page? Click the extension's icon, then Getting started.

Updating

When a new version is out, the extension's icon shows an orange NEW badge and a banner appears above your list. To update, download the new version into the same place as before, then click refresh (↻) on the extension. Step-by-step update guide.

Questions