# Always active Window (Always Visible)

> Pretend that all browser windows are active by spoofing the visibility state event

Canonical page: [https://chrome-stats.com/d/always-visible](https://chrome-stats.com/d/always-visible)

## Overview

- **ID:** `always-visible`
- **Platform:** Firefox
- **Type:** Firefox add-on
- **Status:** Available
- **Publisher:** Brian
- **Category:** web-development,privacy-security,tabs
- **Daily users:** 6,531
- **Weekly downloads:** 319
- **Rating:** 4.63 / 5 (38 ratings)
- **Version:** 0.4.6
- **Last updated:** 2025-12-13
- **First published:** 2019-10-12
- **Size:** 56 KB
- **Data as of:** 2026-09-07
- **Store listing:** [Firefox Add-ons Store](https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/always-visible/)
- **Website:** [https://webextension.org/listing/always-active.html](https://webextension.org/listing/always-active.html)
- **Privacy policy:** [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/always-visible/privacy/](https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/always-visible/privacy/)

## Description

Always Active Window (Always Visible) is a powerful Chrome extension designed to prevent websites from detecting when your tab or window is inactive. It works by injecting a script into every webpage that overrides the standard `document.visibilityState` and `document.hidden` properties, making the browser always report the tab as active.

This is particularly useful for media streaming sites that pause playback or restrict features when their tab is in the background. The extension also covers various browser-specific visibility events such as `visibilitychange`, `webkitvisibilitychange`, `mozvisibilitychange`, as well as `blur` and `mouseleave` events, ensuring consistent spoofing across different browsers. It supports both Chromium and Firefox-specific tracking properties.

Users can control script injection with options to disable or restrict it on specific sites, making it flexible and easy to manage. Always Active Window helps maintain uninterrupted web experiences by keeping your tabs perpetually "visible."

## Rankings

- #1,005 — Overall
- #74 — Tabs
- #99 — Web Development
- #213 — Privacy & Security
- #17 — visibility
- #20 — activity

## Permissions and access

### Permissions

- `storage`
- `scripting`

### Host permissions

- `*://*/*`

## Safety

- **Risk impact:** Moderate risk impact
- **Risk likelihood:** Moderate risk likelihood

### Analysis details

- Allows access to all websites, posing a significant security risk as it can monitor and modify data from any visited site.
- This extension has low user count. Unpopular extensions may not be stable or safe.

> Some risk analysis details are omitted from this free response. [Upgrade to view the full analysis](https://chrome-stats.com/pricing).

## Review summary

User feedback shows the add-on can stop auto-refresh and be useful on sites like CNN and Coursera, with positive praise when it works. However, reliability is inconsistent, especially with Facebook updates, and site compatibility varies (Instagram issues). Some users report posting errors on Instagram and that it may work only briefly. Overall usefulness depends on the site and current browser/site changes.

### Pros

- Stops auto-refresh / keeps the page active on supported sites
- Generally well-received and appreciated when it functions
- Works on some sites (e.g., CNN and Coursera) as reported

### Cons

- Unreliable on Facebook and sometimes stops working after site updates
- Inconsistent site compatibility; works on some sites but not others (e.g., Instagram)
- May cause side effects on certain sites like Instagram (posting errors)
- Reliability can be short-lived (reports of 'worked for one day only')

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Source: [Chrome-Stats](https://chrome-stats.com/d/always-visible)