# Synology Image Assistant Extension

> Synology Image Assistant Extension allows smooth viewing of more file formats in Synology Photos through a web browser.

Canonical page: [https://chrome-stats.com/d/synology-image-assistant](https://chrome-stats.com/d/synology-image-assistant)

## Overview

- **ID:** `synology-image-assistant`
- **Platform:** Firefox
- **Type:** Firefox add-on
- **Status:** Available
- **Publisher:** Synology Inc.
- **Category:** photos-music-videos
- **Daily users:** 16,802
- **Weekly downloads:** 299
- **Rating:** 1.38 / 5 (32 ratings)
- **Version:** 1.0.33
- **Last updated:** 2024-08-14
- **First published:** 2024-04-12
- **Size:** 763 KB
- **Data as of:** 2026-09-05
- **Store listing:** [Firefox Add-ons Store](https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/synology-image-assistant/)
- **Website:** [https://account.synology.com/support](https://account.synology.com/support)

## Description

The Synology Image Assistant Extension enhances your web browser's capability to smoothly view a broader range of image file formats within Synology Photos. It supports popular formats including HEIF and HEVC, enabling better compatibility across devices and browsers. Additionally, the extension automatically generates JPEG thumbnails upon file upload, ensuring optimal viewing performance.

To fully utilize this extension, it must be used alongside the Synology desktop utility, available for download through Synology's official Download Center. Users seeking further assistance or community support can visit the Synology Community forums. This extension streamlines image viewing and management, making Synology Photos more versatile and user-friendly.

## Rankings

- #568 — Overall
- #79 — Photos, Music & Videos
- #2 — assistant
- #20 — mission
- #29 — extension
- #36 — image

## Permissions and access

### Permissions

- `storage`
- `nativeMessaging`

### Content script matches

- `*`

## 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 medium 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

Users largely criticize Synology's decision to move core image features from the server to a browser extension and desktop app. They report performance problems and excessive memory usage, privacy concerns from broad page access, and a lack of native HEIC codecs. Linux desktop support is also missing, leaving some users seeking alternatives. Overall, many view this as a trust-breaking change that degrades usability, though a few note it can work as advertised in some setups.

### Cons

- Vendor decision to move server-side image handling features to a client/browser extension and a desktop app, forcing extra software and hurting UX and trust.
- High memory usage and poor performance, with reports of RAM usage up to 16 GB and crashes.
- Privacy/security concerns due to the extension's broad access to all pages/domains and limited configurability.
- Lack of native HEIC support and codecs, pushing users to workarounds or open-source alternatives.
- No Linux desktop app support; Linux users feel ignored and unsupported.

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Source: [Chrome-Stats](https://chrome-stats.com/d/synology-image-assistant)