User Manual Generation

Download the Chrome extension, then follow the steps below to install it

Install the extension

  1. 01

    Unzip the extension folder

    Find the .zip file you downloaded (usually in your Downloads folder).

    • Right-click the .zip file and choose Extract All…
    • Choose a place where the folder can stay permanently, for example Documents\User Manual Generation, then click Extract.
    Important: Chrome loads the extension from this folder every time it starts. Do not delete, rename or move the folder after installing, or the extension will stop working.
  2. 02

    Open Google Chrome

    Open Chrome as you normally would. Any open window is fine.

  3. 03

    Go to Manage Extensions

    Use either way:

    • Click in the address bar, type chrome://extensions and press Enter, or
    • Click the ⋮ menu (top-right of Chrome) → Extensions → Manage Extensions.
  4. 04

    Turn on Developer mode

    On the Extensions page, find the Developer mode switch in the top-right corner and turn it on (it turns blue).

    A new row of buttons appears below the title once Developer mode is on.
  5. 05

    Click “Load unpacked”

    Click the Load unpacked button that appeared on the top-left. A folder browser window opens.

  6. 06

    Locate the extension folder and select it

    In the folder browser, go to the place where you unzipped the extension (step 1). Open folders until you are in the folder that directly contains the file manifest.json and the folders editor, icons, lib and popup. Click once on that folder, then click Select Folder.

    Tip: Unzipping sometimes creates a folder inside a folder with the same name. Pick the inner one, the one which contains manifest.json.
  7. 07

    Check it worked, and pin it

    A new card User Manual Generation : Orbrick appears on the Extensions page.

    To keep it handy, click the puzzle-piece icon 🧩 next to Chrome's address bar and click the pin next to User Manual Generation : Orbrick. Its icon now stays in the toolbar.

You're done

To record a manual: open the website, click the extension icon, then Start recording this tab. Do the task, then click the icon again and Stop and save manual. The editor opens and the Word file is saved to your Downloads.

Installing a newer version later

  1. 01

    Replace the folder contents

    Download and unzip the new version, then copy its files into the same folder you used before, replacing the old files.

  2. 02

    Reload the extension

    Open chrome://extensions and click the circular ↻ reload arrow on the User Manual Generation : Orbrick card. Your saved guides are kept.

If something goes wrong

What you seeWhat to do
“Manifest file is missing or unreadable” You selected the wrong folder. Click Load unpacked again and choose the folder that directly contains manifest.json (often the inner folder; see the tip in step 6).
There is no Load unpacked button Developer mode is still off. Turn on the switch in the top-right corner of chrome://extensions (step 4).
Chrome shows a “Disable developer mode extensions” message when it starts This is normal for extensions installed this way. Close the message or click Cancel. Do not choose to disable it.
The extension disappeared or shows an error after a while The folder was probably moved, renamed or deleted. Put it back (or unzip it again) and repeat steps 3 to 6.
You use Microsoft Edge The same steps work: open edge://extensions, turn on Developer mode (left side), then click Load unpacked.