Tumblr is a huge blogging platform where you can create and maintain a blog (or several blogs) with minimal hassle and work. While the photo blog concept existed before Tumblr, it’s Tumblr that made them so common and popular, and it’s now the go-to solution for most people who are looking to open one. Of course, you can use Tumblr for all your blogging needs, post text, quotes, audio clips, videos, and anything else you wish.

Tumblr’s success comes from being very intuitive and simple to use for users of all kinds, but a good interface is still not a perfect one. As with any other service, many Tumblr add-ons have sprouted all over the place, all of them aimed at creating an even better Tumblr experience, and adding some features which are still sorely missing. Are you looking to make your Tumblr experience even better? Here are some excellent ways to do it.

Missing e [Chrome, Firefox & Safari]

tumblr browser add on

Missing e, as you can gather from the sophisticated name, includes all the features Tumblr is “missing”, just like it’s missing an “e”. Installing Missing e is a breeze: simple click the download link on the Missing e page, and the add-on will lead you through the process according to the browser you’re using. Once installed, refresh your Tumblr dashboard to find a new Missing e settings button.

From the settings you can tweak your dashboard, your sidebar, your reblogs, add some keyboard shortcuts, tweak the mass editor and much much more. Refresh your Tumblr dashboard to see the changes you’ve made.

XKit [Chrome, Firefox, Safari & RockMelt]

tumblr add ons

XKit is more than a simple add-on, it’s a kit including dozens of add-ons which you can easily add and remove from Tumblr. The installation process is a bit different for each browser, but XKit will recognize your browser and show you the way. Note that Firefox users will need to install Greasemonkey before installing XKit. Once download is complete, load your Tumblr dashboard to complete the installation. A New X icon will be added to your dashboard.

Through here you can browse your existing extensions, customize your extensions and browse for new extensions to install. The extensions offer a wide variety of tweaks, such as hover to preview, unfollow tracker, themes, widgets and lots more. It might take a while to get yourself familiar with all the options, but it will be worth your while if you’re looking to really enhance your Tumblr experience.

Tumblr Post [Firefox]

tumblr add ons

Tumblr Post is your Tumblr away from Tumblr. If you don’t feel like visiting the Tumblr dashboard every time you want to add a post, Tumblr Post lets you do this no matter which page you’re on. If after installing the add-on you can’t see the Tumblr Post button in the toolbar, add it manually by right-clicking the toolbar, choosing “Customize..”, finding the button and dragging it to the toolbar. Now you can drag text, images, links, audio clips and videos to the button, and have them immediately posted, added to your queue, saved as a draft, etc.

You can also right click the add-on button to upload an image from your computer, start a new text post and more. You can configure the button to lead either to your dashboard or your tumblelog when you click it.

Share on Tumblr [No Longer Available]

tumblr add ons

Share on Tumblr is just like a Tumblr bookmarklet, only in the shape of a nice toolbar button. This add-on also makes it possible to add Tumblr posts without having to visit the actual dashboard every time. Click the Share on Tumblr button when you want to share something, and create the post right from that window. As in the regular dashboard, you can add any kind of post, decide when to publish it, share it on Facebook or Twitter, etc.

In order to share a photo, click through until the actual file is displayed on your browser, otherwise the add-on won’t catch it. If you can’t see the add-on button right away, follow the same instructions as in Tumblr Post.

Tumblr Dashboard [No Longer Available]

tumblr extensions

Tumblr Dashboard for Chrome is very similar to Share on Tumblr for Firefox. This extension adds a Tumblr button to your toolbar, which gives you access to your dashboard no matter what page you’re on. Tumblr Dashboard has a small perk: it lets you read your Tumblr feed too.

When you click it, the first thing you’ll see is new posts from your dashboard feed. You can then click “share on tumblr” to create a new post. You can also open the actual dashboard in a new tab from the extension’s window.

Tumblr Shortcuts [No Longer Available]

tumblr extensions

Like using your keyboard? Tumblr Shortcuts adds 14 new keyboard shortcuts to your Tumblr dashboard, including the familiar j and k for navigating posts, l to like, r to reblog and more. The shortcuts are not configurable, meaning they’ve been decided for you and you can’t change them, but they’re pretty generic and therefore very easy to get used to. Once you get used to them, these are sure to help you achieve a lightning-fast Tumblr experience.

Tumblr Collage [Chrome]

tumblr extensions

Bored of reading your favorite tumblelogs the good old way? Or maybe you want to get a bird’s-eye view on an entire blog? Tumblr Collage is an amusing extensions which lets you do just that. After installation, a colorful collage icon will appear in your address bar every time you visit a tumblelog. Click on it to view the blog as a collage made only of photos. Clicking on one of the photos will enlarge it so you can get a better look.

What you see above is a collage of many many scanned candy bars from the excellent Scandybars tumblelog.

Tumblr Notifier [Chrome]

tumblr-notifier

If you’re an avid Tumblr follower and want to keep an eye on your feed at all times, Tumblr Notifier can come in handy. This little extension sits in your Chrome toolbar, and waits for new posts to arrive. When that happens, a small red notification will appear on the icon, including the number of new posts you have. Clicking the icon will lead you to your Tumblr dashboard. Simple and easy!

Post To Tumblr [Chrome]

post-to-tumblr-1

Post to Tumblr for Chrome is another very easy way to post content you find online to your Tumblr. Access the options to enter your Tumblr username and password, and decide whether posts are automatically published, queued, added to draft, etc. You can then right-click on any element on a webpage, including a highlighted portion of text, to immediately post it to your Tumblr.

You can choose to format the post and add text to it before posting, or have it posted immediately, as is.

Tumblr Savior [Chrome]

tumblr browser add on

While not being the most slick extension of them all, Tumblr Savior is a good option if you’re tired of seeing posts about specific subjects. Through this extension, you can create a black list and a white list which will then filter your Tumblr posts accordingly. This way, you can make sure you never see another post on fashion again, unless, of course, it’s about chocolate fashion (or cat fashion!).

Let The Fun Begin!

Now that you’re all set up with your perfect Tumblr setup, it’s time to find some awesome Tumblelogs to follow! For some inspirations, check out:

Know of some other useful Tumblr add-ons for your browser? Let us know in the comments.

Color pencils image via Shutterstock