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After installing the extension, you must configure it with your tracker server details to enable tracking and analytics.

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Configuration settings

The extension stores four configuration values locally (see extension/src/background/serviceWorker.js:1-6):
  • User ID: Auto-generated stable UUID (created on first install)
  • Tracker Base URL: Your tracker server endpoint
  • Dashboard Token: Authentication token for dashboard API access
  • Recent Emails: Local cache of tracked emails (last 100)

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Open the extension popup

Click the Email Tracker extension icon in your Chrome toolbar to open the configuration popup. The popup displays:
  • Your stable User UUID (read-only)
  • Tracker Base URL input field
  • Dashboard Token input field (password type)
  • Recently tracked emails list
  • Pixel debug information
If the extension icon isn’t visible in your toolbar, click the puzzle piece icon and pin “Gmail Email Tracker” to the toolbar.

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Configure tracker base URL

1

Enter your tracker URL

In the Tracker Base URL field, enter the base URL of your tracker server.For local development:
http://localhost:8090
For production (HTTPS required):
https://your-domain.com
The URL must start with http:// or https://. Trailing slashes are automatically removed.
2

Save the configuration

Click the Save URL button below the input fields.A green status message “Saved!” appears below the button if successful.
Many email clients block non-HTTPS images. Use HTTPS tracker URLs for production to ensure reliable tracking. See HTTPS Setup for reverse proxy configuration.

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Configure dashboard token

The dashboard token authenticates requests to protected dashboard APIs.
1

Enter your token

In the Dashboard Token field, enter the same token value you configured on the server via the DASHBOARD_TOKEN environment variable.This token is sent in the X-Tracker-Token header for dashboard API requests (see extension/src/background/serviceWorker.js:189).
2

Save the configuration

Click the Save URL button to save both the tracker URL and dashboard token together.
Keep your dashboard token private. Anyone with this token can access your tracking analytics via the dashboard APIs.

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Default values

On first install, the extension sets these defaults (see extension/src/background/serviceWorker.js:8,11-14):
  • Tracker Base URL: https://email-tracker.duckdns.org (placeholder)
  • User ID: Generated via crypto.randomUUID()
You must update the tracker base URL to point to your own server.

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Verify configuration

After saving your settings:
  1. The popup’s Recently Tracked Emails section will display “No tracked emails yet” if you haven’t sent any tracked messages
  2. The Pixel Debug section will show “Debug data will appear after tracking emails” or configuration warnings
  3. Send a test email from Gmail to verify the configuration (see Extension Usage)

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Configuration storage

All settings are stored locally in Chrome’s storage.local API (see extension/src/background/serviceWorker.js:1-6): 
const STORAGE_KEYS = {
  USER_ID: "tracker_user_id",
  TRACKER_BASE_URL: "tracker_base_url",
  RECENT_EMAILS: "recent_tracked_emails",
  DASHBOARD_TOKEN: "dashboard_token"
};
Settings persist across browser sessions and are not synced between devices.

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Update configuration

You can update your tracker URL or dashboard token at any time:
  1. Open the extension popup
  2. Modify the Tracker Base URL or Dashboard Token field
  3. Click Save URL
Changes take effect immediately for new tracking requests and dashboard API calls.
Changing your tracker base URL will not update previously sent emails. Emails sent with the old URL will continue reporting to the old server.

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Troubleshooting

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”Token missing” in debug section

If the Pixel Debug section shows “token missing”, you haven’t configured the Dashboard Token yet. Enter your token and click Save URL.

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URL validation errors

The extension validates tracker URLs and rejects invalid formats. Ensure your URL:
  • Starts with http:// or https://
  • Does not include paths (e.g., use https://example.com, not https://example.com/tracker)

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Cannot reach tracker server

If the popup shows connection errors:
  • Verify your tracker server is running (curl http://localhost:8090/health)
  • Check firewall rules allow connections to your tracker URL
  • For HTTPS URLs, ensure SSL certificates are valid

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Next steps

Once configured:
  1. Learn how to use the extension to track emails and view analytics
  2. Set up HTTPS for production deployments

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