Last month, ModHeader was pulled from the Chrome and Edge stores after researchers found a hidden SDK that quietly collected the domains users visited. It had around 1.6 million installs — and I was one of them.
I use header editing every day for API work, so I didn't want to just switch to another tool that might show ads or phone home. I wanted something small I could actually trust. So I built OpenHeader.
What it does
A minimal Chrome extension to add, modify, and remove request and response HTTP headers:
- Set / add / remove request & response headers
- Multiple profiles (switch header sets in one click)
- Per-profile URL filters
- Import / export your settings
- Master on/off toggle
The part that matters: it never reads your traffic
This was the whole point. OpenHeader applies header changes through Chrome's official declarativeNetRequest rule engine. That means the extension declares header rules to Chrome — it never intercepts or inspects your requests itself.
- No analytics, no trackers, no ad SDKs
- Your header rules are stored locally (
chrome.storage.local) - Minimal permissions
- MIT licensed, so you can audit every line
Try it
The Chrome Web Store listing is in review, but you can load it unpacked today:
- Grab the code: https://github.com/smartfabai-commits/openheader
-
chrome://extensions→ enable Developer mode → Load unpacked
It's intentionally minimal right now. If you're coming from ModHeader (or another editor), I'd genuinely like to know what you'd miss — issues and PRs welcome.
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