You have successfully passed all technical checks - no missing files, no incorrect permissions, etc. But your submission was rejected with the tag Yellow Zinc.
In Chrome's color-coded rejection system, Yellow Zinc refers to metadata or listing quality issues. In simple terms, your extension listing is incomplete or unclear. To understand what your extension does, reviewers and users of Chrome depend on your metadata - manifest details, listing title, description, icons, screenshots, and promotional assets.
Yellow Zinc means Chrome is judging not how your code publishes or runs, but how your extension is advertised in the Extension Store. If Chrome reviewers feel that your listing is missing adequate explanation, images, or is inaccurate, they will simply mark it as insufficient metadata.
Note: ‘Yellow Zinc’ is an internal term used in Chrome’s review process to indicate metadata or listing quality issues — not a public rejection label.
Metadata issues are the most frequent and relatively easy to avoid. Below are typical reasons for rejections:
Even if you have an amazing extension, a poor presentation can yield mistrust from your potential users, which leads to rejection from reviewers.
Now, let's work on ways to keep your Chrome listing compliant with the Web Store's policies
Step 1: Create a Clear and Descriptive Title
Your title should express the usability of the extension. Stay away from hippy marketing terms or ambiguous names. Describe the action and then the purpose of the action.
Example: "Tab Saver, Organize and Restore your Chrome Tabs."
Step 2: Adjust Your Description
Your description should answer 3 questions:
Start with a one-line overview followed by a description. Bulleted points for easy reading are also acceptable.
Example method:
Step 3: Upload Quality Screenshots and Icons
Visuals carry more weight than a number of developers realize. Reviewers use screenshots and icons to see that your extension works as described
Here’s a tip:
Pro tip: Preview the listing in both dark and light themes to see how the visuals look
Step 4: Ensure Description Matches Functionality
Your description has to match your code exactly. If your description mention features like “syncing with Google Drive” or “AI-based suggestions,” those features need to be available and functioning in your extension. Chrome reviewer will also manually test your extensions. If the content promises something, but not implemented in your code, it will get rejected.
Step 5: Optionally Add a Preview Video
A 30-60 second preview demo has been proven to help much acceptance and conversion rates. Keep it simple: show the UI, show the user how to turn on the extension, and show what value the user is getting. Just upload the video directly to YouTube and link to it.
Once you confirm all of the above, your listing will not only pass review but also perform better with users.
Yellow Zinc rejections are easy to fix but often overlooked. Your metadata isn’t just for compliance; it’s your first impression on users.
A well-written and well-visualized listing:
The Yellow Zinc rejection shows that even the best-built extension needs great presentation. By refining your title, creating accurate descriptions, and adding genuine visuals, you change your submission from functional to professional. Don’t treat metadata as an afterthought; it’s part of your product experience.
