# How to use unlisted add-ons

**URL:** <https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/how-to-use-unlisted-add-ons/20134>\
**Category:** addons.mozilla.org\
**Created:** [October 7, 2017, 7:50am UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/how-to-use-unlisted-add-ons/20134 "2017-10-07T07:50:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![als](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@als](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/als)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2017, 7:50am UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/how-to-use-unlisted-add-ons/20134/1 "2017-10-07T07:50:38Z")

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I’m trying to produce test versions of add-ons that are signed so that I can test them in my day-to-day browser. So I produce a variant with a distinct ID and try to get them signed by AMO.

I’ve managed to get an add-on signed twice this way. But the AMO site retains the add-on. The second time I try to sign it I get a complaint that the version is the same. It seems bizarre that I’m required to keep bumping the version number each time I want it signed.

When I look at my list of add-ons at AMO the unlisted one appears in my list of submissions. There is nothing to indicate that it is supposed to be unlisted.

It seems that I should just delete the unlisted add-on each time I get it signed.

Is there a better way to do all of this?

(BTW If this has already been explained somewhere in this forum I wouldn’t have found it since your infinite scrolling is unbrowsable).

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**Author:** ![yfdyh000](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/discourse.mozilla.org/yfdyh000/32/30581_2.png) [@yfdyh000](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/yfdyh000)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/how-to-use-unlisted-add-ons/20134/2 "2017-10-07T15:25:52Z")

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You should use the `about:debugging` to debugging a temporary add-on, the unlisted add-ons is usually used for the users to testing/use, so it must have a definite version.

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**Author:** ![als](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@als](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/als)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 4:18am UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/how-to-use-unlisted-add-ons/20134/3 "2017-10-08T04:18:27Z")

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Sure it has a version but why is AMO retaining a copy?  
And if it is going to retain a copy it would be nice if it was clear in the list that it is  
unlisted. I’ll give it a temporary name with “-unlisted” at the end.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yfdyh000](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/discourse.mozilla.org/yfdyh000/32/30581_2.png) [@yfdyh000](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/yfdyh000)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 9:05am UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/how-to-use-unlisted-add-ons/20134/4 "2017-10-08T09:05:52Z")

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I’m not sure what you mean. AMO keep the signed file of course, it itself is a release rather than a signature platform, as well as it wants to keep the original file to help discern malware and add it to add-ons blacklist.  
There are no significant differences in the UI for the listed / unlisted.