How to Speed Up Opera Extension Publishing: Communicating with the Addons Team

The process of publishing a new extension or updating an existing product in the Opera Addons catalog can take developers weeks or even months. This lack of response over extended periods is a serious problem that leads to delays in releasing crucial updates and growing frustration among developers.

This article provides a specific and proven algorithm designed to improve interaction between developers and the Opera Addons team, helping to resolve moderation issues quickly.

What is Opera Addons?

Opera Addons is the official catalog (or store) for extensions and add-ons specifically designed for Opera web browsers. It provides users with the ability to personalize their browser by installing themes, wallpapers, and functional extensions that add new features or modify browser behavior. Essentially, it is the centralized platform for distributing supplements tailored to Opera users.

The Scale of the Problem: Community Evidence

The issue of lengthy moderation wait times is not an isolated incident; it is widely discussed within the developer community, including on Reddit. Users report delays that significantly exceed reasonable timeframes:

• Developers regularly report that their extensions are stuck in “Pending Moderation” status for several weeks or months
• In specific cases, the wait for a new add-on to be published has lasted over a full year
• Even critical updates, which are reviewed almost instantly on other stores, can be delayed by two weeks or more in Opera

These testimonies underscore the need for a working communication mechanism with the moderation team outside of the standard submission forms.

Practical Steps to Accelerate Publishing

If your extension or its update has been in moderation for more than 2-3 business days and you have not received a response, it is time to take action.

Step 1: Creating the First Ticket (Report Bug)

Counterintuitively, the fastest way to reach the Opera Addons team is by using the Bug Report form.

1. Navigate directly to the “Report Bug” form on the Atlassian Service Desk:
   • https://opera.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/52
   • Alternatively, go through the Contact page: https://www.opera.com/contact, and select Report a bug at the bottom of the page (Customer Support.
2. Fill out the form using the following details:
   • Summary: Provide a clear and polite subject, such as:
     • Extension’s Update Review
   • Provide as much detail as possible about the bug*: Write your message in the following format, making sure to include your extension’s required identifiers:
     • Hello, Team. I wasn’t able to locate a direct email for the Opera Addons review department, so I’m reaching out via this bug report form. I kindly ask you to forward my message to the team responsible for extension moderation. I’d like to check on the review status of my extension “[extension-name]” (Slug: [slug], ID: [your_id], Manifest V3). It has been pending for more than a week since submission, and there hasn’t been any progress so far. If any additional information, clarification, or an updated package is required from my side, I’ll gladly provide it. You can reach me at: [your-email]. I appreciate your help and would be grateful if you could pass this message along to the Opera Addons moderation team.
   • Attach any relevant files*: Be sure to attach a screenshot from your developer cabinet clearly showing the “Pending Moderation” status and the submission date.

Step 2: Creating a Second Ticket for Attention

Immediately after submitting the first ticket, you should create a second ticket through a different form, which is often handled by a specific Opera employee.

1. Navigate to the link for the second form:
   • https://opera.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/9/group/11/create/8
2. Fill out the form with the same details as in the first email.
3. Add System Information*: Simply state your operating system type (e.g., Windows, MacOS) is sufficient.

Context: Employee Tina Chenska

Handling of tickets submitted via this channel is often linked to the public Opera employee Tina Chenska, who is involved in Quality Assurance and testing.

• Forum Profile: https://forums.opera.com/user/tina
• Blog Posts: https://blogs.opera.com/desktop/author/vchenska/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-chenska/
• Testing Conference: Tina Chenska: Leveraging automation testing for Adblocker quality

Debunking the “Manual Moderation” Excuse:

In response to queries, staff may cite complex and slow “manual moderation” of every extension as the reason for delays. However, this argument is questionable when analyzing the actual workload:

• Only about 60–70 completely new extensions are published in Opera Addons annually (based on the catalog https://addons.opera.com/extensions/?order=new).
• The total number of active and regularly updated extensions in the store (out of over 2,215 products) is estimated to be no more than 150–300.
• This workload does not justify multi-month delays. Using two tickets helps bypass standard procedures and draws a real employee’s attention to your specific issue.

Step 3: Escalation (Contacting Management)

If you have not received a response or your extension has not been published within 2 business days of sending the tickets, you must proceed to direct escalation.

1. Find Key Personnel Contacts: Go to the Newsroom page (https://www.opera.com/newsroom), where email addresses for people in leadership or influential roles (e.g., PR managers, department heads) are often listed.
2. Send an Official Email: Use only the email address linked to your Opera developer account. In the letter, briefly and clearly outline the situation:
   • State that you are the developer of the extension [extension-name].
   • Report that your extension has been in moderation for [number of days/weeks].
   • Emphasize that you have twice contacted official support but were completely ignored, which violates interaction guidelines.
   • Politely ask for assistance in publishing the extension or getting a response from the moderation team.

This direct appeal to management or the public relations department is often the last and most effective leverage, as it impacts the company’s public reputation.

Important Prerequisite: Preparation

Before escalating, ensure you have complied with all platform requirements yourself:

• Completely filled out the developer cabinet.
• If your code was minified, you must have provided Opera with the source code for review to avoid suspicion of malicious code.
• Ensure your extension does not violate any obvious Opera policies.

Only once you have fulfilled your obligations can you rightfully demand adherence to timelines from the Opera Addons team.