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Google Chrome Extension Management (Windows)

Description

Chrome extensions can be managed with FileWave on multiple device types.

If Chrome is already managed in Google Admin Console, keep that management there unless you have a reason to use FileWave. FileWave can also deploy Chrome extension policy to macOS and Windows devices.

Ingredients

  • Chrome installation
  • TargetGoogle Translate Chrome extension ID from the Chrome Web StoreStore, or another target extension ID

Windows

Use a Fileset with a PowerShell activation script to force-install a managed Chrome extension and optionally block other extensions. ReplaceThis example uses the exampleGoogle Translate extension ID, aapbdbdomjkkjkaonfhkkikfgjllcleb. Replace it with another target extension ID withif the target extension ID,needed, associate the Fileset to test devices, test it, then deploy it to production devices.

The script creates the required Chrome policy registry settings.

Script contents:

if ( -Not (Test-Path -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionSettings\*") ) {
 
    New-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionSettings\" -Name "*" -Force
    New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionSettings\*\' -Name "installation_mode" -Value "blocked"
 
    New-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionSettings\" -Name "replace-with-extension-id"aapbdbdomjkkjkaonfhkkikfgjllcleb" -Force
    New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionSettings\replace-with-extension-id\aapbdbdomjkkjkaonfhkkikfgjllcleb\" -Name "comment" -Value "ManagedGoogle Chrome extension"Translate"
    New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionSettings\replace-with-extension-id\aapbdbdomjkkjkaonfhkkikfgjllcleb\" -Name "installation_mode" -Value "force_installed"
    New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionSettings\replace-with-extension-id\aapbdbdomjkkjkaonfhkkikfgjllcleb\" -Name "update_url" -Value "https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx"
     
}

If another policy already manages Chrome extensions, this example's if block can skip the targetGoogle Translate extension settings. Adjust the script conditions before deployment if extension policy already exists.

Notes

This example also creates a wildcard ExtensionSettings key that blocks all other Chrome extensions. Remove or change that key if you only want to force-install aGoogle specific extensionTranslate without blocking others.

Restart Chrome before testing. Chrome does not apply these policy settings to an already-running browser session.

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