How to deploy extensions using GPO

This article explains how to create a new GPO policy, link the policy to an OU (organizational unit), and deploy the Corma extension to any domain-joined computer inside the OU. The Corma extension will be added to any Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Mozilla Firefox browser installed on an OU computer.

GPO only supports Windows. If you're using a Mac computer, you can use Jamf instead.

Step 1: Create a new group policy and link to an OU

1. On a domain-joined server, open Group Policy Management, right-click and select Run as administrator.

   
2. Open all folders within Group Policy Management until you see the "Group Policy Objects" folder. Right-click that folder and select New.

   
3. In the New GPO pop-up, enter "CormaGPO" for the Name and then select OK.

   
4. Right-click your OU from the "Group Policy Management" folder and select Link an Existing GPO. For example, if the domain is "corma.io" and the OU is "Corma-Client", the target computers are in the "Corma-Client" folder.

   
5. In the Select GPO pop-up, select the "Corma-GPO" you created and select OK.

   

Step 2: Download the template for your browser and configure the extension GPO

Select the browser you're using below

Chrome

Download the template and configure the extension GPO in Chrome

1. Download the “policy_templates.zip” template file

2. Right-click the "policy_templates.zip" file in Explorer, select Rename, and rename it "chrome_policy_templates".

   
3. Select the "chrome_policy_templates" file that you just renamed and then select Extract all.

   
4. In the Select a Destination and Extract Files pop-up, select Browse, select your "Downloads" folder, and select Extract.

   
5. In the "Downloads" folder, open the "chrome_policy_templates" folder that you just extracted, and open the "windows" folder inside it.

   
6. In the "windows" folder, open the "admx" folder.

   
7. Select the two files named "chrome.admx" and "google.admx", right-click the two files, and select Copy.

   
8. Open "C:/Windows" in a new Explorer window, right-click on the "Policy Definitions" folder, and select Paste.

   
9. Return to the "admx" folder again, open the "en-US" folder inside that, select the two files named "chrome.adml" and "google.adml", right-click the two files, and select Copy.

   
10. Return to the "Policy Definitions" folder again, right-click the "en-US" folder, and select Paste.

    
11. Right-click your OU from the "Group Policy Management" folder, as you did at the beginning of this article, and select Edit.

    
12. In the Group Policy Management Editor, open "Computer Configuration", "Policies", "Administrative Templates: Policy definitions (ADMX files) retrieved from the local computer, "Google", "Google Chrome", and "Extensions". Then right-click "Configure the list of force-installed apps and extensions" and select Edit.

    
13. In the Configure the list of force-installed apps and extensions pop-up, select Enabled, and select Show. In the Show Contents pop-up, paste iolppafpkhfdepflackhngphhjkocjoa;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx, and select OK.

    

Microsoft Edge

Download the template and configure the extension GPO in Edge

1. Download Windows 64-bit Policy

2. In the Download Microsoft Edge Policy File pop-up, select Accept and download.

   
3. Open the "MicrosoftEdgePolicyTemplates" file you just downloaded in Explorer and save it to your "Downloads" folder.

   
4. Select "MicrosoftEdgePolicyTemplates" file in your "Downloads" folder and then select Extract all.

   
5. In the Select a Destination and Extract Files pop-up, select Browse, select your "Downloads" folder, and select Extract.

   
6. In the "Downloads" folder, open the "MicrosoftEdgePolicyTemplates" folder that you just extracted, and open the "windows" folder inside it.

   
7. In the "windows" folder, open the "admx" folder.

   
8. Select the three files named "msedge.admx", "msedgeupdate.admx", and "msdegewebview2.admx", right-click the three files, and select Copy.

   
9. Open "C:/Windows" in a new Explorer window, right-click on the "Policy Definitions" folder, and select Paste.

   
10. Return to the "admx" folder again, open the "en-US" folder inside that, select the three files named "msedge.admx", "msedgeupdate.admx", and "msdegewebview2.admx", right-click the three files, and select Copy.

    
11. Return to the "Policy Definitions" folder again, right-click the "en-US" folder, and select Paste.

    
12. Right-click your OU from the "Group Policy Management" folder, as you did at the beginning of this article, and select Edit.

    
13. In the Group Policy Management Editor, open "Computer Configuration", "Policies", "Administrative Templates: Policy definitions (ADMX files) retrieved from the local computer, "Microsoft Edge", and "Extensions". Then right-click "Control which extensions are installed silently" and select Edit.

    
14. In the Configure the list of force-installed apps and extensions pop-up, select Enabled, and select Show. In the Show Contents pop-up, paste iolppafpkhfdepflackhngphhjkocjoa, and select OK.

    

Step 3 (optional): Pin the extension to browser toolbars with GPO

Chrome

Chrome

1. Right-click your OU from the "Group Policy Management" folder, as you did at the beginning of this article, and select Edit.
2. In the Group Policy Management Editor, open "Computer Configuration", "Policies", "Administrative Templates: Policy definitions (ADMX files) retrieved from the local computer, "Google", "Google Chrome", "Extensions", and then “Configure extension management settings”.

3. Select Enable, and paste the following code for “Configure extension management settings”: {“iolppafpkhfdepflackhngphhjkocjoa”:{“toolbar_pin”:”force_pinned”}} Select OK and Apply.
4. Run gpupdate on the server and the client computer.
5. Check the client computer. The Corma C will appear pinned in the browser toolbar.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge

1. Right-click your OU from the "Group Policy Management" folder, as you did at the beginning of this article, and select Edit.
2. In the Group Policy Management Editor, open "Computer Configuration", "Policies", "Administrative Templates: Policy definitions (ADMX files) retrieved from the local computer, “Microsoft Edge”, “Extensions”, and then “Configure extension management settings”.
3. Select Enable, and paste the following code for “Configure extension management settings”: {“iolppafpkhfdepflackhngphhjkocjoa””:{“toolbar_state”:”force_shown”}} Select OK and Apply.
4. Run gpupdate on the server and the client computer.