Disable Incognito in Google Chrome (OS 10.5.8+)

Too bad no one has responded to this. I have the seem need.... Four years later.

To help others, I found this: http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/186026/how-to-disable-incognito-mode-in-chrome

If the file /Library/Preferences/com.google.Chrome.plist doesn't exist, simply create it. This is what it needs:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
   <key>IncognitoModeAvailability</key>
   <integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

Once the file is installed, you may need to reboot in order for the file to take effect. I tested this on a MacBook Air with 10.10.5.

Good luck!

Oh - if anyone is looking at this in the future, there are other options that can be useful. A list is here.

I am guessing that they can be added to the same plist file from above. We have DeepFreeze on our Macs, and this file is in a frozen part of the drive, so I'm not worried about the file getting messed with. That being said, I imagine there is a clever method of creating an EA that check the file, and a policy that replaces it, if it's wrong.

Note that file only works on first launch of Chrome (if no Google Chrome profile already exists on the computer). If it has been launched already then the file will not do anything. To manage it all ways, then you want to make a config profile.

Can something similar be done for iOS?

This script works to remove incognito mode, computer needs to be restarted:

defaults write com.google.chrome IncognitoModeAvailability -integer 1

However, I can get it to work all day with Terminal, on the computer, but can't seem to get it to work via the MDM. I have zero knowledge in scripting so don't know why.

You can create a plist using the settings you need for Chrome, here is an example of my com.google.Chrome.plist, which disables Developer Tools and Incognito mode

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>DeveloperToolsAvailability</key>
        <integer>2</integer>
    <key>IncognitoModeAvailability</key>
        <integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

Create a new Configuration Profile in JAMF, call it Google Chrome Restrictions (or whatever you want), then go to Custom Settings, and set the preference domain to be com.google.Chrome. Click Upload Plist and select the new plist file you created. Scope the profile to your desired devices.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>DeveloperToolsAvailability</key>
        <integer>2</integer>
    <key>IncognitoModeAvailability</key>
        <integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

Tested this with iOS15 and it works beautifully

1. Deploy Google Chrome via Jamf Pro

2. Paste the contents below into the "App Configuration" tab in Jamf Pro

<dict>
<key>DeveloperToolsAvailability</key>
<integer>2</integer>
<key>IncognitoModeAvailability</key>
<integer>1</integer>
</dict>

3. Wait for Google Chrome to deploy or for the App Configuration to install (there will be a pending command if we just added the App Configuration). The Incognito window will now be disabled.

For JAMF School..

1. In Jamf School, navigate to Apps > Inventory in the sidebar.
2. Click the app you want to create the managed configuration for.
3. In the Options section, click Show Advanced Options, and then select the Apply Managed Configuration checkbox.
4. Enter a name for the managed configuration. I used Disable Ingonito
5. In the Managed Configuration section, enter the configuration in the new XML field.
6. Add the following...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
   <key>IncognitoModeAvailability</key>
   <integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

Thank you. This is still working as a solution.