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Question

Install an In-house Chrome Extension?

  • March 6, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 53 views
YanW
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  • YanW
  • Valued Contributor

Need help installing an in-house Chrome extension. This is what I’m using but isn’t working.

<?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>ExtensionSettings</key>
<dict>
 <key>Extension ID</key>
 <dict>
   <key>installation_mode</key>
   <string>force_installed</string>
   <key>update_url</key>
   <string>https://URL/Extension.crx</string>
 </dict>
</dict>
  </dict>
</plist>

 

    2 replies

    Chubs
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    • Chubs
    • Jamf Heroes
    • March 6, 2026

    Enroll your browsers into CEC and just side load it there.  Super simple that way.

    Not to mention the SSO positives for when you move to PSSO.

    I find your lack of faith disturbing
    A
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    • angelohuang
    • New Contributor
    • March 11, 2026

    In Chrome's ExtensionSettings policy, the update_url is *not* a direct link to a .crx. Chrome expects an update manifest service (the Chrome Web Store update service for public extensions, or your own hosted update manifest for private/in-house extensions).

     

    So if this is truly in-house:

    - Host an update manifest (XML) and the .crx somewhere reachable

    - Point update_url at the manifest endpoint (not the .crx)

    - Then force_install via ExtensionSettings using the extension ID

     

    If it's a Web Store extension, update_url is typically https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx

     

    Chubs' suggestion (Chrome Enterprise / CBCM) is also the path of least resistance if you can enroll browsers.

     

    We wrote up the same gotchas + a working pattern here:

    https://help.swif.ai/en/articles/7438556-deploy-any-chrome-extension-to-devices

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