Browser Extension
PowerShell script to silently install a browser extension by ID.
Overview
This script creates the necessary registry entries for Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome to install the provided extension globally for all users of a device.
By default, the extension installation is not "forced". Each user will be able to disable or uninstall the extension for their browser profile. To prevent this, the -Force parameter can be used.
Prerequisites: This script has no prerequisites.
Script
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Installs a browser extension by ID
.DESCRIPTION
Silently installs a Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge extension by extension ID
.PARAMETER ID
String parameter for the browser extension ID
.PARAMETER Chrome
Switch parameter to install a Chrome Extension
.PARAMETER Edge
Switch parameter to install an Edge Extension
.PARAMETER Force
Switch parameter to force install the browser extension
.EXAMPLE
./InstallBrowserExtension.ps1 -ID 'ghbmnnjooekpmoecnnnilnnbdlolhkhi' -Chrome
.NOTES
Author: Aaron Stevenson
#>
param(
[ValidatePattern('^[a-z]{32}$')]
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
[String]$ID,
[Parameter(ParameterSetName = 'Chrome')]
[Switch]$Chrome,
[Parameter(ParameterSetName = 'Edge')]
[Switch]$Edge,
[Switch]$Force
)
function Find-Policies {
# Check for extension policies
try {
$BlockPolicy = "HKLM:\Software\Policies\$($Ext.Reg)\ExtensionInstallBlocklist"
if ((Test-Path $BlockPolicy) -and ($null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -Path $BlockPolicy))) {
Write-Warning ('Detected possible Group Policy settings for browser extensions - manually check for conflicts.')
}
}
catch {
Write-Warning 'Unable to detect browser extension policies.'
Write-Warning $_
}
}
function Get-ExtName {
$ProgressPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'
# Fetch extension webpage
try { $Data = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $Ext.StoreURL -UseBasicParsing } catch { }
# Find title and format
[Regex]$Regex = $Ext.Regex
$ExtName = $Regex.Match($Data.Content).Value -replace "- $($Ext.Store)", ''
if (($ExtName -eq '') -or ($ExtName -eq $Ext.Store)) { $ExtName = "Unknown $($Ext.Browser) Extension" }
else {
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Web
$ExtName = [System.Web.HttpUtility]::HtmlDecode($ExtName)
}
return $ExtName
}
function Install-Extension {
Write-Output "`nInstalling $($Ext.Browser) extension..."
Write-Output "`n$($Ext.Name)"
Write-Output "ID: $($Ext.ID)"
Write-Output "Link: $($Ext.StoreURL)"
try {
# Set registry path
$ArchType = if ([System.Environment]::Is64BitOperatingSystem) { 'x64' } else { 'x86' }
if ($ArchType -eq 'x64') { $InstallKey = "HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\$($Ext.Reg)\Extensions\$($Ext.ID)" }
else { $InstallKey = "HKLM:\Software\$($Ext.Reg)\Extensions\$($Ext.ID)" }
# Create extension registry key and necessary properties
Write-Output "`nAdding $($Ext.Browser) extension registry key..."
New-Item -Path $InstallKey -Force | Out-Null
New-ItemProperty -Path $InstallKey -Name 'update_url' -PropertyType 'String' -Value $Ext.UpdateURL -Force | Out-Null
# Force install extension
if ($Force) {
Write-Output "Adding to force installed $($Ext.Browser) extensions list..."
$ForceInstallKey = "HKLM:\Software\Policies\$($Ext.Reg)\ExtensionInstallForcelist"
$PropertyValue = $Ext.ID + ';' + $Ext.UpdateURL
$Forced = $false
$Max = 1
# Check if force install extension policies exist
if (!(Test-Path $ForceInstallKey)) { New-Item -Path $ForceInstallKey -Force | Out-Null }
elseif ($null -ne (Get-ItemProperty $ForceInstallKey)) {
# Check if extension has already been added to force install list
$ForcePolicy = Get-Item -Path $ForceInstallKey
$Max = ($ForcePolicy | Select-Object -ExpandProperty property | Sort-Object -Descending)[0]
if ((Get-ItemPropertyValue -Path $ForceInstallKey -Name $ForcePolicy.property) -match $PropertyValue) { $Forced = $true }
}
# Add extension to force install list
if (!$Forced) { New-ItemProperty -Path $ForceInstallKey -Name ($Max + 100) -PropertyType 'String' -Value $PropertyValue | Out-Null }
}
Write-Output "`nComplete - relaunch browser to finish installation."
}
catch {
Write-Warning "Unable to install $($Ext.Browser) extension [$($Ext.ID)]"
throw $_
}
}
# Build Extension Object
if ($Chrome) {
$Ext = [PSCustomObject]@{
Browser = 'Chrome'
Reg = 'Google\Chrome'
Regex = '(?<=og:title" content=")([\S\s]*?)(?=">)'
Store = 'Chrome Web Store'
StoreURL = 'https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/'
UpdateURL = 'https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx'
}
}
elseif ($Edge) {
$Ext = [PSCustomObject]@{
Browser = 'Edge'
Reg = 'Microsoft\Edge'
Regex = '(?<=<title>)([\S\s]*?)(?=<\/title>)'
Store = 'Microsoft Edge Addons'
StoreURL = 'https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/detail/'
UpdateURL = 'https://edge.microsoft.com/extensionwebstorebase/v1/crx'
}
}
$Ext.StoreURL = $Ext.StoreURL + $ID
$Ext | Add-Member -Name 'ID' -Type NoteProperty -Value $ID
$Ext | Add-Member -Name 'Name' -Type NoteProperty -Value (Get-ExtName)
Find-Policies
Install-Extension
Examples
Example 1
.\InstallBrowserExtension.ps1 -ID 'hokifickgkhplphjiodbggjmoafhignh' -Edge This example installs the Microsoft Editor: Spelling & Grammar Checker extension in Microsoft Edge for all users. When installed, users will be prompted to enable the extension.
Example 2
.\InstallBrowserExtension.ps1 -ID 'ghbmnnjooekpmoecnnnilnnbdlolhkhi' -Chrome -Force This example force installs the Google Docs Offline extension in Google Chrome for all users. Users will not be able to disable or uninstall the extension.
Parameters
Required Parameters
-ID
The ID of the browser extension to be installed.
-Chrome
Used to specify that the extension ID provided is a Google Chrome browser extension. Either this or the -Edge parameter must be used.
-Edge
Used to specify that the extension ID provided is a Microsoft Edge browser extension. Either this or the -Chrome parameter must be used.
Optional Parameters
-Force
When used, the provided extension will be added to the force installed extension list for the designated browser. Users will not be able to disable or uninstall the extension.
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