By deploying google chrome over group policy, we can apply unified configuration and setup update.

Installation

You can download MSI file from https://enterprise.google.com/chrome/chrome-browser/, then deploy it via group policy, which does not need extra configuration and you can find a tutorial from http://frankfu.click/microsoft/group-policy/deploy-adobe-reader-dc.html, follow step 3.

 

Configuration via group policy

The configuration template can be downloaded from here:

https://dl.google.com/dl/edgedl/chrome/policy/policy_templates.zip.

Configure via central store:

Extract it, then go to the subfolder windows > admx,  the chrome.admx is for chrome configuration and the google.admx is for google produce update configuration, the files in language folder( such as EN-US) are for specific language. copy these files according to your system language to the admx central store, and you can find the related configuration in group policy, under Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates…>Google. you can find how to create a central store here:http://frankfu.click/microsoft/group-policy/admx-central-store.html

The Google chrome is for chrome configuration such as home page, extention, tab,  and Google Update is for product update configuration.

Manually import template:

Extract it,in group policy management mmc, create a new GPO, then go to , right click ” add/Remove Templates…”, then click Add…, browse to the extracted subfolder windows > adm.

Some useful configurations
  • Set the Home page.

This is the URL that users see when they first open the browser or click the “home” button.  

    • Find the Home page folder under Google > Google Chrome and change the two policies:
      • Enable a new homepage URL and provide a URL.
      • Make sure Use New Tab Page as Homepage is enabled.
    • Find the Show Home button on toolbar policy under Google > Google Chrome:
      • Enable the policy.

  • Disable anonymous usage statistics and crash information.

Administrators can turn off sending any crash information or anonymous statistics to Google.

Find the Enable reporting of usage and crash-related data policy under Google > Google Chrome:

    • Disable the policy
  • Install Extensions Automatically (optional)Another policy to try is to force install an extension automatically on Chrome. Let’s try setting up KeepAwake via the ExtensionInstallForcelist policy in the Extension set of policies.
    The ID for the Chrome web store version is: bijihlabcfdnabacffofojgmehjdielb

    The Auto-Update link needed is: http://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx
    bijihlabcfdnabacffofojgmehjdielb ;http://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx
    For privately hosted apps (i.e., not in the Chrome Web Store), use a string such as:

    pckdojakecnhhplcgfflhndiffaohfah;https://sites.google.com/site/pushcrx/privatewebstore/extension_info.xml

    … where the URL is specified to the internal app’s update.xml rather than the public-facing clients2.google.com URL.
    The policies can then be applied to the target users and/or machines. Depending on the network’s configuration, this may require time for the policy to propagate. Policies may be propagated manually by running gpupdate on the client workstation.