How do I force-install the Applane extension with Google Admin?

Who

Google Workspace admin with Chrome management rights

Time

5 minutes

Many companies run Chrome with “block every extension not on a list”. Applane’s extension id must be on that list, either as allowed (people install it themselves from the Chrome Web Store) or as force-installed (it appears in every managed Chrome in the organisational unit).

The extension id is shown in the Applane console under Setup > Workspace admin. It is written <APPLANE_EXTENSION_ID> below.

In the Google Admin console

1. Open Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions > Users & browsers.
2. Pick the organisational unit. Start with a pilot OU, then widen.
3. Click + (bottom right) and choose Add Chrome app or extension by ID.
4. Paste <APPLANE_EXTENSION_ID>. Leave the source as the Chrome Web Store.
5. Set the installation policy:
   • Force install for a rollout. Silent install, not removable, on every managed Chrome profile in the OU. Tick Pin to browser toolbar so the icon is visible.
   • Allow install for a pilot. Employees install it from the Chrome Web Store listing. This is the minimum if your policy blocks unlisted extensions.
6. Save.

Force-install reaches managed browsers and profiles: employees signed in to Chrome with their work account under Chrome Browser Cloud Management. It does not reach a personal Chrome, and it does not need to; sign-in checks the account’s domain either way.

Pin the tenant domain (optional)

The extension has one managed-storage setting, tenantDomain. When it is set, the extension skips the “what is your work email” prompt and goes straight to your sign-in. It is a hint, not trust: sign-in still checks the account’s domain.

In the same policy screen, open the extension’s entry and paste this into Policy for extensions:

{ "tenantDomain": "<YOUR_DOMAIN>" }

The same policy as JSON

If you manage Chrome policy as JSON (Chrome Browser Cloud Management custom policies, or a policy file on Windows, macOS or Linux), these are the same settings. Pick one of the two ExtensionSettings shapes.

Force install:

{
  "ExtensionInstallForcelist": [
    "<APPLANE_EXTENSION_ID>;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx"
  ],
  "ExtensionSettings": {
    "<APPLANE_EXTENSION_ID>": {
      "installation_mode": "force_installed",
      "update_url": "https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx",
      "toolbar_pin": "force_pinned"
    }
  }
}

Allow only:

{
  "ExtensionSettings": {
    "<APPLANE_EXTENSION_ID>": {
      "installation_mode": "allowed",
      "update_url": "https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx"
    }
  }
}

The managed storage policy, in the extension’s own policy block:

{ "tenantDomain": "<YOUR_DOMAIN>" }

The full file with comments is in Chrome policy JSON.

What the extension asks Chrome for

So your Chrome policy reviewer can map it: identity and identity.email (sign in, prefill the domain), storage and unlimitedStorage (chat history and drafts in the browser), alarms (daily licence refresh), and host permissions for *.googleapis.com, script.google.com, script.googleusercontent.com (Google APIs with the user’s token, preview of deployed apps) and Applane’s API host (tenant config and licence). No remote code; no content scripts.

Verify

Open chrome://policy on a managed profile and reload policies. The extension id appears under ExtensionInstallForcelist or ExtensionSettings. With force install, the icon appears in the toolbar within a few minutes.

Then tell the Applane admin. The setup checklist has a manual “extension allowed or force-installed” row they tick.