This guide deploys the Scribe browser extension to managed Chrome users through the Google Admin console and configures it: silent authentication, a reduced interface for background-capture users, and the other extension settings. The policy applies to any Chrome profile signed in with a managed account, on any computer.
Prerequisites
- Google Workspace with managed Chrome profiles.
- Users signed in to Chrome itself with their managed account, not only to Gmail in a tab. Policy is delivered to the signed-in Chrome profile; a user who is not signed in to Chrome receives nothing.
- For silent authentication: single sign-on set up for your Scribe organisation with Google as the identity provider. Your Scribe contact sets this up with you.
- For silent authentication: users exist in Scribe with emails matching their Google accounts.
- Scribe extension ID: okfkdaglfjjjfefdcppliegebpoegaii
Deploy
- Google Admin console → Devices → Chrome → Apps & extensions → Users & browsers.
- Select the organisational unit you are rolling out to → add → Add Chrome app or extension by ID → enter the ID above.
- Installation policy: Force install to push it to users automatically, or Allow install if users install it themselves.
- Paste your configuration into Policy for extensions (format below) and save.
Configuration
Every value must be wrapped in a Value object. Set Domain to your SSO domain, adjust the other values and add any you need from the table below (MinerVisibility, for example):
Flat JSON ({"SilentLoginEnabled": true}) is accepted by the console and then discarded by Chrome with no visible error. If your policy appears to do nothing, check this first.
Minimal mode. For users who only do background capture, "MinerVisibility": { "Value": "minimal" } reduces the extension to a small status view: no manual capture options, no regular popup or side panel. It works like the desktop app's minimal visibility mode and is set in the same policy.
| Key | Values | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| SilentLoginEnabled | boolean | Signs users in automatically |
| Domain | your SSO domain, e.g. yourcompany.com | The domain users sign in with |
| SuppressWelcomeTab | boolean | Stops the welcome tab opening on first install |
| CheckAuthIntervalHours | number, minimum 0.1 | How often the extension re-checks sign-in status |
| AllowedDomains | array of email domains | Only users with an email in one of these domains can sign in; others are signed out. Omit the key to allow all. An empty array blocks everyone |
| MinerVisibility | full, minimal | full is the normal extension. minimal reduces it to a small status view for users who only do background capture: no manual capture options, no regular popup or side panel |
Verify on one profile
- In a Chrome profile signed in with a managed account, open chrome://policy → Reload policies. Your keys appear under the Scribe extension, applied to the current user.
- Open Scribe. The extension signs in with no interaction.
- If you set MinerVisibility to minimal: click the extension's toolbar icon - it shows the small status view instead of the regular extension.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The Scribe section in chrome://policy is empty | Policy rejected, usually values not wrapped in Value | Fix the format, save, reload policies. chrome://policy/logs filtered to ERROR shows the rejection |
| No policies at all in chrome://policy | The profile is not managed by your organisation, or Chrome is not signed in | chrome://management shows which organisation manages the profile |
| Policy present, nothing changed | Changes take a few minutes to reach devices | Reload policies and wait before investigating further |