In most cases, Google Chrome crashes because of overloaded extensions and add-ons. Naturally, you’d want to remove them to get your browser working properly. However, there may be extensions that say, “Installed by Enterprise Policy”. Unless you have elevated access to your computer, you won’t be able to remove these extensions.

If your PC is part of a business or enterprise network, then it was probably your administrator who added the extensions to your Google Chrome. The best way to resolve the issue is to contact your administrator. On the other hand, if you’re using your personal computer, then we can teach you how to remove an ‘Installed by Enterprise Policy’ extension from Chrome.

What does ‘Installed by Enterprise Policy’ Mean?

If a Chrome extension says that it is ‘Installed by Enterprise Policy,’ ‘Managed by Your Organization,’ or ‘Installed by Your Administrator,’ then it means that it was installed with elevated permissions. Consequently, you can use the conventional method for removing the extension. Generally, computers that are part of a school, enterprise, business, or workplace network will have a system administrator who can configure their extensions and settings.

However, even if you’re using your personal computer, extensions like these can find their way onto our system. They can grant themselves elevated status. This happens when you go online and download freeware that’s riddled with bloatware. Most of the time, the nature and function of the bonus software are not disclosed adequately. In some cases, the technical description of the additional software can be misleading. Needless to say, you should be wary of installing freeware from the Internet. It may come with adware or malware that can compromise your data and security.

You must know that malware can take advantage of a Chrome policy that only system administrators can use. Consequently, the malicious browser extension gains immunity from being uninstalled. However, you can learn how to remove the Chrome extension ‘Installed by Enterprise Policy’ via the GPO. This is the way you can locate and delete the harmful extension.

If you think that the extension that shows the ‘Installed by Enterprise Policy’ message is malicious, the first thing you need to do is use a reliable anti-virus to get rid of the threat. There are many security programs out there, but one of the most comprehensive options is Auslogics Anti-Malware. This tool provides top-notch protection against the most malicious items you would never suspect existed.

What’s great about Auslogics Anti-Malware is it scans browser extensions regularly to prevent data leaks. It even detects cookies that track your activity and collect your information. What’s more, it won’t conflict with your main anti-virus. So, you can use it to reinforce your computer’s protection.

How to Remove an ‘Installed by Enterprise Policy’ Extension from Chrome

In most cases, you can remove extensions like this by making some changes to the Windows Registry. The first thing you need to do is get the extension’s ID. Here are the steps:

  1. Launch Chrome, then type “chrome://extensions” (no quotes) inside the URL box.
  2. Hit Enter.
  3. Go to the top of the page, then toggle the ‘Developer mode’ switch to ‘On’. Doing so will allow you to get more information about the extensions added to your browser.
  4. Search for the extension installed by a policy. It should be the one that you cannot normally remove from the Extensions page.
  5. Copy the extension’s ID by pressing Ctrl+C on your keyboard.

Often, extensions that you cannot uninstall do not have the Remove button. However, you can still remove them via the Windows Registry. Before you proceed, remember that the Registry Editor is a powerful yet sensitive tool. When you mishandle it, your system may experience instability issues. So, we recommend that you create a backup of your registry.

If you are confident with your tech skills and you are certain that you will be able to follow the instructions to a tee, you can proceed with the steps below:

  1. Go to your taskbar, then click the Search icon.
  2. Inside the Search box, type “regedit” (no quotes), then hit Enter.
  3. Once the Registry Editor is up, go to the menu at the top, then click Edit.
  4. Select Find from the options, then paste the extension’s ID by clicking Ctrl+V on your keyboard.
  5. Click Find Next.
  6. Once the Registry Editor locates the ID, right-click the entry, then select Delete.

Note: Make sure you remove the whole registry value—not just the string within it.

  1. Now, go back to the menu at the top, then click Edit.
  2. Select Find Next and look for other entries that contain the extension’s ID. Delete those entries as well.

Note: You need to locate the keys that end with ‘ExtensionInstallForcelist.’ In most cases, you will find them in these locations:

HKEY_USERS\Group Policy Objects\Machine\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallForcelist

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallForcelist

  1. Once you’ve removed those entries, you can exit the Registry Editor.
  2. Restart Chrome, then type “chrome://extensions” (no quotes) inside the URL box. Press Enter to proceed.
  3. Now, you will be able to see the Remove button inside the unwanted extension. Click the button to get rid of the extension.

What other Chrome problems would you like us to resolve?

Feel free to ask your questions in the comments below!