Push Chrome Extension

Goto Tools has a Chrome extension that automatically redirects “http://go/linkname” directly to https://goto.tools/linkname, so anyone can type go/linkname into the address bar. Any user can install the Goto Links extension from the Chrome Web Store, or an IT Administrator can push it to every employee.

The extension also registers go as an address-bar keyword: type go, press space, then the link name. That works even on a machine where go/linkname on its own would be treated as a search.

Using Firefox as well? Install the Goto Links add-on from Firefox Add-ons, or see Push Firefox Add-on to roll it out to every employee.

Pushing the extension to all employees

Chrome installs extensions silently through the ExtensionInstallForcelist policy. Every method below sets that one policy; the value is the extension ID, a semicolon, and the Chrome Web Store update URL:

cnonjhmogfgihphhpmknnjmhkfefaihg;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx

The extension ID is cnonjhmogfgihphhpmknnjmhkfefaihg. It is the last part of the Web Store URL and is also shown on chrome://extensions in Developer mode. Employees receive updates automatically from the Web Store with no policy change.

Google Admin console

If your organization uses Google Workspace or Chrome Browser Cloud Management, follow Google’s article on Automatically install apps and extensions. In short: go to Devices → Chrome → Apps & extensions (or Chrome browser → Apps & extensions for cloud-managed browsers), open the Users & browsers tab, select the organizational unit, then search for “Goto Links” or add it by ID. Under Installation policy, choose Force install and save.

Windows (Group Policy)

Import the Chrome ADMX templates, then set Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Google → Google Chrome → Extensions → Configure the list of force-installed apps and extensions. It writes:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallForcelist
  "1" = "cnonjhmogfgihphhpmknnjmhkfefaihg;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx"   (REG_SZ)

macOS (Jamf, Intune, or any MDM)

Deliver a configuration profile for the com.google.Chrome preference domain:

<key>ExtensionInstallForcelist</key>
<array>
  <string>cnonjhmogfgihphhpmknnjmhkfefaihg;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx</string>
</array>

Linux, or any machine without MDM

Save the following as /etc/opt/chrome/policies/managed/goto-links.json:

{
  "ExtensionInstallForcelist": [
    "cnonjhmogfgihphhpmknnjmhkfefaihg;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx"
  ]
}

To install it for employees while still allowing them to remove it, use the ExtensionSettings policy with normal_installed instead of the force list:

{
  "cnonjhmogfgihphhpmknnjmhkfefaihg": {
    "installation_mode": "normal_installed",
    "update_url": "https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx"
  }
}

Confirming a rollout worked

On a machine that has received the policy:

• chrome://policy lists the policies currently in effect. ExtensionInstallForcelist should show the value above with status OK.
• chrome://extensions should list Goto Links, marked as installed by your organization.
• Visit http://go/hello. It should land on goto.tools.

If the policy appears but the extension does not, check that the value has no spaces around the semicolon and that the machine can reach the Chrome Web Store.

Please contact us if you would like help rolling this out, or if you need a custom (e.g. yo/ instead of go/) version of the extension for your company.