• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Technipages

Smart phone, gadget and computer tutorials

  • Topics
    • Android
    • Gaming
    • Hardware
    • Internet
    • iOS
    • MacOS
    • Office
    • Software
    • Windows
    • Definitions
  • Product Reviews
  • Downloads
  • About
Enable/Disable Internet Explorer Extensions and Add-Ons

Enable/Disable Internet Explorer Extensions and Add-Ons

By Mitch Bartlett 2 Comments

This tutorial shows you how to enable or disable the ability to run Extensions and Add-ons in Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Option 1 – From IE Settings

  1. Open Internet Explorer.
  2. Select the Settings Gear at the upper-right corner and choose “Internet Options“.
  3. Select the “Advanced” tab.
  4. Scroll down to the “Browsing” section.
  5. Check or uncheck the “Enable third-party browser extensions” as desired.
    Enable third party browser extensions setting
  6. Close Internet Explorer, then restart the computer for the setting to take effect.

Option 2 – Group Policy

  1. From the Group Policy Editor, expand the following:
    • Computer Configuration
    • Administrative Templates
    • Windows Components
    • Internet Explorer
    • Security Features
    • Add-on Management
  2. Set the “Deny all add-ons unless specifically allowed in the Add-on List” to one of the following settings:
    • Enabled – Does not allow add-ons unless they are listed in the “Add-on List” policy setting.
    • Disabled – Users may use add-ons.
  3. If you have set the policy to “Enabled“, be sure to also open the “Add-on List” policy setting and specify the CLSID for the add-on(s) you wish to allow.

Option 3 – Registry

  1. Login as the user you wish to change the setting for. Ensure that Internet Explorer is closed.
  2. Hold the Windows Key and press “R” to bring up the “Run” dialog box.
  3. Type “regedit“, then press “Enter“.
  4. Select “Yes” if prompted to allow access by User Account Control.
  5. Navigate through the registry
    • HKEY_CURRENT_USER
    • Software
    • Microsoft
    • Internet Explorer
    • Main
  6. Set the value for “Enable Browser Extensions“. If the value doesn’t exist, you can create it by right-clicking “Main” and clicking “New” > “String Value“. Set it to “no” if you wish for extensions to be disabled. Set it to “yes” if you wish for extensions to be enabled.

Enable Browser Extensions registry

Close the Registry Editor, and restart your computer. The next time you launch Internet Explorer, the ability to use add-ons and extensions will be modified as desired.

Note: If you have disabled extensions, the user will still be allowed to install or enable them under the Manage add-ons screen, but they will not work despite showing as “Enabled”.

FAQ

How do I find the CLSID to an Internet Explorer add-on?

Install the plugin in IE, then go to the Settings gear and choose “Manage add-ons“. From there you can right-click any add-on and select “More information”. The CLSID will be listed.

You Might Also Like

  • Enable or Disable JavaScript in Internet Explorer 11
    Enable or Disable JavaScript in Internet Explorer 11
  • Enable or Disable Cookies in Internet Explorer 11
    Enable or Disable Cookies in Internet Explorer 11
  • Fix Internet Explorer Crashes at Startup
    Fix Internet Explorer Crashes at Startup
  • Prevent Internet Explorer from Opening PDF Files
    Prevent Internet Explorer from Opening PDF Files
  • Can I Enable Extensions in Incognito Mode? How?
    Can I Enable Extensions in Incognito Mode? How?
  • How to Enable File Explorer Preview Pane in Windows 10
    How to Enable File Explorer Preview Pane in Windows 10
  • How to Remove or Disable Extensions in Google Chrome
    How to Remove or Disable Extensions in Google Chrome
  • How to Find and Disable Resource Hungry Chrome Extensions
    How to Find and Disable Resource Hungry Chrome Extensions
  • Outlook: Enable/Disable Add-ins
    Outlook: Enable/Disable Add-ins

Filed Under: Software Tagged With: ie

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. jj says

    April 11, 2018 at 8:59 am

    Option 2 for group policy. Testing this gpo on a W10 machine and I cannot get this to work. Machine is receiving the policy but the add-ons is not enabled. It still shows as “new” under status. I copied the clsid to notepad and recopied to the policy. Any advice?

  2. prasanna says

    August 17, 2016 at 3:14 am

    Great details shared. Very helpful

Did this help? Let us know! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Fix Skype Error: Exchange Needs Your Credentials
  • Fix Skype Notifications Not Working on Windows 10
  • Teams in Outlook: We Couldn’t Schedule the Meeting
  • VR Oculus Quest 2: How to Configure a New Room-Scale Boundary
  • VR Oculus Quest 2: How to Adjust Boundary Sensitivity
  • Dropbox: How To Change the Date Format
  • Microsoft Teams: There Was a Problem Saving the Photo
  • VR Oculus Quest 2: How to Set up Oculus Link

Who’s Behind Technipages?

Baby and Daddy My name is Mitch Bartlett. I've been working in technology for over 20 years in a wide range of tech jobs from Tech Support to Software Testing. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful reference for all.

Follow me on Twitter, or visit my personal blog.

You May Also Like

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer

© Copyright 2021 Technipages · All Rights Reserved · Privacy