With Read&Write for Google Chrome version 2.0 administrators can now change the Read&Write for Google Chrome default settings for all users across a domain.
To change settings on the toolbar for exams or to turn features off for all users, please see Read&Write for Google Chrome Feature Switching for Tests and Exams
Overview
These instructions are for deploying Read&Write for Google Chrome with customized default settings that can be changed for users on a G Suite for Education domain, OU or deployed to users via Group Policy with Windows.
Please note:
Pushing out the file with the new default settings does not override the current settings for existing users. It will only set the defaults for new users. It is recommended to remove any previous deployments to ensure that all users receive the updated default settings.
Steps
Download the policy files (see Files Download below for link)
Edit the policy files to change the default settings
Deploy the policy files through the Google Admin Console or Windows Group Policy
Files Download
To download the files click here.
This will open a folder where you can select the proper file for your deployment.
thrwpreferences.ison is for deployments using the Google Admin Console
thrwpreferences.reg is for deployments using Windows Group Policy
Follow the instructions for either deploying through the Google Admin Console or by Windows Group Policy
Deploying File through the Google Admin Console
Editing the Preferences File
To setup Read&Write for Google Chrome with new default settings, the following instructions can be used:
Open the thrwpreferences.json file in Notepad or TextEdit (or any basic text editor)
To change the defaults, scroll to the "settings" section and change the values you'd like to set as defaults
For example, to change the setting to allow words in the Prediction window to be read when the mouse cursor hovers over a word, change the value "predictOnHover": from false, to true,
To change a value such as the toolbar theme from light to dark, locate "theme" and change the value "Light", to "Dark",
Translation languages can also be set to default by locating "translation": "fr", and changing to another language such as Spanish as "sp",
The full list of values for defaults is linked at the bottom of the article under Default Settings List
Please note: When editing the file, the syntax must be in the same format as what is being replaced. In our example, changing the false value to true must be entered as true, and translation language must be entered as "sp",
The quotation marks and commas must be entered as shown for the file to be read correctly.
Once you're done editing be sure to save the thrwpreferences.json file
In the example below, the default translation language has been changed from French (fr) to Spanish (sp), the theme changed from Light to Dark, and "predictOnHover": from false, to true,
Setting Up the thrwpreferences.json in the Google Admin Console
Login to the Google Admin Console with your G Suite for Education domain administrator account.
Select Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions > Overview
Once in Overview click Users & Browsers locate and select Read&Write for Google Chrome™.
Copy the text from the thrwpreferences.json file and paste it into the line Enter a JSON value
Click the X in the upper right corner and that will save the configuration.
It is recommended to remove any previous deployments to ensure that all users receive the updated default settings.
Deploying File via Group Policy
See Files Download above to download the thrwpreferences.reg file. and save it to a location of your preference
Editing the Registry Preferences File
Navigate to the location where the policy files were downloaded and select the thrwpreferences.reg file.
Right click on the thrwpreferences.reg file and choose Open with and open with Notepad (or any text editor)
Scroll down to the section where you'll see "name"="Work Profile"
Here are some examples of how to change some of the default settings:
To allow words in the Prediction window to be read when the mouse cursor hovers over a word, change the value "predictOnHover": from =dword:00000000 to =dword:00000001
To change the toolbar theme from light to dark, locate "theme" and change the value "Light", to "Dark",
Translation languages can also be set to default by locating "translation": "fr", and changing to another language such as Spanish as "sp",
The full list of values for defaults is linked at the bottom of the article under Default Settings List
- Save the file in Notepad or the text editor you're using when finished editing for the features to be set as default when deployed to all users
Update the Windows Registry on the target computers to allow Read&Write for Google Chrome to be setup with the custom configuration.
This can be done by running the thrwpreferences.reg file on Windows machines running Read&Write for Google Chrome.
If you have many machines, then we recommend deploying the Registry changes via Microsoft Group Policy. This can be done by deploying the .reg file as a machine login script or by applying the contents of the .reg file as a Group Policy Registry Item.
It is recommended to remove any previous deployments to ensure that all users receive the updated default settings.
Default Settings List
To access the list for all of the default settings for how they must be entered into the files, please click here.