With Read&Write for Google Chrome 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
Create/Edit profiles
Export Profile to be used as default settings example
Deploy the policy files through the Google Admin Console or Windows Group Policy
Create/Edit Profiles
In your Read&Write for Google Chrome settings (Click the three dots on the toolbar, then "settings")
You can click the "Profiles" option on the top left to create and swap between Settings Profiles.For the purpose of exporting settings, you can edit your default or create a new profile. While that profile is selected browse through all the setting's tabs and set the preferred defaults.
Export Profile to be used
In your Read&Write for Google Chrome settings, click on the "profiles" option at the top left. Select a profile you have edited to act as your template for user default settings.
Then scroll down and click the "export profile" button shown below
This will download 3 files:
A Json file which can be used to deploy via the Google Admin console.
A Chrome reg file which can be used to deploy via Group Policy for Chrome for Windows users.
An Edge reg file which can be used to deploy via Group Policy for Edge for Windows users.
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
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.