How Can I Make UiPath's Chrome Browser Extension More Reliable?

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#1

For an unknown reason, my Chrome Browser Extension stops working and disables UiExplorer ability to target website elements. The only fix is to use Task Manager to shut down all Chrome instances, and then to use the Tools->UiPath Extensions->Chrome to reinstall the extension. Then things continue to work again…for a few days.

After the UiPath Chrome Extension reinstallation:

  • I see the following dialog message (installed via policy per system.):
    chrome-uipath-extension-setup-result-message

  • Chrome toolbar no longer shows the UiPath Extension icon.

  • Chrome manage extensions->UiPath Web Automation Extension toggle switch is disabled:

    uipath-chrome-extension-toggle
    uipath-chrome-extension-toggle870×341 15.8 KB

  1. Is installation via policy per system normal?
  2. How can I see the UiPath Web Automation icon in the Chrome Toolbar?
  3. How can control the toggle button to enable or disable the extension?
  4. Can the Web Automation extension to be set and forget, with automatic updates?
#2

hey

From UiPath you just can install the extension, i think that those configs you want would be available from chrome.

maybe you can see the extension from the toolbar, clicking the puzzle icon you will get all the extension you have
image

also yes, this is the normal installation from uipath

you can go to chrome://extensions/ and search for uipath extension and just toggle to disable it
image

the last update was in 2 oct 2020, also i recommended to get it updated for more compatibility with the activities

image

hope it helps

regards!

#3

Thank you.

  1. The ability for me to toggle the extension off and on does not work. The toggle is disabled. Any suggestions?
#4

hey

if you click your extension and then click on manage extension, what will appear to you?
image

it shows something like this?

image
image1043×546 22.3 KB

#5

I see:

uipath-chrome-extension-toggle
uipath-chrome-extension-toggle870×341 15.8 KB

The toggle button is “greyed out”

#6

Have you admin rights in your machine?

#7

Yes, I have admin rights. This is the only chrome extension that has the toggle disabled!

#8

It sounds like there is something in your environment that’s disabling it. Could be antivirus, group policy, etc.

#9

Really weird, but I think that this is external to Uipath, by the moment you can delete and reinstall replacing the toggle, but see if there’s any chrome configuration that does not allow you to toggle

Regards

#10

Check to make sure your default preference file is not Read Only. LocalDisk, users, username associated with the environment you are on/AppData/Local/Google/Chrome/UserData/Default/and check the properties of Preferences. If it is read only any changes you make will not be saved. If you cannot get to this file and interact with this file then you have a group policy preventing the extension.

#11

I have full permissions to these folders and subfolders.

#12

The toggle button is disabled when the extension is installed by Group Policy. That’s how Google implemented it and it kind of makes sense; if it’s a policy to have the extension, then the users shouldn’t be able to delete it.

It’s possible to install the extension using other means, see the documentation: Extension for Chrome

But if you install offline instead of policy you may run into the issue where the extension gets disabled again. Policy is more solid from this standpoint.

#13

This definitely sounds like group policy (aka GPO) periodically updating on your machine (hence why it only happens every few days, as your machine resyncs itself) and changing some settings.

The “toggle UI ability is greyed out” (or sometimes, extension does not appear at all, even if installed) is usually a giveaway that something is being forced via GPO.

Generally, Chrome GPOs are set via Registry settings, so you can see them via Registry Editor (aka regedit.msc). Chrome settings will usually be under “Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome”.

DISCLAIMER for readers: Do NOT change anything in the registry, unless you know what you’re doing!

Google’s reference list can be found here: Chrome Enterprise Policy List & Management | Documentation . Search “extension” for the ones likely relevant to your issue.

There’s some documentation around Chrome policies for UiPath here: Chrome Group Policies

Would recommend (1) browsing under that registry location to see what’s set on your computer (or check in Chrome via “chrome://policy”), (2) read about any settings you find on the Google documentation page, (3) discuss with your corporate security team if you need an exception or changed settings because something they have set is conflicting with your installed extension.

#14

Thank you very much for your response. I’ve been researching this topic for the past few days and I believe your response is spot on!

Since this topic is much different than my initial question, I have posted a separate question in the forum and I hope someone has a proven way to address the issue:

#15

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