- 19 Sep 2024
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Mass deployment of the Browser Extension
- Updated On 19 Sep 2024
- 4 Minutes To Read
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Whatfix content can be mass deployed on popular browsers like Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Edge, and Safari. This can be done both on Windows and Mac (for most browsers). Rolling out the extension as part of an IT policy ensures that Whatfix content is available for all users of an organization.
For more information on mass deployment of the Firefox extensions, contact support@whatfix.com.
Prerequisites
Before proceeding with the mass deployment, ensure that you have the following based on installation method:
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Intune Subscription: Obtain an active Microsoft Intune subscription and administrative access to the Intune portal. For more information, see How to sign up to Microsoft Intune?
NoteAdmin access is mandatory to add a new script in Intune.
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You need either one of the following:
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MSI Package: You must have the MSI file of the Whatfix extension. To get the MSI installer file, see Single Installer for Whatfix Extensions.
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PowerShell: Ensure that PowerShell is installed on the devices where the deployment will take place. The minimum required version is PowerShell 3.0 or higher.
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Whatfix extension can be mass deployed using the following ways:
- Using Powershell
- Using MSI
- Using Intune
Deployment Method | Supported Browsers | Supported OS |
---|---|---|
PowerShell | Google Chrome, Edge (Chromium) | Windows |
MSI Package | Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Edge, Safari | Windows |
Microsoft Intune | Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Edge, Safari | Windows, Mac |
The Whatfix extension can be deployed for one or more users on a computer by using a PowerShell script. You can deploy both the Chrome and Edge (Chromium) extensions using this method.
This method is only for Windows users. For mass deployment on macOS, contact support@whatfix.com.
Use the following steps to bulk install Whatfix extension using PowerShell:
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On the Whatfix Guidance dashboard, click Settings.
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Click Content deployment.
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Click Details.
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Note down the Extension ID of the Chrome Store or Edge Store and download the corresponding Powershell Script.
NoteFor more information, see Manage Extensions on the Whatfix Dashboard.
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Open PowerShell in Administrator mode.
your title goes hereIn case you do not have PowerShell installed on your computer, see Install PowerShell.
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Paste either one of the following commands in PowerShell:
NoteYou can choose to deploy Whatfix for a particular user in the computer, or for every single user. For example, suppose three users, A, B and C, use a computer in your organization- each with their own login credentials and local app data. The Whatfix extension can be deployed on a machine level (for all the three users), or for any one of them, be it A, B or C.
For Chrome store
* For all users in the machine:
.\Chrome-ExtensionInstall.ps1 -Extension /ExtensionId/ -Hive Machine
* For specific user in the machine:
.\Chrome-ExtensionInstall.ps1 -Extension /ExtensionId/ -Hive User
Replace /ExtensionId/ in the aforementioned commands with the unique Extension ID you noted in Step 4.
For Edge store
* For all users in the machine:
.\EdgeChromium-ChromeStoreExtensionInstall -Extension /ExtensionId/ -Hive 'Machine'
* For specific user in the machine:
.\EdgeChromium-ChromeStoreExtensionInstall -Extension /ExtensionId/ -Hive 'User'
Replace /ExtensionId/ in the aforementioned commands with the unique Extension ID you noted in Step 4.
- Press Enter.
When the browser is reopened, the Whatfix extension is installed in the background.
- The following steps need to be performed from an Admin account.
- Ensure that you have the MSI installer.
Use the following steps to install the Whatfix Player app on a system level:
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In the Windows search bar, type cmd, and then click Run as administrator.
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The Command Prompt opens in Admin mode.
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Run the following command to install the Whatfix extension file.
msiexec.exe /i Whatfix_Extension_Installer_Name.msi ORG="ORG_ID" /q /l*v out.txt
your title goes hereReplace Whatfix_Extension_Installer_Name with the chosen installer name.
The following table explains each parameter and whether or not it is required in the code:
Parameter Description Mandatory ORG The ORG is a unique identifier assigned to your organization. To get the value for ORG (i.e., Enterprise ID), contact your Whatfix Representative. Mandatory value /l*v These are the installer logs. Optional /q This parameter ensures that the installation of the extension is done silently on your desktop. Optional -
Press the Enter key.
NoteIf there is no error message, the installation is successful.
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Every time a user signs up or signs into the Windows machine for the first time, the Player app is installed in the localappdata of their respective user profile.
The Whatfix extension can be mass deployed for all the users in your organization by using Microsoft Intune. This can be done both on Windows and Mac (for most browsers). This ensures that the process becomes streamlined and efficient, and does not require you to deploy Whatfix on a machine-to-machine basis.
Mass deployment of the Whatfix extension consists of the following steps:
Steps for Mass Deployment of Intune using MSI or PowerShell
Step 1: Configure Intune Script Deployment Policy
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Open the Intune portal and go to the Devices section.
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Under Devices | Overview, search for Scripts and then on the results page, select it.
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Click Add to create a new script policy.
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Select the platform to which you wish to deploy the script, either Mac or Windows.
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Provide a Name and Description for the script policy.
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In the Script settings section, upload the MSI file or PowerShell script of the Whatfix extension.
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Configure the desired assignment settings for the script policy, such as targeting specific devices, user groups, or all devices in the organization.
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Save and assign the script policy.
NoteFor detailed instructions, see Deploy Powershell using Intune.
Step 2: Validate the Installation
To validate whether mass deployment using Intune is done or not, open any of the users' browsers and check if the Whatfix extension is available.