1. Hapara Support
  2. For Hāpara administrators
  3. Hāpara Highlights Installation and Configuration

Menu

Articles in this section

See more

Deploy Highlights extension to managed Windows & Mac devices (GPO, Intune, or other MDM) Follow

Jean-Luc
  • Updated

This article helps Admins deploy the Hāpara Highlights extension to managed Windows/macOS devices and ensure students appear online in Highlights.

Who this is for
Admins

Summary
Highlights on Windows/Mac requires all of the following: (1) students use Google Chrome, (2) the Highlights extension is deployed to managed devices, and (3) students sign in to the Chrome browser using their school-provided account (not only sign in to Google websites like Gmail or Docs).

The “student domain” is the domain currently configured with Hāpara and is used in your deployment URL.

Steps to Follow

  1. Confirm prerequisites
    1. Verify Google Chrome is installed on student devices.
    2. Confirm students will sign in to the Chrome browser using their school account (not only sign in to Google websites).
    3. Identify your student domain (the domain configured with Hāpara), for example: sunnyschool.org.
       
  2. Force-install the Highlights extension using your management tool (GPO, Intune, or MDM)
    1. In your management tool, locate the Chrome policy named: ExtensionInstallForcelist (force installs extensions).
    2. Add the following value (replace studentdomain with your Hāpara-configured student domain):
      aceopacgaepdcelohobicpffbbejnfac;https://extension.hapara.com/extension/updates/studentdomain
    3. Assign/apply the policy to the correct device group(s) and allow time for devices to receive the policy.
       

  3. Force Chrome browser sign-in and allow Chrome Sync

    These policies help ensure students sign in with their school account and that Chrome Sync is available which is critical for Highlights functionality. Configure these in the same place you manage other Chrome policies (GPO, Intune, Jamf, etc.).

    1. Set BrowserSignin to Force browser sign-in.
      (Policy name via UI is “Browser sign in settings”)
    2. Set RestrictSigninToPattern so students can only sign-in to a school account on school devices. Example pattern: *@students.school.com
    3. Enable Chrome Browser Sync.
    4. Ensure SyncDisabled is disabled. In Windows GPO, this policy is called "Disable synchronization of data with Google" and should be set to disable.

    Note: Forcing browser sign-in can lock existing unsigned Chrome profiles on devices. Plan accordingly if students currently use unmanaged/unsigned profiles.
     

  4. Verify the policy and extension installed correctly (recommended)
    1. On a student device, open: chrome://policy
      • Confirm ExtensionInstallForcelist is present/applied.
      • Confirm BrowserSignin and RestrictSigninToPattern are present/applied (if you set them).
         
    2. Open: chrome://extensions
      • Confirm the Highlights extension is installed and shows as Managed by your organization.
         
  5. Confirm students are signed in to Chrome
    1. Have the student open Chrome and sign in to the Chrome browser with their school account.
    2. Refresh Highlights and confirm the student appears online.
       

Additional Tips

  • If students are signed in to Google websites but not signed in to the Chrome browser, they may not appear online in Highlights.
  • If the extension installs but doesn’t work, re-check the deployment URL includes the correct student domain configured with Hāpara.
  • Deploying at the device level (recommended) helps ensure the extension installs consistently and can’t be removed by students.

Related Articles

Related articles