Chrome version 61 and later.
For administrators who manage Chrome Browser or Chrome devices for a business or school.
As a Chrome administrator, you can use the DownloadRestrictions policy to prevent users from downloading dangerous files, such as malware or infected files. You can prevent users from downloading all files or those that Google Safe Browsing identifies as dangerous. If users try downloading dangerous files, they get a security warning that they can’t bypass.
Step 1: Review the policy
Policy: DownloadRestrictions
Prevents users from bypassing Safe Browsing security warnings to download dangerous files. Or, prevents all downloads.
Set this policy with one of the following values:
- 0 - No restrictions: All downloads are allowed. Users still receive warnings about sites identified as dangerous by Safe Browsing. But, they can bypass the warning and access the site.
- 1 - Block dangerous downloads: All downloads are allowed, except those marked with Safe Browsing warnings for dangerous downloads.
- 2 - Block potentially dangerous downloads: All downloads are allowed, except those marked with Safe Browsing warnings for potentially dangerous downloads.
- 3 - Block all downloads: No downloads are allowed.
Unset: Defaults to No restrictions, as described above.
What the policy restricts
Setting this policy restricts downloads that are triggered on webpages when users click a download link on the page or right-click a file and choose Save link as.
However, restrictions do not apply when users save a webpage by clicking File Save page as, or Print
Save as PDF.
Step 2: Set the policy
Click below for steps, based on how you want to manage these policies.
Admin console-
Sign in to your Google Admin console.
Sign in using your administrator account (does not end in @gmail.com).
-
From the Admin console Home page, go to Devices
Chrome.
- Click Settings
Users & browsers.
- To apply the setting to everyone, leave the top organizational unit selected. Otherwise, select a child organizational unit.
- Scroll to Chrome Safe Browsing.
- For Download restrictions, choose an option:
- Block all downloads
- Block dangerous downloads
- Block potentially dangerous downloads
- No special restrictions
- Click Save.
Using Group Policy
- Go to Policies
Administrative Templates
Google
Google Chrome.
- Enable Allow Download Restrictions.
- Set an option:
- Block all downloads
- Block all dangerous downloads
- Block potentially dangerous downloads
- No special restrictions
- Deploy the policy to your users.
In your Chrome configuration profile, add or update the following key and then deploy the change to your users.
Set the DownloadRestrictions key to <integer>value</integer>, where <value> is 0, 1, 2, or 3.
Example code:
<key>DownloadRestrictions</key>
<dict>
<integer>1</integer>
</dict>
In your preferred JSON file editor, add or update a JSON file and then deploy the change to your users.
- Go to your etc/opt/chrome/policies/managed folder.
- Set the DownloadRestrictions key to 0, 1, 2, or 3.
Example code:
{
"DownloadRestrictions": "1"
}