How to resolve Error: Loading of unpacked extensions is disabled by the administrator

How to resolve Error: Loading of unpacked extensions is disabled by the administrator

Introduction

You may get an error message while executing a test case on Chrome browser using the Start Web Browser building block as shown below.

Solution

Follow the steps to check if you have got any extensions blacklisted.

  1. Press Windows Key + R.
  2. Type regedit and click OK.
  3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallBlacklist and see if you are blocking extensions.
  4. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallBlacklist and see if you are blocking extensions.

If either of the above keys are set in the registry, it would imply that an administrator has configured your machine to refuse installation of chrome extensions. If this is the case, the WebDriver extensions will not be able to be loaded into Chrome hence the error.

Contact your IT team and find out why they have blacklisted chrome extensions. You will need them to delete it and restart your machine and run the test case again. The chrome browser will launch.

For any clarification, contact our Priority Support.