Site search settings
Verified with Google Chrome — updated on September 2, 2026
Supported on: Microsoft Windows 7 or later
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Google\Google Chrome User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Google\Google Chrome Description
This policy provides a list of sites that users can quickly search using shortcuts in the address bar. Users can initiate a search by typing the shortcut or @shortcut (e.g. @work), followed by Space or Tab, in the address bar. The following fields are required for each site: name, shortcut, url. The name field corresponds to the site or search engine name to be shown to the user in the address bar. The shortcut can include plain words and characters, but cannot include spaces or start with the @ symbol. Shortcuts must also be unique. For each entry, the url field specifies the URL of the search engine used during a search with the corresponding keyword. The URL must include the string '{searchTerms}', replaced in the query by the user's search terms. Invalid entries and entries with duplicate shortcuts are ignored. Site search entries configured as featured are displayed in the address bar when the user types "@". Up to three entries can be selected as featured. For a site search entry where allow_user_override is true, users have the ability to edit or disable that entry. However, featured engines (beginning with "@") can only be disabled. If a user modifies an entry that was initially created by this policy, it will no longer be managed by policy and will be treated like a user-created shortcut. When allow_user_override is false or unspecified for a site search entry, users cannot edit or disable that entry. The setting to allow user override is only supported on M139 and later; earlier versions will default to disabling user override. Users cannot create new site search entries with a shortcut previously created via this policy unless allow_user_override is set to true for the site search entry. In case of a conflict with a shortcut previously created by the user, the user setting takes precedence. However, users can still trigger the option created by the policy by typing "@" in the search bar. For example, if the user already defined "work" as a shortcut to URL1 and the policy defines "work" as a shortcut to URL2, then typing "work" in the search bar will trigger a search to URL1, but typing "@work" in the search bar will trigger a search to URL2. On Microsoft® Windows®, this policy is only available on instances that are joined to a Microsoft® Active Directory® domain, joined to Microsoft® Azure® Active Directory® or enrolled in Chrome Enterprise Core. On macOS, this policy is only available on instances that are managed via MDM, joined to a domain via MCX or enrolled in Chrome Enterprise Core. See https://chromeenterprise.google/policies/?policy=SiteSearchSettings for more information about schema and formatting. Example value: [ { "featured": true, "name": "Google Wikipedia", "shortcut": "wikipedia", "url": "https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Awikipedia.com+%s" }, { "name": "YouTube", "shortcut": "youtube", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%s" }, { "name": "Google Drive", "shortcut": "drive", "url": "https://drive.google.com/?q=%s", "allow_user_override": true } ]
Registry
Software\Policies\Google\Chrome Software\Policies\Google\Chrome Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
Applying both scopes creates an ambiguous configuration (computer takes precedence over user). Only do this intentionally.
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Site search settings
; State: Enabled
; Scope: Computer (HKLM)
; Supported on: Microsoft Windows 7 or later
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome]
"SiteSearchSettings"=""More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Site search settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 7 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SiteSearchSettings' -Value '' -Type StringIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Site search settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 7 or later
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome' -Name 'SiteSearchSettings' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Site search settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 7 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SiteSearchSettings' -Value '' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Site search settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 7 or later
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Site search settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 7 or later
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome' -Name 'SiteSearchSettings' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Site search settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 7 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SiteSearchSettings' -Value '' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.