Disabling Google Chrome's "Experimental Third-Party Storage Partitioning" Feature: A Comprehensive Guide
Google Chrome, the ubiquitous web browser, constantly rolls out new features and experiments. While many aim to enhance user experience and security, some can inadvertently cause compatibility issues, especially within enterprise environments. One such feature is the "Experimental third-party storage partitioning," which, despite being labeled 'experimental,' is often enabled by default. This can lead to unexpected disruptions, particularly with web applications reliant on cross-site data sharing. This article explores this feature, its potential impact, and how to disable it using configuration profiles for both Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
Understanding the "Experimental Third-Party Storage Partitioning" Feature
The "Experimental third-party storage partitioning" feature in Chrome aims to enhance privacy by isolating website data. Traditionally, websites could access data stored by other sites, enabling cross-site tracking and personalized advertising. Enabling storage partitioning limits this access and is intended to prevent certain types of tracking. While beneficial in theory, this feature can disrupt the functionality of web applications that rely on third-party integrations or Single Sign-On (SSO) mechanisms. As highlighted in the Jamf Nation community, users have reported issues with services like Zendesk integrations and Cloudflare Zero Trust due to this experimental feature. The core problem arises when these services need to share data across different domains, and the storage partitioning prevents this communication.
Why Disable It? Potential Issues and Use Cases
Disabling the experimental storage partitioning is important for maintaining the functionality of critical web applications in various business settings. Key scenarios where this setting can cause issues include:
- Broken Integrations: Web applications that rely on third-party integrations may fail to function correctly, leading to workflow disruptions.
- SSO Problems: Single Sign-On (SSO) services that authenticate users across multiple domains can experience authentication failures.
- Incompatible Web Apps: Legacy or poorly coded web apps can break down, impacting productivity and user experience.
How to Disable the Feature: A Step-by-Step Guide
Fortunately, disabling the "Experimental third-party storage partitioning" feature is straightforward through the use of configuration profiles. Here's how to do it for both Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge:
1. Creating a Configuration Profile
You'll need a mobile device management (MDM) solution, such as Jamf Pro, or a profile editor on macOS to create a configuration profile. The steps below outline the key settings:
2. Configuring the PLIST File
The critical step is configuring the PLIST file with the appropriate key-value pair. The key is DefaultThirdPartyStoragePartitioningSetting, and the value should be 2. This value effectively disables the partitioning and restores the previous behavior.
3. Specifying the Application Domain
Ensure that the configuration profile is applied to the correct application domain. The application domain for Google Chrome is com.google.Chrome, and for Microsoft Edge, it’s com.microsoft.Edge. Specifying the correct domain ensures that the policy is applied only to the targeted browser.
4. Deploying the Profile
Deploy the configuration profile using your MDM solution to the managed devices. This ensures that the policy is consistently applied across your organization, eliminating potential compatibility issues.
5. Verifying the Deployment
After deploying the profile, it's essential to verify that the policy has been successfully applied. Here’s how you can do this:
- Restart Chrome/Edge: Quit and reopen the browser to ensure that the new policy takes effect.
- Check Chrome/Edge Policies: Type
chrome://policyoredge://policyin the address bar to access the policies management page. This page displays all active policies applied to the browser. - Verify Configuration: Look for the
DefaultThirdPartyStoragePartitioningSettingpolicy and confirm that its status is set to "OK" and its value is "2." - Test Affected Websites: Finally, test the websites and web applications that were previously affected by the experimental feature. Verify that they are now functioning correctly.
JSON Schema and Customization (Optional)
For advanced users, creating a custom JSON schema for Chrome and Edge policies can provide enhanced control and automation. A JSON schema defines the structure and validation rules for configuration data, ensuring that policies are correctly formatted and applied. Creating JSON schema is an advanced task, but several resources are available online to guide you through creating a custom JSON schema.
Conclusion
While Google’s "Experimental third-party storage partitioning" feature aims to improve user privacy, it can inadvertently disrupt the functionality of web applications. By understanding the potential impact and following the steps outlined in this guide, you can effectively disable the feature and maintain the functionality of critical systems. Regularly reviewing Chrome's experimental features and testing their impact on your environment will help ensure a smooth user experience across your organization.
