Define a list of protocols that can launch an external application from listed origins without prompting the user

What it does

Allows you to set a list of protocols, and for each protocol an associated list of allowed origin patterns, that can launch an external application without prompting the user. The trailing separator should not be included when listing the protocol, so list "skype" instead of "skype:" or "skype://". If this policy is set, a protocol will only be permitted to launch an external application without prompting by policy if the protocol is listed, and the origin of the site trying to launch the protocol matches one of the origin patterns in that protocol's allowed_origins list. If either condition is false the external protocol launch prompt will not be omitted by policy. If this policy is not set, no protocols can launch without a prompt by default. Users may opt out of prompts on a per-protocol/per-site basis unless the ExternalProtocolDialogShowAlwaysOpenCheckbox policy is set to Disabled. This policy has no impact on per-protocol/per-site prompt exemptions set by users. The origin matching patterns use a similar format to those for the 'URLBlocklist' policy, which are documented at https://support.google.com/chrome/a?p=url_blocklist_filter_format. However, origin matching patterns for this policy cannot contain "/path" or "@query" elements. Any pattern that does contain a "/path" or "@query" element will be ignored. See https://cloud.google.com/docs/chrome-enterprise/policies/?policy=AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins for more information about schema and formatting. Example value: [ { "allowed_origins": [ "example.com", "http://www.example.com:8080" ], "protocol": "spotify" }, { "allowed_origins": [ "https://example.com", "https://.mail.example.com" ], "protocol": "teams" }, { "allowed_origins": [ "*" ], "protocol": "outlook" } ]

What it writes

Hive

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER

Registry key

Software\Policies\BraveSoftware\Brave

Options

Configure and deploy

Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\BraveSoftware\Brave]
"AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins"=""

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Define a list of protocols that can launch an external application from listed origins without prompting the user
# Name: AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: brave.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\BraveSoftware\Brave' -Name 'AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins' -PropertyType 'String' -Value ''

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_brave/AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()

function Test-RegistryValueExists {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}

function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    $valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
        return $false
    }

    $actual = $valueObject.$Name
    switch ($Kind) {
        'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
        'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
        'MultiString' {
            $actualArray = @($actual)
            $expectedArray = @($Expected)
            if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
                if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        'Binary' {
            $actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
            $expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
            if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
                if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
    }
}

# Policy: Define a list of protocols that can launch an external application from listed origins without prompting the user
# Name: AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: brave.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\BraveSoftware\Brave' -Name 'AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins' -Kind 'String' -Expected ''
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\BraveSoftware\Brave\AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins') | Out-Null
}

if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
    Write-Output 'Compliant'
    exit 0
}

$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Define a list of protocols that can launch an external application from listed origins without prompting the user
# Name: AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: brave.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\BraveSoftware\Brave' -Name 'AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins' -PropertyType 'String' -Value ''

History 44 retained releases

1. 1.92.1342 Jul 2026
   • Description … that does contain a "/path" or "@query" element will be ignored. See https://c[removed: loud.google.com/docs/chrome-enterpris][added: hromeenterprise.googl]e/policies/?policy=AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins for more information about schema and formatting. Example value: [ { "allowed_origins": …
     Whole description, marked

     Allows you to set a list of protocols, and for each protocol an associated list of allowed origin patterns, that can launch an external application without prompting the user. The trailing separator should not be included when listing the protocol, so list "skype" instead of "skype:" or "skype://". If this policy is set, a protocol will only be permitted to launch an external application without prompting by policy if the protocol is listed, and the origin of the site trying to launch the protocol matches one of the origin patterns in that protocol's allowed_origins list. If either condition is false the external protocol launch prompt will not be omitted by policy. If this policy is not set, no protocols can launch without a prompt by default. Users may opt out of prompts on a per-protocol/per-site basis unless the ExternalProtocolDialogShowAlwaysOpenCheckbox policy is set to Disabled. This policy has no impact on per-protocol/per-site prompt exemptions set by users. The origin matching patterns use a similar format to those for the 'URLBlocklist' policy, which are documented at https://support.google.com/chrome/a?p=url_blocklist_filter_format. However, origin matching patterns for this policy cannot contain "/path" or "@query" elements. Any pattern that does contain a "/path" or "@query" element will be ignored. See https://c[removed: loud.google.com/docs/chrome-enterpris][added: hromeenterprise.googl]e/policies/?policy=AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins for more information about schema and formatting. Example value: [ { "allowed_origins": [ "example.com", "http://www.example.com:8080" ], "protocol": "spotify" }, { "allowed_origins": [ "https://example.com", "https://.mail.example.com" ], "protocol": "teams" }, { "allowed_origins": [ "*" ], "protocol": "outlook" } ]

2. 1.88.13214 Mar 2026
   • Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

42 later releases left it unchanged.

Template

Internal name

AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins

Namespace

BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave

Template file

brave.admx

Release

Brave Browser 1.89.145 · file set 770be8c14e479ef4…

<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins)" explainText="$(string.AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\BraveSoftware\Brave" name="AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins" presentation="$(presentation.AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:brave" />
      <supportedOn ref="BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:SUPPORTED_WIN7" />
      <elements>
        <text id="AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins" maxLength="1000000" valueName="AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins" />
      </elements>
    </policy>

<presentation id="AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions"><textBox refId="AutoLaunchProtocolsFromOrigins"><label>Define a list of protocols that can launch an external application from listed origins without prompting the user</label></textBox></presentation>

BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:category:Cat_Brave
<category displayName="$(string.Cat_Brave)" name="Cat_Brave" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:category:brave
<category displayName="$(string.brave)" name="brave" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:Cat_Brave" />
    </category>
BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:definition:SUPPORTED_WIN7
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WIN7)" name="SUPPORTED_WIN7" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:category:Cat_Brave
<category displayName="$(string.Cat_Brave)" name="Cat_Brave" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:Cat_Brave">Brave Software</string></strings>
BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:category:brave
<category displayName="$(string.brave)" name="brave" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:Cat_Brave" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:brave">Brave</string></strings>
BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:definition:SUPPORTED_WIN7
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WIN7)" name="SUPPORTED_WIN7" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="BraveSoftware.Policies.Brave:SUPPORTED_WIN7">Microsoft Windows 7 or later</string></strings>