Registry hack to enable or disable third party Extensions and Add-ons for Internet Explorer

One advantage of using Global Policies is the ability to control what users can do - and not do - to their PCs in a coporate environment. This might, for example, involve the inhibiting of installing add-ins to Internet Explorer.

And this is exactly what one of our clients does - but occasionally one needs to over-ride the policy. Now with access to the Domain policy management system this is fine but if this is not possible this hack will allow a short term fix.

Remember that when the GPO is reapplied this fix will be overwritten - normally in about 15 minutes or so.

This registry hack will allow you to enable or disable third party Extensions and Add-ons for Internet Explorer.

1. Click START–>RUN and type REGEDIT

2. Click the plus sign next to HKEY_CURRENT_USER
then SOFTWARE
then Microsoft
then Internet Explorer
then Main

Set the value for Enable Browser Extensions

If the value doesn’t exist, you can create it by right-clicking Main and clicking New–>String Value

Set it to no if you wish for extensions to be disabled.
Set it to yes if you wish for extensions to be enabled.

This setting controls third party plug-ins for Internet Explorer including toolbars.