Dropbox Dash Managed Client and Extension Deployment Guide

Overview

Dropbox Dash has a desktop app for both Windows and macOS, as well as browser extensions for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. If your organization uses device management platforms, such as Microsoft Intune or Jamf, you can download installation packages that can be deployed through those tools.

You can download the latest versions of the Dropbox Dash desktop app or browser extension in the Dropbox Dash admin console.

There are many ways to install software, and organizations use a wide range of products to manage devices company-wide. This guide doesn’t cover all possible methods. Instead, it highlights key steps, helps you gather essential details, and provide links to important guides for common solutions like Intune and Jamf.

Dash installation package for Windows

Admins can use the Microsoft Installer (MSI) package to deploy Dash for Windows through a device management platform. This MSI package supports standard command line options to suppress dialogs and allow standard logging. Dash installations via MSI packages are installed at the user level and must be installed for all users of the device. Learn more about adding MSI installers as Apps in Intune.

Currently, Dash does not support device-wide client installations on shared machines.

The MSI package for per-user deployment adds the Dash installer under the user’s profile. The Dash installer only adds Dash for Windows if it’s never been installed for the currently logged-in user.

Automatic updates aren’t current available, but will be included in an upcoming release. In the meantime, we recommend conducting a weekly review of the latest installer. If new versions are available, update your device management tool and deploy the latest version to your users.

To install the MSI Installer package:

1. Log in to dropbox.com with your admin credentials.
2. Click Admin console in the left sidebar.
3. Click the arrow next to Dash in the left sidebar, then click Settings.
4. In the Device management section, click the MSI button to download the latest version for your environment: ARM - 64bit or x86 - 32bit.

5. Configure your device management tool to deploy the package and assign it to your groups, users, and devices.
6. Once synced with your users’ devices, the Dropbox Dash app icon will appear on the Desktop and Start Menu.

Command line installation

If you prefer to use a command line to install the MSI packages, you can use a command line like the following. Learn more about Msiexec.

msiexec /package "Dropbox Dash <version>.msi" /norestart /log

Dash installation package for macOS

IT administrators can install the Dash for macOS package (PKG) company-wide through a device management platform. This package supports suppressing dialogs and standard logging.

Here are some important things to keep in mind when installing the package device-wide on shared devices:

• Dash macOS package installations are installed in the /Applications folder.
• Administrators must manually push software updates to users’ devices.

Future versions of the macOS installer will support automatic updates.

• Users with administrative rights can update software as needed; otherwise, admins must push updated versions to users’ machines.
• Dash doesn’t support per-user deployment.
• Automatic updates are possible as long as the user has administrative rights to perform them. Future versions of the macOS installer will support automatic updates.
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To install the macOS package:

1. Log in to dropbox.com with your admin credentials.
2. Click Admin Console in the left sidebar.
3. Click the arrow next to Dash in the left sidebar, then click Settings.
4. In the Device management section, click the PKG button to download the latest version for your environment:

5. Configure your device management tool to deploy the package and assign it to your groups, users and devices.
6. Once synced with users devices, the Dropbox Dash app icon will appear on the Applications folder.

Dash browser extension for Google Chrome

The Google Chrome browser extension allows users to easily access Dash from any web page. Learn more about browser policy and how to bulk-install extensions for users in your organization.

If you don’t assign a Dash license to your team members before they install the Dash web extension, they’ll receive an error message from Dash once it’s installed.

Learn how to automatically install apps and extensions in the Google Admin console or set Chrome app and extension policies (macOS).

How to find the Dash browser extension app ID for Google Chrome

To locate the latest browser extension:

1. Log in to dropbox.com with your admin credentials.
2. Click Admin console in the left sidebar.
3. Click the arrow next to Dash in the left sidebar, then click Settings.
4. In the Device management section, click the Chrome browser extension.

6. Copy the app ID from the URL and save it for use later.

How to install using a managed Chrome profile via Google Workspace

Follow these instructions to add the Dropbox Dash chrome extension in Google Workspace.

1. Open Google Workspace Admin console.
2. Click Devices, then click Chrome.
3. Click Apps & Extensions.

4. Click the Users & browsers tab.

How to add the Dash browser extension using Google Groups

Follow these instructions to add browser extensions using Google Groups.

You need to have a Google Group created for use here.

Ensure you have already created and set up a Security Group, e.g. ‘Dropbox Dash extension’

Add the Dash users to that group.

To add browser extensions using Google Groups:

1. Open Google Workspace Admin console.
2. Click Devices, and click Chrome.
3. Click Apps & Extensions, then click Groups.

4. Enter “Dash” in the search field and select your security group in the list.

5. Click the yellow plus icon and click Add Chrome app or extension by ID.

6. Enter the Dropbox Dash browser extension app ID you saved earlier, in the section “How to find the Dash browser extension app ID for Google Chrome”.
7. Click Save.

8. In the Installation policy section, click the down arrow next to Allow Install.

9. Select Force install + pin to browser toolbar.
   

If you select Force install, users can’t disable or remove this extension.

If you select Force Install + pin to browser toolbar and the Force install options above, end users can’t unpin the extension from the always-visible list of browser extensions.

10. Click Save.

How to deploy the Dash browser extensions using Organizational Units

Follow these steps to deploy browser extensions using Organizational Units (OUs).

To add browser extensions using OUs:

1. Open Google Workspace Admin console.
2. Click Devices, then click Chrome.
3. Click Apps & Extensions, then click Organizational Units.
4. Decide the level you want to give the Dash extension, and assign it to the entire organization or to a specific OU.

How to add extensions for Google Chrome on macOS

1. Open the Google help page: Set Chrome app and extension policies (Mac).
2. Expand the section “Set installation policies (automatically install, force install, allow, or block)”.
3. Download the sample config file: Download the complete configuration profile.
4. Open the downloaded file in a text editor of your choice.
5. Locate the section ‘ExtensionSettings’
6. Follow the templated example and the instructions in the Google help page to replace the values with the desired "installation_mode", e.g. force_installed.
7. Paste the Dash browser extension app ID you saved earlier, in the section “How to find the Dash browser extension app ID for Google Chrome”.

Example config within ‘ExtensionSettings’

<key>[Enter Dash app ID here]</key>

<dict>

   <key>installation_mode</key>

   <string>force_installed</string>

   <key>update_url</key>

   <string>https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx</string>

 </dict>

10. Once you’ve finished editing the config file, upload the file to your Device Management platform of choice and push that to the appropriate cohort of users.

Dash browser extension for Microsoft Edge

The Microsoft Edge browser extension allows users to easily access Dash from any web page. Learn more about browser policy and how to bulk-install extensions for users in your organization.

Follow the steps from Microsoft based on your operating system:

• Windows: Learn how to use group policies to manage Microsoft Edge extensions.
• macOS: Learn how to configure Microsoft Edge policy settings on macOS with Jamf or by using a property list.

How to find the Dash browser extension app ID

To find the Dash browser extension app ID:

1. Log in to dropbox.com with your admin credentials.
2. Click Admin console in the left sidebar.
3. Click the arrow next to Dash in the left sidebar, then click Settings.
4. In the Device management section, click the Edge browser extension.

5. Copy the app ID and URL and note this for use later.

How to install the Dash browser extension for Microsoft Edge using a configuration profile

You should be aiming to:

Install per user, not device-wide.

Use the force install option.

Choose to pin the application to the browser, if that option is available to you.

How to add the Dash browser extension for Microsoft Edge on Windows

Refer to Microsoft’s instructions on how to Use group policies to manage Microsoft Edge extensions. Specifically, review the section Force-install an Edge extension via Windows Group Policy.

1. Click Manage devices, then Configuration.
2. Create a new Policy.
3. Set the platform to Windows 10 and later.
4. Set the Profile type to Settings catalog.

5. Enter a name for the profile, like Dropbox Dash Edge Add-on.

6. On the Configuration settings page, click + Add settings.
7. Select Microsoft Edge, then Extensions.
8. Check the box next to Allow specific extensions to be installed (User).
   1. If you use block lists, check the box next to Extension IDs to exempt from the block list (User) as well.

9. Configure the Extensions options using the app ID and URL you saved earlier, in the section “How to find the Dash browser extension app ID”.

10. Click Save.

How to add the Dash browser extension for Microsoft Edge on macOS

Review these resources from Microsoft to deploy the Dash browser extension for Microsoft Edge on macOS:

• Learn how to configure Microsoft Edge policy settings on macOS with Jamf.
• Learn how to configure Microsoft Edge policy settings for macOS using a property list.

To force install the Dash browser extension on Microsoft Edge, follow the steps in this Microsoft guide: Browser policy reference.

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Use the preference domain com.microsoft.Edge.

Use the preference key name ExtensionInstallForceList, then enter the app ID and URL you saved earlier, in the section “How to find the Dash browser extension app ID”.