Skip to main content

Windows Firefox Extension Policy

Updated this week

Overview

The Windows Firefox Extension Policy lets you manage Firefox browser extensions on Windows devices through Swif. You can:

  • Enable the Swif Firefox Extension

  • Silently install specific extensions

  • Uninstall unwanted or disallowed extensions

  • Lock important extensions so users cannot disable or remove them

This policy supports:

  • Device types: BYOD and company‑owned

  • Platform: Windows

  • Minimum OS: Windows 10 or later

Use this policy when you want consistent Firefox extension behavior across your Windows fleet—for example, to ensure the Swif Extension is present and to control which other extensions are allowed.

Policy Fields

1. Swif Extension

  • Display name: Swif Extension

  • Type: Toggle (On / Off)

  • Description: Enable Swif Firefox Extension on the device.

Behavior

  • On – Swif will ensure the Swif Firefox Extension is enabled in Firefox (where supported).

  • Off – Swif will not enforce the Swif Firefox Extension.

Recommended: Turn this On for managed devices where you rely on Swif’s browser-based controls or insights.

2. Install

  • Display name: Install

  • Type: List of text values

  • Description: A list of URLs or native paths for extensions to be installed.

Use this field to specify which Firefox extensions should be silently installed on devices.

You can provide one entry per line. Each entry can be:

  • A URL to the extension package (for enterprise/self-hosted deployments), or

  • A native path on disk where the extension is stored.

Example entries

C:\Program Files\MyCompany\Extensions\my-extension \\fileserver\extensions\security-extension https://extensions.mycompany.com/firefox/security-addon.xpi

Note: Firefox does not support silent installation from the public Firefox Add-ons (AMO) store via a simple URL. For managed environments, extensions are usually deployed from:

  • A local or network path (XPI file), or

  • A custom internal web server hosting the XPI.

3. Uninstall

  • Display name: Uninstall

  • Type: List of text values

  • Description: A list of extension IDs that should be uninstalled if found.

Use this field to automatically remove extensions you do not want on managed devices.

Each value in the list should be a Firefox extension ID.

Example entries

bad-extension@example.com 
unapproved-toolbar@vendor.com 
legacy-plugin@oldcorp.net

When the policy applies, if any of these extensions are present in Firefox, they will be removed.

4. Locked

  • Display name: Locked

  • Type: List of text values

  • Description: A list of extension IDs that the user cannot disable or uninstall.

Use this field for critical or mandatory extensions. Once locked, users will not be able to:

  • Disable the extension

  • Remove the extension

Each entry must be a Firefox extension ID.

Example entries

swif-extension@swifteam.com 
security-addon@mycompany.com 
compliance-monitor@corp.local

Tip: A common pattern is to:

  • Add an extension’s ID to Install (to ensure it exists), and

  • Add the same extension ID to Locked (to ensure it remains active).

Finding URLs or Native Paths for Firefox Extensions

The Install field requires either:

  • A URL where the extension package (XPI) is hosted, or

  • A native file path (local or network) to the extension.

Below are typical ways to obtain those.

1. From an Internal File Share (Recommended for Enterprises)

If your organization centrally distributes extensions:

  1. Locate the shared folder where your IT team stores extension packages (usually .xpi files).

  2. Right-click the extension file (e.g., security-addon.xpi) and select Properties.

  3. Copy the full path:

    • Local example:
      ​C:\Program Files\MyCompany\Extensions\security-addon.xpi

    • Network example:
      ​\\fileserver\extensions\security-addon.xpi

  4. Paste that path as a new line in the Install field.

This allows Firefox (via your device configuration) to install the extension from that location.

2. From an Internal Web Server

If your extensions are hosted on a web server:

  1. Open the URL to the extension package in a browser on a test machine.
    Example:
    ​https://extensions.mycompany.com/firefox/security-addon.xpi

  2. Confirm that downloading the URL gives you the extension .xpi file.

  3. Use that exact URL as an entry in the Install list.

3. From an Existing Local Installation (Advanced / For Testing)

If you already installed the extension manually on a test machine, you can often find the installed XPI file and then host or copy it to a managed location:

  1. In Windows File Explorer, go to the Firefox profile folder. A common path is:
    ​C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\

  2. Open the profile folder (it usually looks like xxxx.default-release).

  3. Look for a folder like extensions.

  4. Inside, you may see .xpi files named with the extension ID or a GUID.

  5. Copy the .xpi file to:

    • A central file share, or

    • An internal web server.

  6. Use the new network path or URL in the Install field.

Note: Directly pointing all devices to the per-user profile path is not recommended. Instead, copy the extension to a shared, stable location.

Finding Firefox Extension IDs

The Uninstall and Locked fields both require extension IDs. Here are reliable ways to find them.

Method 1: From Firefox Add-ons Manager (Most Common)

  1. On a Windows device with Firefox installed, open Firefox.

  2. In the address bar, go to:
    ​about:addons

  3. Go to the Extensions section.

  4. Click the ••• (More Options) next to the extension and choose Manage (or simply click its name).

  5. Look for:

    • Extension ID, if shown, or

    • A “More Information” / “Support” link that may reveal the ID.

If the ID is directly visible, copy it and add it to:

  • Uninstall – to remove this extension when found.

  • Locked – to prevent removal or disablement.

Method 2: Using about:support (Technical, but reliable)

  1. In Firefox, open a new tab.

  2. Go to:
    ​about:support

  3. Scroll down to Extensions.

  4. Find the extension in the list.

  5. Look for a field like ID next to the extension.

Copy that ID exactly as shown. It usually looks like an email-style identifier:

my-extension@example.com 
company-extension@corp.local

Paste this value into Uninstall or Locked, depending on how you want to manage the extension.

Method 3: From the Extension’s Installed Files (Advanced)

If you have access to the extension’s package (.xpi):

  1. Make a copy of the .xpi file.

  2. Change the file extension from .xpi to .zip.

  3. Extract the contents to a temporary folder.

  4. Open manifest.json (for WebExtensions) or install.rdf (for older extensions).

  5. Look for:

    • "browser_specific_settings" / "gecko" → "id" in manifest.json, or

    • <em:id> in install.rdf.

Example from manifest.json:

"browser_specific_settings": {
  "gecko": {
    "id": "swif-extension@swifteam.com"
  }
}

Use the "id" value (swif-extension@swifteam.com) as the extension ID in your policy.

Practical Configuration Examples

Example: Enforce Swif Extension and Remove a Legacy Toolbar

Result:

  • Swif Extension is installed and cannot be removed by users.

  • The old legacy toolbar is removed wherever it’s found.

Example: Lock Multiple Security Extensions

Result:

  • Both Swif and your security extension are installed and locked.

  • Users cannot disable or remove them.

Related Articles
Viewing Installed Browser Extensions in Swif
Swif Firefox Extension: Installation & Overview
Swif Edge Extension: Installation & Overview
Linux Firefox Extension Policy
Apple Firefox Extension Policy
Did this answer your question?