URL Content Redirection supports a custom user data directory path on Windows platform, such as the roaming application data folder %APPDATA%.

This is supported for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge Chromium for Windows Agent and Windows Client. RDSH Application mode is also supported. For Firefox, the URL extension is already installed under the roaming application data folder by default.

User Data Directory Setting

A custom user data directory path can be configured using a Chrome/Edge GPO. If it is not configured, the extension is always installed under the local application data folder %LOCALAPPDATA% by default.

Note: It is recommended that you not have users sharing the same user data directory path, but instead have a different path for each user.

Google Chrome Setting

  1. Add the Chrome browser policy template:
    1. Download the appropriate Google Chrome policy templates file from https://chromeenterprise.google/browser/download/#manage-policies-tab and extract the contents.
    2. Copy the chrome.admx files to your Policy Definition template folder.
    3. In the admx folder, open the appropriate language folder. For example, if you’re in the U.S., open the en-US folder.
    4. Copy the chrome.adml file to the matching language folder in your Policy Definition folder.
    5. Open the Group Policy Management Editor from Windows Administrative Tools to confirm the files loaded correctly.
  2. Set policies:
    1. Open Group Policy and navigate to Administrative Templates > Google Chrome.
    2. Find and open the policy Set user data directory.
    3. Choose an option:
      Option Description
      Enabled Configures the directory that Google Chrome uses for storing user data.
      Disabled Prevents the policy from affecting Chrome browser.
      Not Configured Resets the policy to its default.
Group Policy (ADMX) Information
Group Policy name Set user data directory
Group Policy path (Mandatory) Administrative Templates/Google Chrome/

This GPO is activated in both User and Computer Configuration, with Computer Configuration having higher priority.
Group Policy ADMX file name chrome.admx
Windows Registry Settings
Path (Mandatory) SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome
Value Name UserDataDir
Value Type REG_SZ
Priority HKLM > HKCU

Microsoft Edge Setting

  1. Add the Chrome browser policy template:
    1. Download the appropriate Microsoft Edge policy templates file from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/business/download and extract the contents.
    2. Copy the msedge.admx files to your Policy Definition template folder.
    3. In the admx folder, open the appropriate language folder. For example, if you’re in the U.S., open the en-US folder.
    4. Copy the msedge.adml file to the matching language folder in your Policy Definition folder.
    5. Open Group Policy Management Editor from Windows Administrative Tools to confirm the files loaded correctly.
  2. Set policies:
    1. Open Group Policy and navigate to Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge.
    2. Find and open the policy Set the user data directory.
    3. Choose an option:
      Option Description
      Enabled Configures the directory that Microsoft Edge uses for storing user data.
      Disabled Prevents the policy from affecting Microsoft Edge.
      Not Configured Resets the policy to its default.
Group Policy (ADMX) Information
Group Policy unique name UserDataDir
Group Policy name Set user data directory
Group Policy path (Mandatory) Administrative Templates/Microsoft Edge/

This GPO is activated in both User and Computer Configuration, with Computer Configuration having higher priority.
Group Policy ADMX file name MSEdge.admx
Windows Registry Settings
Path (Mandatory) SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge
Value Name UserDataDir
Value Type REG_SZ
Priority HKLM > HKCU

Supported Directory Path Variables for Windows

When configuring the policies above, you can use path variables instead of hard-coded paths. For example, to store your profile data under user roaming application data folder on Windows instead of the default location, set the UserDataDir policy to ${roaming_app_data}\Profile. On most Windows installations, this path resolves to C:\Users\<Current-user>\AppData\Roaming\Profile. Below is a list of the supported directory path variables for Windows which are common for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
Variable Description
${user_name} The user who is using Google Chrome/Microsoft Edge.
${machine_name} The machine name, possibly including the domain name.
${documents} The Documents folder for the current user.
${local_app_data} The Application Data folder for the current user.
${roaming_app_data} The Roaming Application Data folder for the current user.
${profile} The home folder for the current user.
${global_app_data} The system-wide Application Data folder.
${program_files} The Program Files folder for the current process. This folder depends on whether it's a 32-bit or 64-bit process.
${windows} The Windows folder.
${client_name} This variable is empty if it's used from a local session. If it's used in a path, prefix it with something that's guaranteed not to be empty.
${session_name} The name of the active session. Use this name to distinguish among multiple simultaneously connected remote sessions that are using a single user profile.