When deploying Chrome for Business via MSI, administrators often face two persistent issues:

• Undesired desktop shortcuts creation
• First-run experience prompts interrupting user workflow

The official Chrome Enterprise MSI (GoogleChromeStandaloneEnterprise64.msi) lacks standard MSI properties for customization, making silent deployments challenging.

Create a JSON file named initial_preferences in the installation directory with these settings:

{
  "distribution": {
    "skip_first_run_ui": true,
    "create_all_shortcuts": false,
    "do_not_create_desktop_shortcut": true,
    "do_not_create_quick_launch_shortcut": true,
    "do_not_create_taskbar_shortcut": true,
    "suppress_first_run_default_browser_prompt": true
  }
}

For domain environments, push these registry settings via GPO:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome]
"SuppressFirstRunBubble"=dword:00000001
"DefaultBrowserSettingEnabled"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Update]
"AutoUpdateCheckPeriodMinutes"=dword:00000000

Extract and modify the MSI package using Orca:

msiexec /a GoogleChromeStandaloneEnterprise64.msi /qb TARGETDIR=C:\ChromeUnpacked

Then edit the Property table to add:

• INSTALLSHORTCUT=0
• AUTO_LAUNCH_SETUP=0

For automated deployments, use this PowerShell snippet:

$ChromeMSI = "GoogleChromeStandaloneEnterprise64.msi"
$InstallArgs = @(
    "/i "$ChromeMSI"",
    "/qn",
    "INSTALLSHORTCUT=0",
    "AUTO_LAUNCH_SETUP=0",
    "REMOVEOLDVERSION=1"
)
Start-Process "msiexec.exe" -ArgumentList $InstallArgs -Wait

# Apply registry settings
New-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome" -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome" -Name "SuppressFirstRunBubble" -Value 1

After deployment, verify the configuration:

1. Check Chrome version with chrome://version
2. Confirm no desktop shortcuts exist
3. Launch Chrome and verify no first-run dialogs appear
4. Check registry settings with reg query

Many sysadmins hit this roadblock when deploying Chrome Enterprise - the official MSI installer lacks direct parameters for common customization needs. While traditional MSI packages expose properties like CreateDesktopShortcut or DisableFirstRun, Chrome's MSI wrapper doesn't follow this convention.

The most maintainable approach uses Chrome's master_preferences file. Place this JSON file in the installation directory before first run (typically C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application). Here's a sample that disables first-run tabs and suppresses the default shortcut creation:

{
  "distribution": {
    "skip_first_run_ui": true,
    "do_not_create_desktop_shortcut": true,
    "do_not_create_quick_launch_shortcut": true,
    "do_not_create_taskbar_shortcut": true,
    "suppress_first_run_default_browser_prompt": true
  },
  "first_run_tabs": []
}

For silent deployments, combine these techniques with your existing deployment tools:

1. Extract the MSI contents using:
   msiexec /a GoogleChromeStandaloneEnterprise.msi /qb TARGETDIR=C:\ChromeExtract
2. Modify the extracted files to include your master_preferences
3. Repackage using WiX or similar tools

If repackaging seems complex, leverage Chrome's ADMX templates. These policies achieve similar results:

• Computer Configuration → Disable First Run Experience
• User Configuration → Suppress Shortcut Creation

For environments without centralized management, apply these registry settings during deployment:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome]
"SuppressFirstRunBubble"=dword:00000001
"DefaultBrowserSettingEnabled"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Update]
"DisableAutoUpdateChecksCheckboxValue"=dword:00000001