Add-on Management

since 0.9.8.11

Purpose

Show registry keys (14)

HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\groove.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\excel.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\mspub.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\powerpnt.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\pptview.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\visio.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\winproj.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\winword.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\outlook.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\spdesign.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\exprwd.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\msaccess.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\onenote.exe
HKLM\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main\featurecontrol\feature_addon_management\mse7.exe

This setting controls the Internet Explorer FEATURE_ADDON_MANAGEMENT feature separately for the listed executable files. It applies when one of these applications processes web content through the Internet Explorer WebBrowser Control.

Each value is a REG_DWORD evaluated according to the host process name:

1 enables the feature for the corresponding application. Its embedded WebBrowser Control then honors add-on decisions made through Internet Explorer Add-on Manager or administrative policy. An add-on disabled by either mechanism is also prevented from running or being installed in that process.
0 disables this additional enforcement for the corresponding application. It does not block all add-ons; it turns off the feature that applies Internet Explorer add-on management decisions to that host.

Each value affects only the executable identified by its value name. It does not control the application as a whole or generally govern Office, COM, or VSTO add-ins.

Notes

Security

When FEATURE_ADDON_MANAGEMENT is enabled, a component blocked through Internet Explorer or an administrative add-on policy cannot remain usable merely because web content is hosted inside an affected Office process. This particularly reduces the risk of an already disabled, unwanted, or vulnerable browser add-on being loaded through an embedded WebBrowser Control.

The setting does not determine by itself which add-ons are trustworthy. It does not block an add-on unless the add-on has been disabled by the user or by an applicable administrative policy. It is not a standalone allowlist and does not replace other Office or ActiveX security policies.

Possible side effects

Web-based features or document content can lose functionality when they depend on an add-on that has been disabled through Internet Explorer Add-on Manager or policy. The effect is limited to processes for which the feature is enabled.

Notes

This feature is part of the legacy Internet Explorer and WebBrowser Control infrastructure. It affects only application components that actually host that control; ordinary document processing and other Office add-in frameworks are not directly governed by it.

The Office administrative template and Microsoft's Office security documentation identify the OneNote-related entry as onent.exe. The supplied value name onenote.exe is technically distinct because feature-control values are matched to the executable host name. When assessing existing registry data, verify which value name was produced by the Office template in use.