Information Technology Services > Deploy Browser Policy to Preserve OneDrive and SharePoint Web Performance

Deploy Browser Policy to Preserve OneDrive and SharePoint Web Performance

Please see the following Microsoft recommendation:

Date: Late September 2025

The following work is being completed: Upcoming privacy-related changes in Chromium-based browsers (Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge) will increase restrictions on local network access, prompting users for permission when accessing OneDrive, SharePoint, and Microsoft Lists. Chrome and Edge will roll out this privacy related change as part of Chromium 141 at the end of September.

All affected groups: 

  • Users accessing OneDrive for Web, Microsoft Lists, and SharePoint Document Libraries via Chrome or Edge browsers
  • Microsoft administrators managing browser policies for Windows, macOS, and VDI environments

All affected processes: 

  • Users accessing OneDrive for Web (and some integrated Microsoft 365 experiences such as Microsoft Lists and SharePoint Document Libraries) will encounter a browser permission prompt for local network access.
  • Selecting Block for the prompt will result in reduced performance and loss of offline capabilities powered by OneDrive and Share Point.

Duration of impact: This is a permanent, Microsoft-driven change.

Necessary follow-up steps: WSU Microsoft administrators must deploy the following policy as soon as possible to ensure the browser permission prompt is suppressed for specified trusted Microsoft 365 endpoints and existing service functionalities are preserved.

  1. Identify Required Domains: Include applicable WSU SharePoint Online and OneDrive endpoints. Add additional sanctioned SharePoint Online host variations if applicable (e.g., specialized cloud environments).
  2. Configure Browser Policy:
    1. Set the Chromium policy LocalNetworkAccessAllowedForUrls to pre-authorize the listed domains.

                                                               i.      Set policy for Chrome

                                                             ii.      Set policy for Edge

  1. Apply via: ADMX/JSON for Windows; plist or configuration profile for macOS (Chrome and Edge)
  2. Roll out to all managed device groups (Windows, macOS, VDI as applicable).
  3. Deploy the allow-list to the following policies to prevent future prompts and avoid user confusion: DisableNucleusSync and DisableOfflineMode

Questions? Please contact Crimson Service Desk at crimsonservicedesk@wsu.edu or 509-335-4357.