Configuring the axe DevTools Extension

Configuring the axe DevTools Browser Extension allows for control over features such as axe-core versions, testing standards, rule sets, collecting usage data, machine learning, best practices and more. However, for most users, the default axe DevTools Extension settings will work perfectly fine. This page explains how to configure the axe DevTools extension to work within your organization.

Configuration Via Extension Settings Page

Users can access the settings page in the extension by clicking the “Options” (three dots icon) menu item in the top menu bar and clicking the “Settings” menu item.

Available Settings

Appearance

Rules and Issues

Certain settings like "Select accessibility standard" and "Select axe-core Version" will indicate where specific default values come from:

• "(Org Default)": the enterprise organization's configured default value for the given setting (set by admin in axe Configuration)
• "(User Default)": the current user's configured default value for the given setting (set by user in axe Configuration)
• "(axe Default)": the axe Extension's default value for the given setting

Export Settings (Pro plan only)

Advanced Settings (Pro plan only)

Server Settings

Offline Mode (Enterprise feature)

Usage Service Organization/Department/Application

If you are using Deque’s reporting for usage service, use the following:

• Usage Service Organization: Obtain an identifier for your organization from your Deque contact (project manager/sales rep)
• Usage Service Department: Decide on unique values that will represent different teams/products that you want to track with the usage service. These values should be used as ‘Department’ values by various groups.
• Usage Service Application: Similar to Department above, you can use the Application setting for more granular data representation. This setting allows you to attach another attribute to your usage data.

Configuring Via Extension Policy

Chrome and Edge provide ways in which administrators can configure their users' environments, precisely controlling installed and configured extension options. For each setting configured via policy, this setting will automatically be applied and “locked” (disabled and unable to change) for all of your users. For any setting not configured by policy, your users will be able to freely change the values.

Due to the "offline" nature of the Offline Mode feature, axe Configuration settings cannot be pulled in. As a result, the only way to control settings for offline mode users across your organization is through extension policy (described below).

MacOS Policy Configuration

Create a configuration.plist file with the desired policy settings (see table below for breakdown of specific properties supported):

<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>com.google.Chrome.extensions.lhdoppojpmngadmnindnejefpokejbdd</key>
  <dict>
    <key>AxeURL</key>
    <dict>
      <key>state</key>
      <string>always</string>
      <key>value</key>
      <string>https://axe.biz</string>
    </dict>
    <key>UsageServiceURL</key>
    <dict>
      <key>state</key>
      <string>always</string>
      <key>value</key>
      <string>https://usage.biz</string>
    </dict>
    <key>DataGather</key>
    <dict>
      <key>state</key>
      <string>always</string>
      <key>value</key>
      <true />
    </dict>
  </dict>
</dict>
</plist>

Then load the plist file by executing the following command:

dscl -u YOUR_OS_ADMIN_USERNAME /Local/Default -mcximport /Computers/local_computer ./configuration.plist

$ GUID=\`uuidgen\`
$ ETHER=\`ifconfig en0 | awk '/ether/ {print $2}'\`
$ dscl -u admin_username /Local/Default -create /Computers/local_computer
$ dscl -u admin_username /Local/Default -create /Computers/local_computer RealName "Local Computer"
$ dscl -u admin_username /Local/Default -create /Computers/local_computer GeneratedUID $GUID
$ dscl -u admin_username /Local/Default -create /Computers/local_computer ENetAddress $ETHER

Finally, propagate changes by executing the following command:

sudo mcxrefresh -n YOUR_OS_ADMIN_USERNAME

Windows Policy Configuration

On Windows, policies are put into place by creating a registry entry.

Below is an example of what the registry entry should look like:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\3rdparty\extensions\lhdoppojpmngadmnindnejefpokejbdd\policy]
"PROPERTY_NAME"="PROPERTY_VALUE"

Where PROPERTY_NAME is one of the below properties and PROPERTY_VALUE is any valid value for the property (based on the "Type" column below). If multiple properties need to be declared they should be separated by a newline.

 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\3rdparty\extensions\lhdoppojpmngadmnindnejefpokejbdd\policy]
 "DataGather"="1"
 "UsageServiceURL"=https://usage.deque.com"
 "EnableAutomaticColorContrast"="1"
 "WCAGLevel"="wcag21aa"
 "IncludedNeedsReviewInIssueCount"="1"
 "AutomaticColorContrastReview"="Manual"

Available Configurable Settings Via Policy

Additional resources

For more information on how to take advantage of policies for configuring your users' machines and extensions, please refer to the respective Windows, Firefox and Chrome documentation linked below.

• Windows: To distribute these changes to your users, see Distributing Registry Changes documented by Microsoft

• Chrome: Configuring Apps and Extension by Policy

• Firefox: Native Manifests - Manifest