Prevent browser from calling Companion app

Question

Windows 10; Confluence Server 7.4.5, Chrome 90; Edge 91

A user reports that when editing a Confluence attachment (Edge & Chrome), the Companion pop-up appears, but the app doesn't launch. Further investigation shows that the Companion app is not installed (but it may have been installed in the past and removed by, for example, remote patching)

Because of the way our desktop software is managed, installing Companion is not straightforward. I need to give users the option to work-around Companion.

My question is:

* assuming that Companion has been partially uninstalled, is there a setting that causes the browser to call Companion and can I edit it?
* is there a way that users can circumvent Companion?

Alex K · Answer

Hi @Simon Pearce ,

What you're describing sounds like the Companion executable/binary program files data has been deleted, but the association with the custom protocol handler has persisted.

Could you please check for either of the following registry entries, and if they exist, delete them.

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\atlassian-companion
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\atlassian-companion

Regards,
Alex

Brant Schroeder · Answer

@Simon Pearce - Welcome to the Atlassain Community.

Are you positive that the app is launching and you are not just being prompted to install?  If the app is launching I would suggest working with your system admin to reinstall and uninstall the application.  This should rectify the issue if the app is actually launching.

If the user is being prompted to install then you can always disable it for everyone - https://confluence.atlassian.com/conf613/administering-the-atlassian-companion-app-964961577.html