How to Fix the PasswordBoss extension installation issue for Edge for Business (Legacy)
Written by Chris Liles
Updated at June 9th, 2026
Table of Contents
Overview
When deploying Password Boss on devices managed with Microsoft Edge for Business, the browser extension can fail to install or connect to the desktop application. This breaks the link between the extension and the local app, so autofill, saving logins, and other vault features stop working in the browser. This article explains why the issue happens and walks through three fixes, in order of preference, that restore the connection so the extension can communicate with the installed application again.
There are three ways to fix this problem. Try them in order — start with Option 1, and only move on if the previous option did not work.
Option 1 — Reinstall the Application
Reinstalling the application with elevated (administrator) privileges often resolves the issue.
- Uninstall the application using Settings -> Apps or Control Panel → Programs.
- Download the latest installer
- Right-click the installer file.
- Select Run as administrator.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
Option 2 — Import the Registry Fix File
A ready-made fix is provided in the file PasswordBossEdgeExtension.reg. Importing it into the Windows registry should resolve the problem.
- Download this file
- Locate the downloaded file on your computer.
- Double-click it.
- If Windows asks for permission, click Yes to allow the import.
- Click OK when the confirmation message appears.
Note: If the import fails or nothing happens, right-click the file and choose Merge, or try running it as an administrator.
Option 3 — Apply the Fix via Command Prompt
If the options above did not work, you can apply the fix manually using the Command Prompt.
- Press Windows and type CMD.
- Select Run as administrator.
- Click Yes if Windows asks for permission.
- In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each:
REG ADD "HKLM\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\passwordboss.browseroverlay.chrome" /ve /t REG_SZ /d "%LocalAppData%\PasswordBoss\extensions\Chrome\chromium_manifest.json" /f
REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\passwordboss.browseroverlay.chrome" /ve /t REG_SZ /d "%LocalAppData%\PasswordBoss\extensions\Chrome\chromium_manifest.json" /f
REG ADD "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Edge\NativeMessagingHosts\passwordboss.browseroverlay.chrome" /ve /t REG_SZ /d "%LocalAppData%\PasswordBoss\extensions\Chrome\chromium_manifest.json" /f
REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Edge\NativeMessagingHosts\passwordboss.browseroverlay.chrome" /ve /t REG_SZ /d "%LocalAppData%\PasswordBoss\extensions\Chrome\chromium_manifest.json" /f- Close the Command Prompt when done.
If none of the options above resolve the problem, please contact support for further assistance.