Use the Default System Browser for SAML Authentication

Change the pre-deployed settings on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, and iOS endpoints to use the default system browser for SAML authentication.
You must set the pre-deployed settings on the client endpoints before you can enable the default system browser for SAML authentication. GlobalProtect retrieves these entries only once, when the GlobalProtect app initializes.
If there is no pre-deployed value specified on the end users’ Windows or macOS endpoints when using the default system browser for SAML authentication, the
Use Default Browser for SAML Authentication
option is set to
Yes
in the portal configuration, and users upgrade the app from release 5.0.x or release 5.1.x to release 5.2.0 for the first time, the app will open an embedded browser instead of the default system browser. After users connect to the GlobalProtect app and the
Use Default Browser for SAML Authentication
option is set to
Yes
in the portal configuration, the app will open the default system browser on Windows and macOS endpoints at the next login.
If the
default browser
value is set to
Yes
in the pre-deployed setting of the client machine and the
Use Default Browser for SAML Authentication
option is set to
No
in the portal configuration, end users will not have the best user experience. The app will open the default system browser for SAML authentication for the first time. Because the default browser values differ between the client machine and the portal, the app detects a mismatch and opens an embedded browser at the next login.
The
Use Default Browser for SAML Authentication
option of the Globalprotect portal and the pre-deployed settings in the client machine must have the same value to provide the best user experience.
On Windows endpoints, you can use the System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) to pre-deploy the GlobalProtect app 5.2 and set the
DEFAULTBROWSER
value to
yes
from the Windows Installer (Msiexec) using the following syntax:
msiexec.exe /i GlobalProtect.msi DEFAULTBROWSER=YES
On macOS endpoints, set the
default-browser
value to
yes
in the macOS plist (
/Library/Preferences/com.paloaltonetworks.GlobalProtect.settings.plist
) for the GlobalProtect app using the following syntax:
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.paloaltonetworks.GlobalProtect.settings.plist '{"Palo Alto Networks" ={GlobalProtect={Settings={default-browser=yes;};};};}'
You must specify the plist key to launch the default system browser for SAML authentication after GlobalProtect app 5.2 is installed.
After you add the plist key, you must restart the GlobalProtect app in order for the plist key to take effect. After you restart the GlobalProtect app, the default system browser for SAML authentication launches. To restart the GlobalProtect app:
Launch the Finder.

Open the Applications folder:

From the Finder sidebar, select
Applications
. If you do not see
Applications
in the Finder sidebar, select
Go
Applications
from the Finder menu bar.

Open the Utilities folder.

Launch Terminal.

Execute the following commands:

username>$ launchctl unload -S Aqua /Library/LaunchAgents/com.paloaltonetworks.gp.pangpa.plist       
username>$ launchctl unload -S Aqua /Library/LaunchAgents/com.paloaltonetworks.gp.pangps.plist
username>$ launchctl load -S Aqua /Library/LaunchAgents/com.paloaltonetworks.gp.pangpa.plist
username>$ launchctl load -S Aqua /Library/LaunchAgents/com.paloaltonetworks.gp.pangps.plist
On Linux endpoints, set the
default-browser
value to
yes
in the
/opt/paloaltonetworks/globalprotect/pangps.xml
pre-deployment configuration file under
<Settings>
. After you add the
default-browser
value, follow the pre-deployment instructions before you reboot the Linux endpoint in order for the change to take effect.
On Android and iOS endpoints, create a VPN profile by using the supported mobile device management system (MDM) such as Workspace ONE.
Log in to Workspace ONE UEM as an administrator.
Select an existing VPN profile (
Devices
Profiles & Resources
Profiles
) in the list.
Select
VPN
to add a VPN profile.
On Android endpoints, enter the
Custom Data Key
(
use_default_browser_for_saml
). Enter the
Custom Data Value
(
true
).
On iOS endpoints, enter the
Custom Data Key
(
saml-use-default-browser
). Enter the
Custom Data Value
(
true
).

Click
Save and Publish
to save your changes.
Set up SAML authentication to authenticate users.
In order for the default system browser for SAML authentication to not open multiple tabs for each connection, we recommend that you configure an authentication override. For more information, see Cookie Authentication on the Portal or Gateway.
Enable the GlobalProtect app so that end users can leverage the same login for GlobalProtect and their default system browser for SAML authentication.
Select
Network
GlobalProtect
Portals
<portal-config>
Agent
<agent-config>
App
Use Default Browser for SAML Authentication
.
Select
Yes
to enable the GlobalProtect app to open the default system browser for SAML authentication.
If single-sign-on (SSO) is enabled, we recommend that you disable it. Set
Use Single Sign-On (Windows)
or
Use Single Sign-On (macOS)
to
No
to disable single sign-on when using the default system browser for SAML authentication.
Click
OK
twice.
Commit
the configuration.
Verify that end users can successfully authenticate to the ldP using their saved credentials.
Select
Refresh Connection
,
Connect
, or
Enable
on the GlobalProtect app to initiate the connection.
A new tab on the default browser of the system will open for SAML authentication.
Login using the username and password to authenticate on the ldP.
After end users can successfully authenticate on the ldP, click
Open GlobalProtect
.
Connect to the GlobalProtect app or other SAML-enabled applications without re-entering the user credentials.