---
schema_version: "1"
id: 69dbbb6f19940c254b4e6b3a14a7c4399691c0c5ac5a672289db23c1743a7b32
title: OAuth Plugin Enablement with Metadata API
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/xcloud/264-0-0/meta_enable_oauth_plugin.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.meta_enable_oauth_plugin.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 280250ad3ffb7fb510cbbc8cb92db2520d877057062cbc746d56117a622a90c2
description: In an external client app, the package.xml manifest file references the settings and policies files for each plugin. To enable external client app plugins, configure the settings files and reference the plugin in the manifest file.
products:
  - Security
  - Cross Cloud
release: "264"
---
# OAuth Plugin Enablement with Metadata API

In an external client app, the package.xml manifest file references the settings and policies files for each plugin. To enable external client app plugins, configure the settings files and reference the plugin in the manifest file.

External client apps include a package.xml manifest file and can include one or more plugins. Each external client app plugin includes two types of files.

- Settings files- Configured by the external client app developer.
- Policies files- Configured by the external client app subscriber.

This section describes an OAuth plugin to illustrate examples.

OAuth settings configurations are divided between two settings files. With two settings files, you can package and deliver customized external client apps. Use a local settings file for general settings, and maintain security with a restricted global settings file. Developers can configure both settings files, and any change to a global settings file affects all instances where the external client app is deployed.

![Important](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-xcloud-identity-264-0-0-production-enus/699dab6f-8f1a-4662-b24f-6521d5b747f7/images/icon_important.png)

Important Any change a developer makes to the global settings file takes effect immediately and is distributed globally within 15 minutes.

OAuth policies files contain all of the settings that a subscriber org will use to configure the external client app for their unique situation. Settings like session timeout, start URL, and permission sets are determined by the subscriber’s use case and under their control.

- **[Configure the External Client App Global OAuth Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.meta_configure_external_client_app_global_oauth_settings.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Configure a global settings file, which affects every instance where the external client app is deployed.
- **[Configure the External Client App OAuth Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.meta_configure_external_client_app_oauth_settings.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Configure the OAuth settings file, which affects the local instance.
- **[External Client App OAuth Policies Configuration](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.meta_external_client_app_oauth_policies_configuration.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    The OAuth policies file is an important part of the external client app OAuth plugin that is generated with default values during deployment. Admins for the subscriber org configure the OAuth policies file for their specific use case.