Microsoft Edge is deeply integrated into Windows 11 – therefore it is impossible to uninstall it without creating system instability and/or unexpected results. There is no known way to turn Microsoft Edge into a fully private browser, even with all the changes listed here. However, these changes will opt you out of much of the invasiveness of Microsoft Edge. Visit PrivacyGuides Browser Recommendations for privacy-respecting alternatives to Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge is a Chromium-based browser included with Windows 11. Privacy Guides does not recommend Edge because of its invasive telemetry and data collection features; nevertheless, external circumstances may force you to use it on a regular basis.
There are two potential paths to mitigate data collection. Firstly, configuring Edge’s browser settings can somewhat limit targeted advertising for all Windows 11 editions. This is helpful for Home users that cannot manage the powerful Group Policies settings made configurable in Professional and Enterprise. Otherwise, Professional and Enterprise users should build upon the community-recommended Group Policies configuration to cover Edge.
This part will review Microsoft Edge Group Policies and how Edge can become a more private browser. You may skip this article if you don’t use Microsoft Edge in any capacity. Since it is a deep-rooted part of your Windows installation, it is wise to reduce any privacy-invading aspects.
The most important thing to know is that Microsoft Edge operates an implicit sign-in policy, which means that any sign-in into a Microsoft account somewhere else on Windows (like for example, on Windows Store or Xbox), Microsoft Edge will automatically upload all browser data to Microsoft’s servers without confirmation.
The following is the scenario we would like to prevent:
- Microsoft Edge inadvertently and automatically imports browsing data from the user’s main browser, (e.g. Firefox), as it has been known to do this, even without permission.
- Microsoft Edge then syncs all imported browser data [by signing into their Microsoft account automatically, thereby obtaining all of their browsing data without their consent.
This malicious behavior can only be disabled through Group Policy.
Install administrative templates
Like we have done in the Chapter 2 of this guide, we will use the Group Policy editor to configure Microsoft Edge. However, the Administrative Templates for Edge are not preinstalled, so they must be downloaded from Microsoft’s website.
Head over to the Microsoft Edge for Business download page and click the download link for the Windows Policy for your processor architecture (64-bit, 32-bit, ARM64). The website should start a download for a file named MicrosoftEdgePolicyTemplates.cab.
To add the administrative templates to your computer, do the following:
- On the target computer, open MicrosoftEdgePolicyTemplates and go to windows → admx.
- Copy the msedge.admx file to C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions.
- In the admx folder, open the appropriate language folder. For example, if you’re in the U.S., open the en-US folder.
- Copy the msedge.adml file to the matching language folder in your Policy Definition folder. (Example: C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US)
- To confirm the files loaded correctly, open Local Group Policy Editor directly (Windows key + R and enter gpedit.msc) or open MMC and load the Local Group Policy Editor snap-in. If an error occurs, it’s usually because the files are in an incorrect location.
Configure Microsoft Edge Group Policies
In the Group Policy Editor, navigate to Local Computer Policy → Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Microsoft Edge in the left sidebar.
Change the following policies:
- Allow feature recommendations and browser assistance notifications from Microsoft Edge: Disabled
- Allow features to download assets from the Asset Delivery Service: Disabled
- Allow personalization of ads, Microsoft Edge, search, news and other Microsoft services by sending browsing history, favorites and collections, usage and other browsing data to Microsoft: Disabled
- Allow queries to a Browser Network Time service: Enabled
- Allow user feedback: Disabled
- Allow websites to query for available payment methods: Disabled
- Always open PDF files externally: Enabled
- Automatically import another browser’s data and settings at first run: Enabled
- Automatically import another browser’s data and settings: Disables automatic import, and the import section of the first-run experience is skipped
- Block all ads on Bing search results: Enabled
- Block tracking of users’ web-browsing activity: Not Configured
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The author of this guide recommends that you leave this policy unconfigured, as tracking protection can break some websites. It is possible to change this setting in your Edge profile setting whenever you see fit.
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- Browser sign-in settings: Enabled
- Browser sign-in settings: Disable browser sign-in
- Compose is enabled for writing on the web: Disabled
- Configure Online Text To Speech: Disabled
- Configure Speech Recognition: Disabled
- Configure the Share experience: Enabled
- Configure the Share experience: Don’t allow using the Share experience
- Continue running background apps after Microsoft Edge closes: Disabled
- Control communication with the Experimentation and Configuration Service: Enabled
- Control commuication with the Experimentation and Configuration Service: Disable communication with the Experimentation and Configuration Service
- Control Copilot access to Microsoft Edge page content for Entra account user profiles when using Copilot in the Microsoft Edge sidepane: Disabled
- Control Copilot access to page context for Microsoft Entra ID profiles: Disabled
- Disable synchronization of data using Microsoft sync services: Enabled
- Edge 3P SERP Telemetry Enabled: Disabled
- Edge Wallet E-Tree Enabled: Disabled
- Enable Drop feature in Microsoft Edge: Disabled
- Enable Microsoft Bing trending suggestions in the address bar: Disabled
- Enable resolution of navigation errors using a web service: Disabled
- Enable tab organization suggestions: Disabled
- Enable the Collections feature: Disabled
- Enable the Screenshot (previously named Web Capture) feature in Microsoft Edge: Disabled
- Enable upload files from mobile in Microsoft Edge desktop: Disabled
- Enable Wallet Checkout feature: Disabled
- Enables DALL-E themes generation: Disabled
- Enables default browser settings campaigns: Disabled
- Enables Microsoft Edge mini menu: Disabled
- Hide the First-run experience and splash screen: Enabled
- Hide the one-time redirection dialog and the banner on Microsoft Edge: Enabled
- In-app support Enabled: Disabled
- Let screen reader users get image descriptions from Microsoft: Disabled
- Machine learning powered autofill suggestions: Disabled
- Manage QuickView Office files capability in Microsoft Edge: Disabled
- Microsoft Edge built-in PDF reader powered by Adobe Acrobat enabled: Disabled
- Microsoft Edge Insider Promotion Enabled: Disabled
- Personalize my top sites in Customize Sidebar enabled by default: Disabled
- Search for image enabled: Disabled
- Search in Sidebar enabled: Enabled
- Search in Sidebar enabled: Disable search in sidebar
- Set Microsoft Edge as default browser: Disabled
- Set the default “share additional operating system region” setting: Enabled
- Set the default “share additional operating system region” setting: Never share the OS Regional format
- Shopping in Microsoft Edge Enabled: Disabled
- Show Microsoft Rewards experiences: Disabled
- Show thumbnail images for browsing history: Disabled
- Spell checking provided by Microsoft Editor: Disabled
- Suggest similar pages when a webpage can’t be found: Disabled
- Text prediction enabled by default: Disabled
- URL reporting in Edge diagnostic data enabled: Disabled
- Visual search enabled: Disabled
- Wallet Donation Enabled: Disabled
Default search provider
- Configure the new tab page search box experience: Enabled
- New tab search box experience: Address bar
Edge Website Typo Protection settings
- Configure Edge Website Typo Protection: Disabled
Edge Workspaces settings
- Enable Workspaces: Disabled
Generative AI
- Settings for GenAI local foundational model: Enabled
- Settings for GenAI local foundational model: Do not download model
Identity and sign-in
- Enable implicit sign-in: Disabled
- Enable proactive authentication: Disabled
- Seamless Web To Browser Sign-in Enabled: Disabled
- Web To Browser Sign-in Enabled: Disabled
Performance
- Enable startup boost: Disabled
Scareware Blocker settings
- Configure Edge Scareware Blocker Protection: Disabled
SmartScreen Settings
- Configure Microsoft Defender SmartScreen: Disabled
Startup, home page and new tab page
- Allow Microsoft content on the new tab page: Disabled
- Configure the backgroudn types allowed for the new tab page layout: Enabled
- New tab page experience: Disable all background image types
- Enable preload of the new tab page for faster rendering: Disabled
- Hide App Launcher on Microsoft Edge new tab page: Enabled
- Hide the default top sites from the new tab page: Enabled
Update your profile settings
Even some settings cannot be modified through Group Policy. Open Microsoft Edge settings and go to “Privacy, Search, and services”.
Search and connected experiences
- Get notifications of related things you can explore with Discover: Disabled
Post-mitigation
Microsoft Edge should not be used even after applying the above steps, as it retains a stark reputation for disregarding user privacy. Even after applying the above mitigation, Microsoft Edge still:
- Communicates with tracking domains upon launch (
.scorecardresearch.com,browser.events.data.msn.com,c.bing.com, etc.) - May introduce new privacy-invading features in future updates that are enabled by default.
Interested in learning more? Visit Privacy Guides’ Browser Recommendations for privacy-respecting alternatives to Microsoft Edge.
Last edited by @KevPham 2025-06-18T18:47:23Z