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404 DESK / PRACTICAL BROWSER PRIVACY

Edge Privacy Settings

Review Edge privacy settings step by step, with official documentation, compatibility tradeoffs, and instructions for undoing changes.

Choose stronger tracking prevention

Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Tracking prevention

  1. Make sure Tracking prevention is on.
  2. Try Strict.
  3. Check a site you rely on before keeping it.

Restricts more trackers than Balanced, with a compatibility tradeoff.

To undo: Return to Balanced if needed. A site exception also permits its trackers.

Official documentation

Block third-party cookies

Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Cookies

  1. Open Cookies; older versions use Cookies and site permissions.
  2. Turn on Block third-party cookies.
  3. Keep ordinary first-party cookies for sign-ins.

Limits cross-site cookie access.

To undo: Use a specific exception when a needed embedded service fails.

Official documentation

Remove old site permissions

Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Site permissions

  1. Open Site permissions; older versions use Cookies and site permissions.
  2. Review Camera, Microphone, and Location, including existing allowed sites.
  3. Remove access you no longer need and keep new requests on Ask.

Cuts unnecessary standing access to device features.

To undo: Re-grant a permission to an individual trusted site when needed.

Official documentation

Stop browsing-based personalization

Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Privacy

  1. Find the control beginning Allow Microsoft to save your browsing activity.
  2. Turn it off if you do not want that activity used for personalized Microsoft experiences.
  3. Review the Microsoft privacy dashboard separately if you use an account.

Changes future collection for this personalization feature.

To undo: Restore the switch if desired. Turning it off does not erase previously shared data.

Official documentation

Review optional diagnostics

Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Privacy

  1. On Windows 11, open Windows Settings → Privacy & security → Diagnostics & feedback.
  2. Turn Send optional diagnostic data off if unwanted.
  3. On other supported systems, use Edge’s Send optional diagnostic data control.

Optional diagnostics can include browsing-related information. Required service data is separate.

To undo: Restore optional diagnostics if you want to contribute them.

Official documentation

Remove unwanted website alerts

Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Site permissions → All sites

  1. Select an unwanted site.
  2. Find Notifications and set it to Block.
  3. Repeat for other sites whose alerts you do not need.

Removes persistent alerts you previously allowed.

To undo: Change that site back to Allow to resubscribe.

Official documentation

Reduce speculative page loading

Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Cookies

  1. Find Preload pages for faster browsing and searching.
  2. Turn it off.
  3. If the label moved, use Settings search for preload.

Reduces pages being loaded before you choose to visit them.

To undo: Turn the same option back on for preloading.

Official documentation

Give extensions fewer sites

Extensions → Manage extensions

  1. Select an extension, then Details.
  2. Review Site access, or its menu → This can read and change site data.
  3. Use access on click or specific sites where supported.

Limits what an extension can read across your browsing.

To undo: Restore broader access only when the extension’s feature needs it.

Official documentation