Microsoft Edge › Content settings
Control use of the File System API for reading
Supported on Microsoft Edge version 86, Windows 7 or later
What it does
If you set this policy to 3, websites can ask for read access to the host operating system's filesystem using the File System API. If you set this policy to 2, access is denied. If you don't set this policy, websites can ask for access. Users can change this setting. Policy options mapping: * BlockFileSystemRead (2) = Don't allow any site to request read access to files and directories via the File System API * AskFileSystemRead (3) = Allow sites to ask the user to grant read access to files and directories via the File System API Use the preceding information when configuring this policy.
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- Registry key
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge
Options
| Option | Type | Registry value | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control use of the File System API for reading | Drop-down list | DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting |
|
Configure and deploy
Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.
Enabled · Computer · template defaults
Registry file (.reg)
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting"=dword:00000002
PowerShell
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Control use of the File System API for reading
# Name: DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge' -Name 'DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 2
- The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
- Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.
- The generated payload is incomplete because one or more ADMX element values were not supplied: DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting
ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_msedge/DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSettingIntune remediation scripts
Detection
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()
function Test-RegistryValueExists {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}
function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
$valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
return $false
}
$actual = $valueObject.$Name
switch ($Kind) {
'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
'MultiString' {
$actualArray = @($actual)
$expectedArray = @($Expected)
if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
'Binary' {
$actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
$expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
}
}
# Policy: Control use of the File System API for reading
# Name: DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge' -Name 'DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 2
if (-not $isMatch) {
$reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting') | Out-Null
}
if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1
Remediation
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Control use of the File System API for reading
# Name: DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge' -Name 'DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 2
History 37 retained releases
- 150.0.4078.8016 Jul 2026
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
36 later releases left it unchanged.
Template
- Internal name
DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting- Namespace
Microsoft.Policies.Edge- Template file
msedge.admx- Release
- Microsoft Edge 155.0.4283.62 · file set
0a733b0040dbbf02…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting)" explainText="$(string.DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" name="DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting" presentation="$(presentation.DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:ContentSettings" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V86" />
<elements>
<enum id="DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting" valueName="DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting">
<item displayName="$(string.DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting_BlockFileSystemRead)">
<value>
<decimal value="2" />
</value>
</item>
<item displayName="$(string.DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting_AskFileSystemRead)">
<value>
<decimal value="3" />
</value>
</item>
</enum>
</elements>
</policy>Editor controls
<presentation id="DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions"><dropdownList refId="DefaultFileSystemReadGuardSetting">Control use of the File System API for reading</dropdownList></presentation>Supported platforms and category
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:ContentSettings
<category displayName="$(string.ContentSettings_group)" name="ContentSettings" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:microsoft_edge" />
</category>
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:microsoft_edge
<category displayName="$(string.microsoft_edge)" name="microsoft_edge" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:definition:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V86
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WIN7_V86)" name="SUPPORTED_WIN7_V86" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:ContentSettings
<category displayName="$(string.ContentSettings_group)" name="ContentSettings" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:microsoft_edge" />
</category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:ContentSettings_group">Content settings</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:microsoft_edge
<category displayName="$(string.microsoft_edge)" name="microsoft_edge" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:microsoft_edge">Microsoft Edge</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:definition:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V86
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WIN7_V86)" name="SUPPORTED_WIN7_V86" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V86">Microsoft Edge version 86, Windows 7 or later</string></strings>