Microsoft Edge › Default search provider
Default search provider encodings
Supported on Microsoft Edge version 77, Windows 7 or later
Shown as of 157.0.4341.57, 13 Nov 2026. See it in the latest templates.
What it does
Specify the character encodings supported by the search provider. Encodings are code page names like UTF-8, GB2312, and ISO-8859-1. They're tried in the order provided. This policy is optional. If not configured, the default, UTF-8, is used. This policy is applied only if you enable the 'DefaultSearchProviderEnabled' (Enable the default search provider) and 'DefaultSearchProviderSearchURL' (Default search provider search URL) policies. Starting in Microsoft Edge 84, you can set this policy as a recommended policy. If the user has already set a default search provider, the default search provider configured by this recommended policy won't be added to the list of search providers the user can choose from. If this is the desired behavior, use the 'ManagedSearchEngines' (Manage Search Engines) policy. Example value: UTF-8 UTF-16 GB2312 ISO-8859-1
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- Registry key
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge
Options
| Option | Type | Registry value | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default search provider encodings | List of values (list) | Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\DefaultSearchProviderEncodings |
Any |
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\DefaultSearchProviderEncodings]
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: Default search provider encodings
# Name: DefaultSearchProviderEncodings
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
Clear-RegistryKeyValues -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\DefaultSearchProviderEncodings'
- 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: DefaultSearchProviderEncodingsDesc
ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_msedge/DefaultSearchProviderEncodingsIntune 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' {
$actualBits = if ($actual -is [uint64]) { $actual } else { [BitConverter]::ToUInt64([BitConverter]::GetBytes([int64]$actual), 0) }
$expectedBits = if ($Expected -is [uint64]) { $Expected } else { [BitConverter]::ToUInt64([BitConverter]::GetBytes([int64]$Expected), 0) }
return $actualBits -eq $expectedBits
}
'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: Default search provider encodings
# Name: DefaultSearchProviderEncodings
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
$keyPath = 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\DefaultSearchProviderEncodings'
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $keyPath) {
$propertyNames = (Get-Item -LiteralPath $keyPath).Property
if ($propertyNames.Count -gt 0) {
$reasons.Add('Key should be empty: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\DefaultSearchProviderEncodings') | Out-Null
}
}
if ($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 $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Default search provider encodings
# Name: DefaultSearchProviderEncodings
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
Clear-RegistryKeyValues -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\DefaultSearchProviderEncodings'
History 48 retained releases
- 150.0.4078.8016 Jul 2026
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
47 later releases left it unchanged.
Template
- Internal name
DefaultSearchProviderEncodings- Namespace
Microsoft.Policies.Edge- Template file
msedge.admx- Release
- Microsoft Edge 157.0.4341.57 · file set
aef15aa0bbb05530…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.DefaultSearchProviderEncodings)" explainText="$(string.DefaultSearchProviderEncodings_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" name="DefaultSearchProviderEncodings" presentation="$(presentation.DefaultSearchProviderEncodings)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:DefaultSearchProvider" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77" />
<elements>
<list id="DefaultSearchProviderEncodingsDesc" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\DefaultSearchProviderEncodings" valuePrefix="" />
</elements>
</policy>Editor controls
<presentation id="DefaultSearchProviderEncodings" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions"><listBox refId="DefaultSearchProviderEncodingsDesc">Default search provider encodings</listBox></presentation>Supported platforms and category
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:DefaultSearchProvider
<category displayName="$(string.DefaultSearchProvider_group)" name="DefaultSearchProvider" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:microsoft_edge" />
</category>
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:microsoft_edge
<category displayName="$(string.microsoft_edge)" name="microsoft_edge" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:definition:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77)" name="SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:DefaultSearchProvider
<category displayName="$(string.DefaultSearchProvider_group)" name="DefaultSearchProvider" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:microsoft_edge" />
</category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:DefaultSearchProvider_group">Default search provider</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:microsoft_edge
<category displayName="$(string.microsoft_edge)" name="microsoft_edge" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:microsoft_edge">Microsoft Edge</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:definition:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77)" name="SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77">Microsoft Edge version 77, Windows 7 or later</string></strings>