Microsoft Edge - Default Settings (users can override)
Allow download restrictions
Supported on Microsoft Edge version 77, Windows 7 or later
What it does
Configures the type of downloads that Microsoft Edge completely blocks, without letting users override the security decision. Set 'BlockDangerousDownloads' to allow all downloads except for those that carry Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warnings of known dangerous downloads or that have dangerous file type extensions. Set 'BlockPotentiallyDangerousDownloads' to allow all downloads except for those that carry Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warnings of potentially dangerous or unwanted downloads or that have dangerous file type extensions. Set 'BlockAllDownloads' to block all downloads. Set 'BlockMaliciousDownloads' to allow all downloads except for those that carry Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warnings of known malicious downloads. If you don't configure this policy or set the 'DefaultDownloadSecurity' option, the downloads go through the usual security restrictions based on Microsoft Defender SmartScreen analysis results. Note that these restrictions apply to downloads from web page content, as well as the 'download link...' context menu option. These restrictions don't apply to saving or downloading the currently displayed page, nor do they apply to the Save as PDF option from the printing options. See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2094934 for more info on Microsoft Defender SmartScreen. Policy options mapping: * DefaultDownloadSecurity (0) = No special restrictions * BlockDangerousDownloads (1) = Block malicious downloads and dangerous file types * BlockPotentiallyDangerousDownloads (2) = Block potentially dangerous or unwanted downloads and dangerous file types * BlockAllDownloads (3) = Block all downloads * BlockMaliciousDownloads (4) = Block malicious downloads 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\Recommended
Options
| Option | Type | Registry value | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Download restrictions | Drop-down list | DownloadRestrictions |
|
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\Recommended]
"DownloadRestrictions"=dword:00000000
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: Allow download restrictions
# Name: DownloadRestrictions_recommended
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended' -Name 'DownloadRestrictions' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 0
- 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: DownloadRestrictions
ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_msedge/DownloadRestrictions_recommendedIntune 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: Allow download restrictions
# Name: DownloadRestrictions_recommended
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended' -Name 'DownloadRestrictions' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 0
if (-not $isMatch) {
$reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended\DownloadRestrictions') | Out-Null
}
if ($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 $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Allow download restrictions
# Name: DownloadRestrictions_recommended
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended' -Name 'DownloadRestrictions' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 0
History 37 retained releases
- 150.0.4078.8016 Jul 2026
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
36 later releases left it unchanged.
Template
- Internal name
DownloadRestrictions_recommended- Namespace
Microsoft.Policies.Edge- Template file
msedge.admx- Release
- Microsoft Edge 155.0.4283.62 · file set
0a733b0040dbbf02…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.DownloadRestrictions)" explainText="$(string.DownloadRestrictions_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended" name="DownloadRestrictions_recommended" presentation="$(presentation.DownloadRestrictions)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:microsoft_edge_recommended" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77" />
<elements>
<enum id="DownloadRestrictions" valueName="DownloadRestrictions">
<item displayName="$(string.DownloadRestrictions_DefaultDownloadSecurity)">
<value>
<decimal value="0" />
</value>
</item>
<item displayName="$(string.DownloadRestrictions_BlockDangerousDownloads)">
<value>
<decimal value="1" />
</value>
</item>
<item displayName="$(string.DownloadRestrictions_BlockPotentiallyDangerousDownloads)">
<value>
<decimal value="2" />
</value>
</item>
<item displayName="$(string.DownloadRestrictions_BlockAllDownloads)">
<value>
<decimal value="3" />
</value>
</item>
<item displayName="$(string.DownloadRestrictions_BlockMaliciousDownloads)">
<value>
<decimal value="4" />
</value>
</item>
</enum>
</elements>
</policy>Editor controls
<presentation id="DownloadRestrictions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions"><dropdownList refId="DownloadRestrictions">Download restrictions</dropdownList></presentation>Supported platforms and category
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:microsoft_edge_recommended
<category displayName="$(string.microsoft_edge_recommended)" name="microsoft_edge_recommended" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:definition:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77)" name="SUPPORTED_WIN7_V77" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:microsoft_edge_recommended
<category displayName="$(string.microsoft_edge_recommended)" name="microsoft_edge_recommended" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:microsoft_edge_recommended">Microsoft Edge - Default Settings (users can override)</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>