Microsoft Edge - Default Settings (users can override)
Block smart actions for a list of services
Supported on Microsoft Edge version 89, Windows 7 or later
What it does
List specific services, such as PDFs, and websites that don't show smart actions. (Smart actions are actions like "define" which are available in full and mini context menus in Microsoft Edge.) If you enable the policy: - The smart action in the mini and full context menu is disabled for all profiles for services that match the given list. - Users won't see the smart action in the mini and full context menu on text selection for services that match the given list. - In Microsoft Edge settings, the smart action in the mini and full context menu is disabled for services that match the given list. If you disable or don't configure this policy: - The smart action in the mini and full context menu is enabled for all profiles. - Users will see the smart action in the mini and full context menu on text selection. - In Microsoft Edge settings, the smart action in the mini and full context menu is enabled. Policy options mapping: * smart_actions (smart_actions) = Smart actions in pdfs and on websites * smart_actions_website (smart_actions_website) = Smart actions on websites * smart_actions_pdf (smart_actions_pdf) = Smart actions in PDF Use the preceding information when configuring this policy. Example value: smart_actions smart_actions_website smart_actions_pdf
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block smart actions for a list of services | List of values | Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended\SmartActionsBlockList |
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\Recommended\SmartActionsBlockList]
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: Block smart actions for a list of services
# Name: SmartActionsBlockList_recommended
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
Clear-RegistryKeyValues -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended\SmartActionsBlockList'
- 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: SmartActionsBlockListDesc
ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_msedge/SmartActionsBlockList_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: Block smart actions for a list of services
# Name: SmartActionsBlockList_recommended
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
$keyPath = 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended\SmartActionsBlockList'
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $keyPath) {
$propertyNames = (Get-Item -LiteralPath $keyPath).Property
if ($propertyNames.Count -gt 0) {
$reasons.Add('Key should be empty: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended\SmartActionsBlockList') | Out-Null
}
}
if ($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 $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Block smart actions for a list of services
# Name: SmartActionsBlockList_recommended
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: msedge.admx
Clear-RegistryKeyValues -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended\SmartActionsBlockList'
History 37 retained releases
- 150.0.4078.8016 Jul 2026
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
36 later releases left it unchanged.
Template
- Internal name
SmartActionsBlockList_recommended- Namespace
Microsoft.Policies.Edge- Template file
msedge.admx- Release
- Microsoft Edge 155.0.4283.62 · file set
0a733b0040dbbf02…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.SmartActionsBlockList)" explainText="$(string.SmartActionsBlockList_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended" name="SmartActionsBlockList_recommended" presentation="$(presentation.SmartActionsBlockList)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:microsoft_edge_recommended" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V89" />
<elements>
<list id="SmartActionsBlockListDesc" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Recommended\SmartActionsBlockList" valuePrefix="" />
</elements>
</policy>Editor controls
<presentation id="SmartActionsBlockList" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions"><listBox refId="SmartActionsBlockListDesc">Block smart actions for a list of services</listBox></presentation>Supported platforms and category
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:microsoft_edge_recommended
<category displayName="$(string.microsoft_edge_recommended)" name="microsoft_edge_recommended" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:definition:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V89
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WIN7_V89)" name="SUPPORTED_WIN7_V89" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:category:microsoft_edge_recommended
<category displayName="$(string.microsoft_edge_recommended)" name="microsoft_edge_recommended" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:microsoft_edge_recommended">Microsoft Edge - Default Settings (users can override)</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Edge:definition:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V89
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WIN7_V89)" name="SUPPORTED_WIN7_V89" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Edge:SUPPORTED_WIN7_V89">Microsoft Edge version 89, Windows 7 or later</string></strings>