Windows Components › Microsoft Edge

Allow clearing browsing data on exit

Computer and userNative Intune settingNew in 22H2 · 1.0AllowClearingBrowsingDataOnExit

Supported on Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Version 1703 or later

22H2 · 1.0

What it does

This policy setting allows the automatic clearing of browsing data when Microsoft Edge closes. If you enable this policy setting, clearing browsing history on exit is turned on. If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, it can be turned on and configured by the employee in the Clear browsing data options under Settings.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry key: Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Privacy
Value name: ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit
When enabled: DWORD 1
When disabled: DWORD 0

In Intune

Native Intune setting: Yes — Policy CSP

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Browser/ClearBrowsingDataOnExitBrowser on Microsoft LearnWindows builds listed: 10.0.15063.
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Browser/ClearBrowsingDataOnExitBrowser on Microsoft LearnWindows builds listed: 10.0.15063.

From Microsoft's Policy CSP DDF files (DDF v2 Files, February 2026), read 18 Oct 2026.

Configure and deploy

Choose a state; 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\MicrosoftEdge\Privacy]
"ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit"=dword:00000001

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 clearing browsing data on exit
# Name: AllowClearingBrowsingDataOnExit
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: MicrosoftEdge.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Privacy' -Name 'ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

These deployment candidates come from the ADMX template; they are separate from the native CSP mapping above.

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.

ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MicrosoftEdge/AllowClearingBrowsingDataOnExit

ADMX SyncML candidate

<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
  <SyncBody>
    <Replace>
      <CmdID>1</CmdID>
      <Item>
        <Meta>
          <Format>chr</Format>
          <Type>text/plain</Type>
        </Meta>
        <Target>
          <LocURI>./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MicrosoftEdge/AllowClearingBrowsingDataOnExit</LocURI>
        </Target>
        <Data>&lt;enabled/&gt;</Data>
      </Item>
    </Replace>
    <Final/>
  </SyncBody>
</SyncML>

Intune 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 clearing browsing data on exit
# Name: AllowClearingBrowsingDataOnExit
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: MicrosoftEdge.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Privacy' -Name 'ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Privacy\ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit') | 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 clearing browsing data on exit
# Name: AllowClearingBrowsingDataOnExit
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: MicrosoftEdge.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Privacy' -Name 'ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

History 2 retained releases

22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- Added in this release.

Template

Internal name: AllowClearingBrowsingDataOnExit
Namespace: Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge
Template file: MicrosoftEdge.admx
Release: Windows 10 22H2 · 1.0 · file set bc15f6a5271783ee…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.AllowClearingBrowsingDataOnExit)" explainText="$(string.AllowClearingBrowsingDataOnExit_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Privacy" name="AllowClearingBrowsingDataOnExit" valueName="ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:MicrosoftEdge" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:SUPPORTED_INTERNET_BROWSER_WIN10V1703" />
      <enabledValue>
        <decimal value="1" />
      </enabledValue>
      <disabledValue>
        <decimal value="0" />
      </disabledValue>
    </policy>

Editor controls

Supported platforms and category

Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:category:MicrosoftEdge
<category displayName="$(string.InternetBrowser_DisplayName)" explainText="$(string.InternetBrowser_ExplainCat)" name="MicrosoftEdge" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
    </category>
Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:definition:SUPPORTED_INTERNET_BROWSER_WIN10V1703
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_INTERNET_BROWSER_WIN10V1703_DisplayName)" name="SUPPORTED_INTERNET_BROWSER_WIN10V1703" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <or>
          <range maxVersionIndex="1" minVersionIndex="1" ref="unresolved(products):MicrosoftEdge" />
        </or>
      </definition>
Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:unresolved:unresolved(products):MicrosoftEdge
<unresolved reference="unresolved(products):MicrosoftEdge" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:category:MicrosoftEdge
<category displayName="$(string.InternetBrowser_DisplayName)" explainText="$(string.InternetBrowser_ExplainCat)" name="MicrosoftEdge" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:InternetBrowser_DisplayName">Microsoft Edge</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:InternetBrowser_ExplainCat">Microsoft Edge Category</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:definition:SUPPORTED_INTERNET_BROWSER_WIN10V1703
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_INTERNET_BROWSER_WIN10V1703_DisplayName)" name="SUPPORTED_INTERNET_BROWSER_WIN10V1703" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <or>
          <range maxVersionIndex="1" minVersionIndex="1" ref="unresolved(products):MicrosoftEdge" />
        </or>
      </definition>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:SUPPORTED_INTERNET_BROWSER_WIN10V1703_DisplayName">Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Version 1703 or later</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents">Windows Components</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents_Help">Contains settings for operating system components.</string></strings>