Windows Components › Microsoft Edge
Allow search engine customization
Supported on Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Version 1703 or later
What it does
This policy setting lets you decide whether users can change their search engine. If you disable this setting, users can't add new search engines or change the default used in the address bar. Important This setting can only be used with domain-joined or MDM-enrolled devices. For more info, see the Microsoft browser extension policy (aka.ms/browserpolicy). If you enable or don't configure this policy, users can add new search engines and change the default used in the address bar from within Microsoft Edge Settings. If you disable this setting, users can't add search engines or change the default used in the address bar.
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- Registry key
Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Protected - It is a violation of Windows Policy to modify. See aka.ms\browserpolicy- Value name
AllowSearchEngineCustomization- When enabled
- DWORD 1
- When disabled
- DWORD 0
In Intune
Native Intune setting: Yes — Policy CSP
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Browser/AllowSearchEngineCustomizationBrowser on Microsoft LearnWindows builds listed: 10.0.15063../User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Browser/AllowSearchEngineCustomizationBrowser 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\Protected - It is a violation of Windows Policy to modify. See aka.ms\browserpolicy]
"AllowSearchEngineCustomization"=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 search engine customization
# Name: AllowSearchEngineCustomization
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: MicrosoftEdge.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Protected - It is a violation of Windows Policy to modify. See aka.ms\browserpolicy' -Name 'AllowSearchEngineCustomization' -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/AllowSearchEngineCustomizationADMX 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/AllowSearchEngineCustomization</LocURI>
</Target>
<Data><enabled/></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 search engine customization
# Name: AllowSearchEngineCustomization
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: MicrosoftEdge.admx
$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Protected - It is a violation of Windows Policy to modify. See aka.ms\browserpolicy' -Name 'AllowSearchEngineCustomization' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
$reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Protected - It is a violation of Windows Policy to modify. See aka.ms\browserpolicy\AllowSearchEngineCustomization') | Out-Null
}
if ($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 $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Allow search engine customization
# Name: AllowSearchEngineCustomization
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: MicrosoftEdge.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Protected - It is a violation of Windows Policy to modify. See aka.ms\browserpolicy' -Name 'AllowSearchEngineCustomization' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
History 3 retained releases
- 22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
2 later releases left it unchanged.
Template
- Internal name
AllowSearchEngineCustomization- Namespace
Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge- Template file
MicrosoftEdge.admx- Release
- Windows 11 23H2 · 1.0 · file set
d784d0ea5f14a680…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.AllowSearchEngineCustomization)" explainText="$(string.AllowSearchEngineCustomization_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Protected - It is a violation of Windows Policy to modify. See aka.ms/browserpolicy" name="AllowSearchEngineCustomization" valueName="AllowSearchEngineCustomization" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:MicrosoftEdge" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:SUPPORTED_INTERNET_BROWSER_WIN10V1703" />
<enabledValue>
<decimal value="1" />
</enabledValue>
<disabledValue>
<decimal value="0" />
</disabledValue>
</policy>Editor controls
Supported platforms and category
Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:category:MicrosoftEdge
<category displayName="$(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>