Windows Components › Internet Explorer

Turn on Suggested Sites

Computer and userNative Intune settingEnableSuggestedSites

Supported on At least Internet Explorer 8.0

25H2 · 1.0

What it does

This policy setting controls the Suggested Sites feature, which recommends websites based on the user’s browsing activity. Suggested Sites reports a user’s browsing history to Microsoft to suggest sites that the user might want to visit. If you enable this policy setting, the user is not prompted to enable Suggested Sites. The user’s browsing history is sent to Microsoft to produce suggestions. If you disable this policy setting, the entry points and functionality associated with this feature are turned off. If you do not configure this policy setting, the user can turn on and turn off the Suggested Sites feature.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry key: Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Suggested Sites
Value name: Enabled
When enabled: DWORD 1
When disabled: DWORD 0

In Intune

Native Intune setting: Yes — Policy CSP

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/AllowSuggestedSitesInternetExplorer on Microsoft LearnADMX-backed: Windows ships this template, so it is set with the template's own values, without an import.Windows builds listed: 10.0.15063.
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/AllowSuggestedSitesInternetExplorer on Microsoft LearnADMX-backed: Windows ships this template, so it is set with the template's own values, without an import.Windows 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\Internet Explorer\Suggested Sites]
"Enabled"=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: Turn on Suggested Sites
# Name: EnableSuggestedSites
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: inetres.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Suggested Sites' -Name 'Enabled' -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_inetres/EnableSuggestedSites

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_inetres/EnableSuggestedSites</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: Turn on Suggested Sites
# Name: EnableSuggestedSites
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: inetres.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Suggested Sites' -Name 'Enabled' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Suggested Sites\Enabled') | 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: Turn on Suggested Sites
# Name: EnableSuggestedSites
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: inetres.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Suggested Sites' -Name 'Enabled' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

History 5 retained releases

22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

4 later releases left it unchanged.

Template

Internal name: EnableSuggestedSites
Namespace: Microsoft.Policies.InternetExplorer
Template file: inetres.admx
Release: Windows 11 25H2 · 1.0 · file set de4e49983ebd651f…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.EnableSuggestedSites)" explainText="$(string.IE_ExplainEnableSuggestedSites)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Suggested Sites" name="EnableSuggestedSites" valueName="Enabled" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.InternetExplorer:InternetExplorer" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.InternetExplorer:SUPPORTED_IE8" />
      <enabledValue>
        <decimal value="1" />
      </enabledValue>
      <disabledValue>
        <decimal value="0" />
      </disabledValue>
    </policy>

Editor controls

Supported platforms and category

Microsoft.Policies.InternetExplorer:category:InternetExplorer
<category displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer)" explainText="$(string.IE_ExplainCat)" name="InternetExplorer" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
    </category>
Microsoft.Policies.InternetExplorer:definition:SUPPORTED_IE8
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_IE8)" name="SUPPORTED_IE8" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <or>
          <range minVersionIndex="8" ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer" />
        </or>
      </definition>
Microsoft.Policies.Products:product:InternetExplorer
sha256:f287ee590cbba46b7a95511866303967b9370c7c7d81185659d675ca19b05d72
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.InternetExplorer:category:InternetExplorer
<category displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer)" explainText="$(string.IE_ExplainCat)" name="InternetExplorer" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.InternetExplorer:IE_ExplainCat">Contains settings to configure Internet Explorer</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.InternetExplorer:InternetExplorer">Internet Explorer</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.InternetExplorer:definition:SUPPORTED_IE8
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_IE8)" name="SUPPORTED_IE8" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <or>
          <range minVersionIndex="8" ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer" />
        </or>
      </definition>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.InternetExplorer:SUPPORTED_IE8">At least Internet Explorer 8.0</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Products:product:InternetExplorer
<product displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer)" name="InternetExplorer" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer30)" name="InternetExplorer30" versionIndex="3" />
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer40)" name="InternetExplorer40" versionIndex="4" />
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer50)" name="InternetExplorer50" versionIndex="5" />
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer60)" name="InternetExplorer60" versionIndex="6" />
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer70)" name="InternetExplorer70" versionIndex="7" />
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer80)" name="InternetExplorer80" versionIndex="8" />
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer90)" name="InternetExplorer90" versionIndex="9" />
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer100)" name="InternetExplorer100" versionIndex="10" />
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.InternetExplorer110)" name="InternetExplorer110" versionIndex="11" />
      </product>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer">Internet Explorer</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer100">Internet Explorer 10</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer110">Internet Explorer 11</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer30">Internet Explorer 3</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer40">Internet Explorer 4</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer50">Internet Explorer 5</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer60">Internet Explorer 6</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer70">Internet Explorer 7</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer80">Internet Explorer 8</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:InternetExplorer90">Internet Explorer 9</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>