Set default search engine (Windows 11 Group Policy)

What it does

This policy setting lets you configure the default search engine for your employees. Your employees can change the default search engine at any time. 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 this setting, you can choose a default search engine for your employees. If this setting is enabled, you must also add the default engine to the “Set default search engine” setting, by adding a link to your OpenSearch XML file, including at least the short name and https: URL of the search engine. For more info about creating the OpenSearch XML file, see the Understanding OpenSearch Standards (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd163546.aspx) topic. Use this format to specify the link you wish to add: <https://fabrikam.com/opensearch.xml> Note If you'd like your employees to use the default Microsoft Edge settings for each market, you can set the string to EDGEDEFAULT. If you'd like your employees to use Microsoft Bing as the default search engine, you can set the string to EDGEBING. Employees can change the default search engine at any time, unless you disable the "Allow search engine customization" setting, which restricts any changes. If you disable this setting, the policy-set default search engine is removed. If this is also the current in-use default, the engine changes to the Microsoft Edge specified engine for the market. If you don't configure this setting, the default search engine is set to the one specified in App settings.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry key: Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\OpenSearch

In Intune

Native Intune setting: Yes — Policy CSP

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Browser/SetDefaultSearchEngineBrowser on Microsoft LearnSets the option “Use this format to specify the link you wish to add: <https://fabrikam.com/opensearch.xml>”.Windows builds listed: 10.0.15063.
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Browser/SetDefaultSearchEngineBrowser on Microsoft LearnSets the option “Use this format to specify the link you wish to add: <https://fabrikam.com/opensearch.xml>”.Windows builds listed: 10.0.15063.

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

Options

Option	Type	Registry value	Allowed values
Use this format to specify the link you wish to add: <https://fabrikam.com/opensearch.xml>Required	Text	`SetDefaultSearchEngine`	Up to 255 characters

Configure and deploy

Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

Fix the highlighted options to generate output.

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: SetDefaultSearchEngine
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="$(string.SetDefaultSearchEngine)" explainText="$(string.SetDefaultSearchEngine_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\OpenSearch" name="SetDefaultSearchEngine" presentation="$(presentation.SetDefaultSearchEngine_Presentation)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:MicrosoftEdge" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.MicrosoftEdge:SUPPORTED_INTERNET_BROWSER_WIN10V1703" />
      <elements>
        <text id="SetDefaultSearchEngine_Prompt" required="true" valueName="SetDefaultSearchEngine" />
      </elements>
    </policy>

Editor controls

<presentation id="SetDefaultSearchEngine_Presentation" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <textBox refId="SetDefaultSearchEngine_Prompt">
          <label>Use this format to specify the link you wish to add: &lt;https://fabrikam.com/opensearch.xml&gt;</label>
        </textBox>
      </presentation>

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>