How to Enable or Disable Saving History in Microsoft Edge in Windows 10


Microsoft Edge is a new web browser that is available across the Windows 10 device family. It is designed for Windows 10 to be faster, safer, and compatible with the modern Web.

Microsoft Edge saves the browsing history of visited websites and shows them in the History pane by default.

Starting with Windows 10 build 17713 (announced in Windows 10 build 17723), you can use a new Allow Saving History group policy to enable or disable saving browsing history in Microsoft Edge.

Disabling this policy prevents Microsoft Edge from saving the browsing history. If browsing history existed before disabling this policy, the previous browsing history remains in the History pane. Disabling this policy does not stop roaming of existing browsing history or browsing history from other devices.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable saving browsing history in Microsoft Edge for all users in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable saving browsing history in Microsoft Edge.


 CONTENTS:

  • Option One: Enable or Disable Saving History in Microsoft Edge in Local Group Policy Editor
  • Option Two: Enable or Disable Saving History in Microsoft Edge using a REG file


EXAMPLE: History in Microsoft Edge
Enable or Disable Saving History in Microsoft Edge in Windows 10-microsoft_edge_history.jpg






OPTION ONE

Enable or Disable Saving History in Microsoft Edge in Local Group Policy Editor



The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option TWO below.


1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Edge

Enable or Disable Saving History in Microsoft Edge in Windows 10-microsoft_edge_saving_history_gpedit-1.png

3. In the right pane of Microsoft Edge in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Allow Saving History policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you want.


 5. To Enable Saving History in Microsoft Edge

A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Not Configured is the default setting.


 6. To Disable Saving History in Microsoft Edge

A) Select (dot) Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Enable or Disable Saving History in Microsoft Edge in Windows 10-microsoft_edge_saving_history_gpedit-2.png

7. You can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.

8. If Microsoft Edge is currently open, then close and reopen the browser to apply.






OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable Saving History in Microsoft Edge using a REG file



The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Main

AllowSavingHistory DWORD

delete = Enable
0 = Disable


1. Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you want.


 2. To Enable Saving History in Microsoft Edge

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_saving_history_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg

Download


 3. To Disable Saving History in Microsoft Edge

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_saving_history_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg

Download


4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. If Microsoft Edge is currently open, then close and reopen the browser to apply.

8. If you like, you can now delete the downloaded .reg file.


That's it,
Shawn


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