Change These 10 Microsoft Edge Privacy Settings

Security and privacy are critical. Here are all the important Microsoft Edge privacy settings that every user should change to better online privacy.

While the browser is better or at least on par with all the other modern browsers like Chrome and Firefox, it is one of the most bloated web browsers with a lot of unnecessary options and privacy issues.

Thankfully, Edge is also one of the most configurable browsers with a ton of options. In this article, I will list some of the important Microsoft Edge privacy settings you should change to harden your online privacy and reduce data sharing with Microsoft as much as possible.

Let’s get started.

Microsoft Edge Privacy Settings

Here is a list of all the privacy settings you should change immediately in the Microsoft Edge browser.

1. Send “Do Not Track” requests
2. Allow sites to check saved payment methods
3. Optional diagnostic data
4. Search and service improvement
5. Personalization & advertising
6. Similar site suggestions
7. Microsoft Edge shopping
8. Content creators’ suggestions and follows
9. Discover notifications and support causes
10. Microsoft Edge image enhancement
11. Tab organization suggestions
12. Location, camera, microphone, motion, and location services

Let’s see each privacy setting in detail:

1. Send “Do Not Track” requests

Enabling Send “Do Not Track” requests feature allows websites to stop tracking your online activities for analytics and advertising purposes. When enabled, the browser adds “DNT” to the HTTP header singling the website that you don’t want to be tracked.

Here’s how to enable Send “Do Not Track” requests in Edge:

1. Open the Edge browser.
2. Click/tap the three-dotted menu icon at the top.
3. Click on the “Settings” option.
4. Navigate to the “Privacy, search, and services” tab.
5. Turn on the ‘Send “Do Not Track” requests‘ option.
6. Click the “Send requests” button.

Important note: Sending a Do Not Track request is not a guarantee that your activities will be completely private. It is up to the website to respect and honor the request.

2. Allow sites to check saved payment methods

On Edge, websites check if you have any saved payment methods in your browser. This allows them to request access. As you can guess, this feature is really useful for e-commerce websites. However, it can also be a privacy issue. Here’s how to disable it.

1. Open the Edge browser.
2. Click/tap the three-dotted menu icon at the top.
3. Click on the “Settings” option.
4. Navigate to the “Privacy, search, and services” tab.
5. Disable the “Allow sites to check if you have payment methods saved” option.

3. Optional diagnostic data

Edge browser already sends the required diagnostic data whether you like it or not. In addition to that, it may also send optional diagnostic data which can include websites you browse, apps and features you use, detailed error reporting, etc. If you don’t like it, follow the below steps to disable optional diagnostic data.

1. Open the Settings app with Win + I shortcut.
2. Navigate to the “Privacy & Security” tab on the sidebar.
3. Click on the “Diagnostics & Feedback” option.
4. Expand the “Diagnostic data” option.
7. Turn off the “Send optional diagnostic data” option.

Disabling optional diagnostic data in the Settings app disables it in the Edge browser.

4. Search and service improvement

Every time you search for something in Edge, the browser sends that data to Microsoft services as part of search and service improvement. Here’s how to disable it.

1. Launch the Microsoft Edge browser.
2. Click/tap the menu icon (three dots) at the top.
3. Select the “Settings” option in the menu.
4. Go to the “Privacy, search, and services” tab.
5. Disable the “Search and service improvement” option.

5. Personalization & advertising

The Edge browser your browsing activity, history, usage, favorites, web content, and other browsing data to personalize Microsoft services such as ads, shopping, search, news, and more. Here’s how to disable it.

1. Open the Edge browser.
2. Click/tap the three-dotted menu icon at the top.
3. Click on the “Settings” option.
4. Navigate to the “Privacy, search, and services” tab.
5. Disable the “Personalization & Advertising” option.

6. Similar site suggestions

One of the interesting features of Edge is that it shows similar sites when a website you are trying to visit is not available. While useful, it is also a privacy issue. Here’s how to disable it.

1. Click on the Edge icon on the taskbar.
2. Open the Edge menu by clicking the three dots.
3. Select the “Settings” option from the menu.
4. Go to the “Privacy, search, and services” tab.
5. Scroll down to the “Services” section.
6. Turn off the “Suggest similar sites when a website can’t be found” option.

7. Microsoft Edge shopping

The Microsoft Edge browser has a shopping feature that automatically shows the best deals and coupons to save money when shopping online. While useful, it is also a privacy issue since the browser sends your shopping habits back to Microsoft servers. Here’s how to disable the Microsoft Edge shopping coupons feature.

1. Open the Edge browser.
2. Click/tap the three-dotted menu icon at the top.
3. Click on the “Settings” option.
4. Navigate to the “Privacy, search, and services” tab.
5. Scroll down to the “Services” section.
6. Turn off the “Save time and money with Shopping in Microsoft Edge” option.

8. Content creators’ suggestions and follows

Microsoft uses your browsing habits you show creator suggestions so that you can follow your favorite content creators. If you don’t like it for privacy reasons, here’s how to disable follow creators feature in Edge.

1. Launch the Edge browser by clicking on its icon.
2. Click/tap the three-dotted menu icon at the top.
3. Choose the “Settings” option.
4. Navigate to the “Privacy, search, and services” tab.
5. Scroll down to the “Services” section.
6. Turn off the “Show suggestions to follow creators in Microsoft Edge” option.

9. Discover notifications and support causes

Edge browser can show related notifications when you use its Discover feature. In addition to that, it can also show opportunities to support causes and nonprofits based on your browsing habits. Here’s how to disable them.

1. Click on the Edge icon on the taskbar.
2. Open the Edge menu by clicking the three dots.
3. Select the “Settings” option from the menu.
4. Go to the “Privacy, search, and services” tab.
5. Scroll down to the “Services” section.
6. Turn off the “Show opportunities to support causes and nonprofits you care about” option.
7. Turn off the “Get notifications of related things you can explore with Discover” option.

You can also disable notifications in Windows 11.

10. Microsoft Edge image enhancement

The Edge browser sends images of websites you visit to the Microsoft servers to improve them in terms of color, contrast, and brightness so that they are easy on your eyes. However, as you guess, this is a guide privacy issue. Follow the below steps to disable image enhancement in the Edge browser.

1. Open the Edge browser.
2. Click/tap the three-dotted menu icon at the top.
3. Click on the “Settings” option.
4. Navigate to the “Privacy, search, and services” tab.
5. Scroll down to the “Services” section.
6. Turn off the “Enhance images in Microsoft Edge” option.

11. Tab organization suggestions

If you have a lot of open tabs, the Edge browser might show suggestions to better organize all your tabs. Since you can already group tabs in the Edge browser, this feature is not that useful when you consider your privacy. Here’s how to disable it.

1. Launch the Microsoft Edge browser.
2. Click/tap the menu icon (three dots) at the top.
3. Select the “Settings” option in the menu.
4. Go to the “Privacy, search, and services” tab.
5. Turn off the “Let Microsoft Edge help keep your tabs organized” option.

12. Location, camera, microphone, motion, and location services

If you don’t use your camera, microphone, motion (light sensor), and location in your Edge browser, you should disable them so that websites don’t bother you with unwanted permission prompts. Here’s how to do it.

1. Launch the Edge browser.
2. Click/tap the three-dotted menu icon at the top.
3. Click on the “Settings” option.
4. Navigate to the “Cookies and site permissions” tab.
5. Click on the “Location” option.
6. Turn off the “Ask before accessing” option.
7. Go back to the “Cookies and site permissions” page.
8. Click on the “Camera” option.
9. Turn off the “Ask before accessing” option.
10. Go back to the “Cookies and site permissions” page.
11. Click on the “Microphone” option.
12. Turn off the “Ask before accessing” option.
13. Go back to the “Cookies and site permissions” page.
14. Click on the “Motion or light sensors” option.
15. Turn off the “Allowed” option.

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That is all. These are all the important privacy settings in the Microsoft Edge browser that you should take a look at and change if necessary.

Related Edge how-to guides:

• Install the YouTube app using the Edge browser
• Stop autoplay media in Edge
• How to add a PDF signature in the Edge browser
• How to show or hide the title bar when using vertical tabs in Edge
• Fix to cannot download Google Drive using the Edge browser
• How to stop Microsoft Edge is being used for sharing
• How to remove a profile in Microsoft Edge
• How to change the Microsoft Edge theme
• How to use vertical tabs in the Edge browser
• How to remove quick links and news in Edge new tab
• How to enable DNS over HTTPS in Edge
• How to sync browsing history in Edge
• How to open InPrivate mode with a keyboard shortcut
• How to stop Edge from opening PDF files

I hope this simple and easy how-to guide helped you.

If you are stuck or need help, send an email, and I will try to help as much as possible.