How to Change Edge browser settings in Windows 1

Changing the settings in Microsoft Edge can enhance your browsing experience significantly. Whether you’re looking to improve security, streamline appearance, or adjust your home page preferences, understanding how to access and manipulate these settings is essential. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through how to change various Microsoft Edge settings in Windows 11, explain what each setting does, and provide tips on how to best utilize them.

By the end of this guide, you should be able to take full control of Microsoft Edge and configure it to suit your personal or professional needs.

Table of Contents

Getting Started with Edge Settings

To start modifying the settings in Microsoft Edge, you need to open the browser. Click on the three horizontal dots (also referred to as the ellipsis menu) in the top-right corner of the browser window. This menu contains options such as New Tab, Favorites, Downloads, and most importantly, Settings. Clicking on Settings opens a new tab dedicated to browser customization.

The Settings interface is structured in a vertical menu located on the left-hand side of the page. This menu categorizes the browser’s configuration options into sections such as Profiles, Privacy, search, and services, Appearance, Start, home, and new tabs, Cookies and site permissions, Default browser, Downloads, Languages, and more. Each section allows you to tailor specific aspects of the browser to suit your needs. From syncing data across devices to setting a preferred theme or enabling enhanced security, Edge offers a wide range of control.

Key Microsoft Edge Settings You Can Customize

Below is a comprehensive bullet list of the most commonly used and useful Edge settings you can modify in Windows 11. Each bullet is followed by a brief explanation to help you make informed choices.

General & Appearance

Theme Selection: Choose between Light, Dark, or System default mode to match your operating system’s appearance.
Zoom Level: Adjust the default zoom for web pages (e.g., 100%, 125%, etc.).
Font Size & Style: Modify font size or choose custom fonts for reading clarity and accessibility.
Toolbar Configuration: Show or hide buttons like Favorites, Collections, and History on the toolbar.
Page Layout (New Tab): Customize how the new tab page looks—choose from Focused, Inspirational, Informational, or Custom.

Privacy & Security

Tracking Prevention: Toggle between Basic, Balanced, or Strict to control how trackers are blocked.
Clear Browsing Data: Automatically or manually delete history, cache, cookies, and passwords.
Security Settings: Enable features such as Microsoft Defender SmartScreen to block malicious sites.
HTTPS-Only Mode: Force all websites to use HTTPS whenever possible for added security.
Password Monitoring: Receive alerts if saved passwords appear in a known data breach.

Profiles & Syncing

Profile Management: Add multiple user profiles, useful for shared computers or separating work and personal browsing.
Sync Options: Choose which data to sync across devices—bookmarks, passwords, history, open tabs, extensions, and more.
Account Integration: Link to a Microsoft account for cloud-based syncing and rewards.
Payment Info and Addresses: Store and manage autofill information like credit cards and shipping addresses.

Startup & Homepage

Startup Behavior: Choose to open a specific set of pages, a new tab, or continue where you left off.
Home Button: Enable or disable the Home button and set a custom URL as your home page.
New Tab Customization: Select content type—news feed, background image, or blank page—when opening a new tab.

Site Permissions

Cookies: Manage how cookies are handled—allow all, block third-party, or block all cookies.
Pop-ups and Redirects: Block or allow pop-ups and automatic redirects.
Camera and Microphone: Choose which sites have permission to access your webcam or mic.
Notifications: Allow or block notification prompts from websites.
Location Services: Decide whether websites can request your geographic location.

Downloads & File Handling

Default Download Location: Change the folder where files are saved by default.
Ask Where to Save: Toggle a prompt that asks where to save each download.
Automatic Downloads: Control whether multiple automatic downloads from the same site are allowed.

System & Performance

Startup Boost: Enable Edge to load faster by preloading processes in the background.
Hardware Acceleration: Allow Edge to use GPU hardware acceleration for better performance.
Efficiency Mode: Conserve system resources by reducing browser activity when the computer is low on battery.
Sleeping Tabs: Reduce memory usage by putting inactive tabs to sleep automatically.

Accessibility & Languages

Preferred Languages: Set preferred languages for browsing and translation.
Live Captions: Enable real-time captioning for media playback.
Page Translation: Automatically offer to translate web pages not in your default language.

Step-by-Step: Customizing Key Settings

Let’s walk through how to change some of the most important and commonly used settings in Edge:

Changing Your Default Search Engine

By default, Microsoft Edge uses Bing as its search engine. To change this:

Open Edge and go to Settings.
Navigate to Privacy, search, and services.
Scroll to Address bar and search at the bottom.
Click Manage search engines.
Choose a new default (e.g., Google, DuckDuckGo), or add a new one.

Setting Edge as Your Default Browser

To set Microsoft Edge as your default browser in Windows 11:

Open Windows Settings (Win + I).
Click on Apps and then Default Apps.
Scroll to find Microsoft Edge or your current browser.
Click on it and set Edge for each file type and link type (e.g., .html, .htm, HTTP, HTTPS).

Enabling Tracking Prevention

To enhance privacy:

Go to Edge > Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
Choose from Basic, Balanced, or Strict.
Balanced is the default and recommended for most users.

Customizing the New Tab Page

To personalize your new tab experience:

Open a new tab and click the gear icon in the top-right corner.
Select a layout: Focused, Inspirational, Informational, or Custom.
With Custom, you can toggle components like a background image, news feed, quick links, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I reset Microsoft Edge to default settings?

To reset Edge:

Go to Settings > Reset Settings > Restore settings to their default values.
Confirm by clicking Reset.
This removes custom settings, extensions, and temporary data but retains favorites and saved passwords.

Is Microsoft Edge safer than Chrome or Firefox?

Edge offers strong built-in security features like SmartScreen and Tracking Prevention, and its integration with Windows Defender can provide an additional layer of protection. While Chrome and Firefox are also secure, Edge has the advantage of deeper integration with Windows 11, which may improve security in enterprise settings.

Can I use Chrome extensions in Edge?

Yes, since Edge is Chromium-based, it supports almost all Chrome extensions. Just visit the Chrome Web Store, click “Add to Chrome,” and Edge will prompt you to confirm the installation.

How can I import data from another browser?

Go to Settings > Profiles > Import browser data.
Choose a browser, select the items to import (bookmarks, history, passwords), and click Import.

Can I use Edge without a Microsoft account?

Yes, you can use Edge without signing in. However, some features like sync, Rewards, and certain extensions may not be available. Signing in with a Microsoft account unlocks full functionality across devices.

How do I stop Edge from running in the background?

Go to Settings > System and performance and toggle off the setting called Continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed.

How do I manage multiple profiles in Edge?

Go to Settings > Profiles > Add Profile.
Each profile can have its own bookmarks, history, and login credentials.
Great for separating work and personal use.

Why does Edge keep opening on startup?

To prevent this:

Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
Go to the Startup tab.
Right-click Microsoft Edge and choose Disable.
Also check Edge > Settings > System and performance to ensure Startup Boost is turned off if you don’t want it preloading.

How do I stop pop-ups and ads?

In Edge:

Go to Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Pop-ups and redirects.
Set to Block (recommended).
For ad blocking, consider installing extensions like uBlock Origin from the Edge Add-ons store.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft Edge has matured into a powerful and flexible browser, fully capable of handling everything from basic web surfing to demanding research and enterprise-level tasks. Windows 11’s close integration with Edge makes it more than just a web browser—it becomes part of the OS ecosystem. Whether you’re trying to improve performance, increase privacy, personalize your interface, or better manage your workflow, Edge offers a deep set of tools to do so. The settings are well organized and accessible, and each one offers clear documentation within the browser itself.

Taking the time to explore and configure these options will not only make your experience smoother and more enjoyable but also ensure you’re browsing safely and efficiently. From changing your theme to enabling efficiency mode or managing site permissions, Edge in Windows 11 puts you in control.