Boost Your Privacy on Microsoft Edge: Key Settings to Reconfigure

Microsoft Edge might be fast, convenient, and full of cool features, but it also comes with a host of default settings that might compromise your privacy. The good news? It’s super easy to adjust these settings and make sure your personal data stays yours. In this guide, we’ll walk you through some key settings to tweak, why they matter, and how to turn them on or off. Let’s get started!

1. Tracking Prevention: Stop the Trackers in Their Tracks

Why it matters: Ever feel like the internet knows a little too much about you? That's probably because of trackers—little bits of code on websites that follow your browsing behavior. Edge’s Tracking Prevention helps block these trackers so companies can’t snoop on your every move.

How to adjust:

1. Go to the menu (the three dots in the upper-right corner).
2. Head to Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services.
3. You’ll see three levels of tracking prevention:
   • Basic: Blocks harmful trackers only (not the best option for privacy).
   • Balanced: The default setting—blocks most trackers while keeping sites working smoothly.
   • Strict: This one is for privacy superstars. It blocks the most trackers but might mess with some website features.
     Choose what works for you and turn it on!

2. Disable Save Payment Methods

Why it matters: Convenient as it may seem, storing your credit card info in a browser could expose your sensitive details to hackers. Disabling this feature keeps your payment info safe from prying eyes.

How to adjust:

1. Open Settings and search for Wallet.
2. Go to Save and Fill Payment Info and switch it off.
3. Also, turn off the setting that lets sites check if you have payment methods saved.

3. Don't Save Passwords – Use a Password Manager Instead

Why it matters: Browsers offer to save your passwords for convenience, but a dedicated password manager is far more secure. Edge’s built-in password manager is better than nothing, but it’s always safer to keep passwords in a more specialized tool.

How to adjust:

1. Go to Settings > Profiles > Passwords.
2. Turn off Offer to save passwords.
3. Download a reputable password manager to handle all your login credentials.

4. Clear Cookies and Data Every Time You Close the Browser

Why it matters: Cookies can make browsing faster, but they can also store tons of personal information that websites (or bad actors) might misuse. Set Edge to clear cookies and site data every time you close it to keep things clean.

How to adjust:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services.
2. Scroll to Clear browsing data and click Choose what to clear every time you close the browser.
3. Turn on Cookies and other site data.

5. Create Separate Profiles for Work and Personal Use

Why it matters: Using the same browser profile for both work and personal use can get messy. Separate profiles protect your work data and make sure there’s no accidental crossover.

How to adjust:

1. Head to Settings > Profiles.
2. Click Add Profile and follow the steps to create a new one.
3. Switch between profiles as needed.

6. Disable Personalization & Advertising

Why it matters: Microsoft can collect data on your browsing habits to show you targeted ads. Turning off personalization ensures that your browsing history stays private.

How to adjust:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services.
2. Scroll down to Personalization & Advertising and turn it off.

7. Turn Off Automatic Tab Grouping

Why it matters: Edge can automatically group tabs based on AI from the Azure cloud, but this feature sends data (like your tab URLs) to Microsoft. Disabling it keeps your tab data more private.

How to adjust:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services.
2. Look for the option to turn off Tab Grouping.

8. Block Similar Sites and Shopping Recommendations

Why it matters: Edge sometimes suggests similar sites or online shopping deals, which means it’s tracking what you’re doing. If that feels a bit too intrusive, you can easily turn these features off.

How to adjust:

1. For similar sites: Go to Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services and turn off Suggest similar sites.
2. For shopping recommendations: Search for Shopping in the settings and disable it.

9. Defender SmartScreen: Keep Malicious Sites at Bay

Why it matters: Edge’s SmartScreen feature protects you from phishing sites and downloads that could harm your computer. It’s a solid tool for keeping your browsing safe from malware.

How to adjust:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services > Security.
2. Make sure Microsoft Defender SmartScreen is enabled.

10. Opt-Out of Text Predictions and Auto-Complete

Why it matters: Edge’s text prediction feature sends what you type to Microsoft’s cloud servers to make suggestions. You might prefer keeping your thoughts to yourself!

How to adjust:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services.
2. Look for Text Prediction and toggle it off.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft Edge can be a fantastic browser, but out of the box, it’s set up to share more data than many users would prefer. By adjusting these privacy settings, you can surf the web with more confidence and less worry about your personal info being shared. Take a few minutes to tweak these settings, and enjoy a safer, more private online experience!