How to Enable or Disable Tracking Prevention in Microsoft Edge

Why You Need Tracking Prevention

Why is tracking prevention important? Your online privacy is important. Websites use trackers to learn about you. They want to know what you like. They want to know what you buy. They want to know what you search for. This information is sold to advertisers. Advertisers then show you ads. They follow you from site to site. You see ads for things you looked at days ago. It feels like someone is watching. Tracking prevention stops this. It blocks the tools websites use to watch you. It limits what information they can collect. It gives you back control over your privacy. Microsoft Edge does this automatically. But you can make it stronger or weaker.

What Are Trackers?

Trackers are small files or code. They are put on websites. They work in the background while you browse. You don’t see them. But they collect information about what you do. They track which links you click. They track how long you stay on a page. They track what you search for. They track what you buy.

Some trackers are first-party. These come from the website you are visiting. They help the website work better for you. They remember your login details. They keep items in your shopping cart. These trackers are usually helpful.

Third-party trackers are different. These come from other companies. They follow you across many websites. They build a detailed picture of your online habits. They sell this information to advertisers. These are the trackers that feel invasive. Tracking prevention targets these trackers.

What Is Tracking Prevention?

Tracking prevention is a feature in Microsoft Edge. It automatically blocks third-party trackers. It stops companies from following you online. It limits what information websites can collect. It is turned on by default. But you can make it stronger. Or you can make it weaker if a website doesn’t work right.

When tracking prevention is on, Microsoft Edge checks a list of known trackers. This list is updated often. When you visit a website, Edge checks for these trackers. If it finds them, it blocks them. The tracker cannot collect data. It cannot follow you to other sites. You browse more privately.

The Three Levels of Tracking Prevention in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge has three levels of tracking prevention. Each level offers different protection. You choose the level that works best for you.

Basic Tracking Prevention

Basic is the lowest level of protection. Edge blocks trackers only in InPrivate browsing windows. InPrivate is Edge’s private browsing mode. When you open an InPrivate window, tracking prevention turns on. In regular browsing windows, some trackers still work. This level is good if you don’t want protection to mess up how websites work. Some websites break if tracking prevention is too strong. Basic prevents this. But you get less privacy protection in regular windows.

Balanced Tracking Prevention

Balanced is the middle option. This is the default setting. Edge blocks known third-party trackers everywhere you browse. It protects your privacy on all websites. Most websites work fine with this setting. A few websites might have small issues. Things like comment sections might not load right away. Or some buttons might take a moment to appear. Balanced provides good privacy without causing major problems.

Strict Tracking Prevention

Strict is the strongest level. Edge blocks all third-party trackers. It also blocks many first-party trackers. You get the most privacy protection. No tracker can follow you. But strict mode might break some websites. Video players might not work. Shopping carts might not work right. Login systems might fail. If you use strict mode, be ready to allow exceptions for websites that don’t work properly. Strict is best for people who care a lot about privacy and are willing to fix website problems.

How to Change Your Tracking Prevention Level

Changing your tracking prevention level is easy. It only takes a few clicks. Follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge on your computer.
2. Click the three-dot menu button in the top right corner of the window.
3. Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
4. Click Privacy, search, and services in the left sidebar.
5. Scroll down to the section labeled Tracking prevention.
6. You will see three options: Basic, Balanced, and Strict.
7. Click the option you prefer.

Your choice saves automatically. You don’t need to restart Edge. Edge will start blocking trackers based on your chosen level right away.

Making Exceptions: Allow Specific Trackers on Certain Websites

Sometimes a website won’t work correctly with your tracking prevention level. A video won’t play. A form won’t submit. A page won’t load. When this happens, you can create an exception. An exception tells Edge to allow trackers on that specific website.

Here’s how to add a tracking prevention exception:

1. Go to the website that isn’t working properly.
2. Click the lock icon in the address bar. It is on the left side where the website address is shown.
3. Select “Tracking prevention” for this site.
4. Toggle the switch to Off for that website.
5. Refresh the page. The website should now work properly.

When you turn off tracking prevention for a website, Edge stops blocking trackers on that site. But tracking prevention stays on everywhere else. You are only making an exception for that one website.

To remove an exception later:

1. Go back to that website.
2. Click the lock icon in the address bar.
3. Click Manage next to “Tracking prevention”.
4. Toggle the switch back to On.

Edge will start blocking trackers on that website again.

Viewing Blocked Trackers: See What Edge Protected You From

Are you curious about how many trackers Edge has blocked? You can see a detailed list. Knowing what is being blocked helps you understand why tracking prevention is important. It shows you how much companies try to track you.

To see blocked trackers:

1. Click the lock icon in the address bar of any website.
2. Look for the line that says “Trackers blocked on this page”.
3. Click See details.

Edge shows you all the trackers it blocked on that page. The list includes the names of tracking companies and how many tracking attempts they made.

You can also see a summary of all blocked trackers from the past week or month. To access this:

1. Open Edge and click the three-dot menu.
2. Select Settings.
3. Click Privacy, search, and services.
4. Scroll to Tracking prevention.
5. Below the three level options, click Blocked trackers.

You will see a list of websites and how many trackers were blocked on each.

Enable or disable Tracking Prevention in Edge via Registry

Advanced users can use the Windows Registry to set these rules. Note: If you are on a work or school device, these settings may be locked by your IT department and cannot be changed.

First, open the Windows Registry. Remember to back up your registry before making changes, or create a System Restore point as a precaution.

Navigate to: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge

Right-click Edge, select New, and choose DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it TrackingPrevention.

Double-click the name and set the value:

• 1: Basic
• 2: Balanced
• 3: Strict
• 0: Disable

You may need to restart your computer to apply these changes. To go back to normal, delete the TrackingPrevention entry.

Advanced Settings: Fine-Tune Your Tracking Prevention

For users who want more control, Edge offers advanced tracking prevention settings. These settings let you customize how tracking prevention works. You can adjust settings for search suggestions, personalized content, and more.

Search and Site Suggestions

Edge can offer search suggestions as you type. These suggestions come from your search history. They help you search faster. But they require tracking some of your searches. In the Privacy settings, you can turn off “Improve your web experience by allowing Microsoft to save your browsing activity.” This stops Edge from saving your search history for suggestions.

Personalized Content and Ads

Microsoft shows you personalized ads based on your browsing. You can turn off “Personalize your web experience” to get generic ads instead. You can also turn “Allow sites to check if you have payment methods saved” on or off. This controls whether websites can ask Edge for your saved payment information.

Privacy-Preserving Product Improvements

Microsoft collects some browsing data to improve Edge. You can turn off “Help improve Microsoft products by sending the optional diagnostic data about how you use the browser” if you do not want to share this data.

Understanding InPrivate Browsing and Tracking Prevention

InPrivate browsing is Edge’s private mode. When you open an InPrivate window, Edge adds extra privacy features. Tracking prevention works stronger in InPrivate mode. Even if you have Basic tracking prevention turned on in regular browsing, InPrivate windows get stronger protection.

To open an InPrivate window:

1. Click the three-dot menu in Edge.
2. Select New InPrivate window.

A new Edge window opens with a blue InPrivate indicator. Anything you browse in this window will not be saved to your history. Trackers are blocked more aggressively. Cookies are cleared when you close the window. InPrivate mode is perfect when you need maximum privacy. Use it for sensitive searches or when you don’t want your browsing tracked.

Troubleshooting Websites That Break with Tracking Prevention

Sometimes tracking prevention causes problems. A website might not load correctly. A feature might not work. You might see an error message. Here’s how to fix it.

First, figure out if tracking prevention is the problem:

1. Go to the website that isn’t working.
2. Click the lock icon in the address bar.
3. Look at what it says about tracking prevention.

If it shows “Tracking prevention is on for this site”, that might be the problem.

If tracking prevention seems to be causing the issue, you have a few options:

Option 1Turn Off Tracking Prevention for That Site

This is the easiest fix. As described above, click the lock icon and toggle tracking prevention off for that site. The website should work properly.

Option 2Lower Your Tracking Prevention Level

If many websites are broken, consider lowering your protection level. Switch from Strict to Balanced. Or from Balanced to Basic. More websites will work, but you get less privacy protection.

Option 3Clear Browsing Data and Cache

Sometimes clearing your cache helps. Old cached data combined with tracking prevention can cause problems. To clear your cache:

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Del on your keyboard.
2. Select the time range. Choose All time to clear everything.
3. Check the boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
4. Click Clear now.
5. Reload the website.

Option 4Try a Different Browser Profile

Edge lets you create multiple profiles. Each profile has its own settings. You could create a profile with Basic tracking prevention for websites that don’t work well. Keep your main profile with Strict tracking prevention for maximum privacy.

Tracking Prevention vs. Other Privacy Tools in Edge

Tracking prevention is one of several privacy features in Edge. It’s not the only tool protecting you. Let’s look at what else Edge offers.

Do Not Track (DNT)

Do Not Track is an older privacy feature. It sends a signal to websites asking them not to track you. But many websites ignore this signal. It’s not as effective as tracking prevention. You can enable DNT in Edge settings, but tracking prevention is more important.

Windows Defender SmartScreen

SmartScreen protects you from dangerous websites. It blocks sites known to contain malware or phishing attempts. It’s different from tracking prevention. Tracking prevention protects your privacy. SmartScreen protects your security.

Collections and Saving to Reading List

These are local privacy features. Your collections stay on your device. Edge doesn’t send them to servers. They don’t involve tracking. But you need to manage your data carefully to keep it private.

Common Misconceptions About Tracking Prevention

Many people misunderstand how tracking prevention works. Let’s clear up some confusion.

Misconception 1: Tracking Prevention Blocks All Ads

False. Tracking prevention blocks trackers, not ads. You will still see ads. They just won’t be personalized based on your browsing habits. You might see generic ads instead of targeted ones. But ads still appear.

Misconception 2: Tracking Prevention Makes You Anonymous

False. Tracking prevention limits third-party tracking. But your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can still see what websites you visit. Your employer can still see your browsing if you are on their network. Tracking prevention helps but does not make you completely anonymous.

Misconception 3: Turning Off Tracking Prevention Makes Sites Faster

Not necessarily. Blocking trackers actually speeds up browsing in many cases. Trackers slow down page loading. Removing them makes sites faster. Turning off tracking prevention might actually slow things down.

Misconception 4: You Need Tracking Prevention if You Have Nothing to Hide

False logic. Privacy is not about hiding. It’s about controlling your information. Everyone deserves privacy. It is a basic right. You do not need to justify wanting privacy. Tracking prevention respects that right.

How Tracking Prevention Affects Website Functionality

You need to understand what tracking prevention might affect. Some features use the technologies that tracking prevention blocks.

Social Media Buttons

Websites have buttons to share content on Facebook, Twitter, or other platforms. These buttons often use tracking technology. Tracking prevention might prevent them from working. The buttons might not show. Or they might not work correctly. The website’s main content still works. Only the sharing feature might break.

Comment Sections

Many websites use third-party comment systems like Disqus. These systems use tracking technology. Strict tracking prevention might prevent comments from loading. You will see a blank space where comments should be. The fix is to add an exception for the website.

Video Players

Some video players use tracking technology. If a video won’t play, tracking prevention might be the reason. Try adding an exception for that website. The video should play after you allow trackers.

Login Systems

Some websites use third-party login systems. If you cannot log in, tracking prevention might block the login tools. Adding an exception usually fixes this.

E-Commerce Features

Shopping carts, wishlists, and product recommendations sometimes use tracking technology. Strict tracking prevention might affect these features. You can still shop, but recommendations won’t be personalized.

Summary

Tracking prevention in Microsoft Edge helps protect your online privacy. You can choose from three levels: Basic, Balanced, and Strict. Balanced is the default and offers a good mix of privacy and website compatibility. If a website doesn’t work correctly, you can create an exception for it. You can also view which trackers Edge has blocked. While tracking prevention is powerful, it doesn’t make you completely anonymous and may affect some website features. You can also use InPrivate browsing for an extra layer of privacy.