This tutorial shows you how to turn the guest browsing feature on or off in Microsoft Edge. This works for all users on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
You can enable or disable guest mode in Microsoft Edge by using specific commands in Windows Terminal. Open Terminal as administrator and either delete the BrowserGuestModeEnabled and BrowserGuestModeEnforced registry keys to allow guest mode, or add them with specific values to enforce or disable it.
What is Guest Mode?
Guest mode in Microsoft Edge is like a temporary, clean slate for browsing.
Why Use Guest Mode?
Guest mode in Microsoft Edge lets you browse without signing into websites automatically.
What Policies Control Guest Mode?
Microsoft Edge uses specific policies to control guest mode, like BrowserGuestModeEnabled, which lets you decide if guest profiles are an option.
Forcing guest-only browsing is possible with the BrowserGuestModeEnforced policy, available starting with Microsoft Edge version 147.
For more details on Microsoft Edge privacy, check out ‘User data and privacy in Microsoft Edge‘.
How to Enable or Disable Browse as Guest
🔒 You need administrator rights to change these settings.
- Open Windows Terminal as an administrator.
- Copy and paste one of the command sets below, depending on what you want to do.
- Press Enter to run the command.
Option 1Let Users Choose to Browse as Guest (Default)
reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v BrowserGuestModeEnabled /f
reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v BrowserGuestModeEnforced /f
Option 2Always Browse as Guest for All Users
reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v BrowserGuestModeEnabled /f
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v BrowserGuestModeEnforced /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Option 3Turn Off Browse as Guest for All Users
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v BrowserGuestModeEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v BrowserGuestModeEnforced /f
Summary
Guest mode in Microsoft Edge is a fast way to browse without messing up someone’s main profile, and all your data disappears when you close it.
How do I turn off guest mode in edge?
To turn off guest mode in Microsoft Edge, close all open guest windows. Once every guest window is closed, the browser automatically ends the session and deletes all browsing history, cookies, and site data. No manual settings changes are required to end a single guest browsing session.
How to permanently disable guest mode?
To permanently disable guest mode in Microsoft Edge, you need to change the BrowserGuestModeEnabled policy using the Group Policy Editor or Registry Editor.
How do I turn guest mode off?
You can turn off guest mode in Microsoft Edge simply by closing all the guest windows you have open.
How do I disable guest mode on Windows?
To disable guest mode on Windows for Microsoft Edge, use the Group Policy Editor to set the BrowserGuestModeEnabled policy to Disabled.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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