How to Enable or Disable Sync Browsing Data in Microsoft Edge Across Devices

Method 1Turn Off Sync Directly Inside Edge (For Everyday Users)

Turning off sync directly inside Edge is the easiest way to stop Microsoft Edge from sharing your browsing data across different devices. Open the browser, go to your profile settings, and turn off the sync feature with just a few clicks to keep your passwords, bookmarks, and settings private on that specific computer.

1. Open Microsoft Edge on your computer. Look for the blue and green swirl icon on your desktop, taskbar, or start menu ⊞ and click it to launch the browser.
2. Click your profile icon. Find your user picture or profile icon sitting in the top-left or top-right corner of the browser window, right next to the web address bar.
3. Open your profile settings. Click on Manage profile settings from the menu that drops down, and then select the Sync option.
4. Turn off the feature. Look for the main sync switch and turn it off. This action instantly halts all data sharing between this computer and your other devices.

Method 2Block Sync Using the Local Group Policy Editor (For Work and School PCs)

Blocking sync using the Local Group Policy Editor lets IT administrators turn off Microsoft Edge data sharing across multiple work or school computers at the same time. Open the policy tool by typing gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box, locate the browser settings, and disable the sync feature for all users on that machine.

1. Open the Group Policy tool. Press the Win+R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. Type gpedit.msc into the blank space and press Enter. Note that you need Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions for this to work.
2. Find the Microsoft Edge settings folder. Using the menu on the left side of the screen, click your way through Computer Configuration, then Administrative Templates, then Microsoft Edge.
3. Locate the sign-in policy. Scroll through the list of settings on the right until you find a policy named Configure browser sign-in. Double-click it to open its configuration window.
4. Disable the feature. Change the setting from “Not Configured” to Enabled. Then, look for the options dropdown menu inside that same window, select the choice that blocks syncing or sign-ins entirely, and click OK.
5. Force your computer to notice the change. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator, type gpupdate /force, and press Enter. This tells your computer to apply the new rules immediately without waiting for a reboot.

Method 3Stop Syncing Through the Windows Registry

Stopping syncing through the Windows Registry is the best alternative for Windows Home users who do not have access to the Group Policy Editor. Open the Registry Editor using the Run command, create the correct policy keys, and disable browser data syncing directly in the system database.

1. Open the Registry Editor. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run box. Type regedit and hit Enter. Click Yes if a warning box pops up asking for permission to make changes.

Warning: The Registry is a sensitive area. Always back up your registry or create a system restore point before changing keys, as a single typo can cause unexpected computer behavior.

2. Navigate to the Edge policy folder. Look at the address bar near the top of the Registry window. Clear whatever is in there, paste the following path, and press Enter:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\EdgeIf you do not see an "Edge" folder at the end of that path, right-click the "Microsoft" folder, choose New, select Key, and name it Edge.
3. Create the sync-blocking keys. Right-click any empty space in the right-hand panel, choose New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name this new item SyncDisabled.
4. Activate the block. Double-click your new SyncDisabled item, change its value data from 0 to 1, and click OK. A value of 1 tells Edge to completely block synchronization.
5. Restart your browser. Close Microsoft Edge completely and open it back up to put your new security rules into effect.

Method 4Use PowerShell to Kill Edge Sync Instantly

Using PowerShell to kill Edge sync instantly gives advanced users and system administrators a fast command-line method to turn off browser data sharing. Open PowerShell with administrator rights, run the specific setup commands, and automatically disable syncing across your system without clicking through menus.

1. Open PowerShell as an administrator. Press your Windows key, type powershell, right-click Windows PowerShell in the search results, and choose Run as administrator.
2. Create the policy folder automatically. Paste the following command into the PowerShell window and press Enter to ensure the necessary policy folder exists on your system:New-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" -Force
3. Turn off synchronization. Copy and paste this command into PowerShell and press Enter to disable data syncing right away:Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" -Name "SyncDisabled" -Value 1
4. Verify your work. Open Microsoft Edge and navigate to your profile settings. You should see that the sync toggles are locked out, confirming your script worked successfully.

Tip: You can package this exact command into an automated script and run it across network devices using tools like Microsoft Intune if you manage a fleet of computers.

Summary

Enabling or disabling sync browsing data in Microsoft Edge depends on whether you are using a personal computer or managing multiple work devices. Everyday users can turn off sync right inside the browser settings, while administrators can use group policies, the registry, or PowerShell to block data sharing across computers.