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

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

This is the simplest method and the right one for a personal computer. It needs no special tools and no administrator rights. It only affects the Edge profile you are signed in to on this computer, and other devices keep their own sync settings.

1. Open Microsoft Edge. Click the blue and green swirl icon on your desktop, taskbar, or Start menu ⊞. The browser window opens.
2. Click your profile icon. It is your user picture, next to the web address bar in the top-left or top-right corner of the window. A profile menu drops down.
3. Click Manage profile settings. The Profiles page opens in a new tab.
4. Select Sync. You now see the sync switch and a list of data types below it.
5. Turn off the main sync switch. Depending on your version, this may appear as a Turn off sync button. Edge stops sending and receiving data between this computer and your other devices straight away.

If you cannot find the Sync option, you are probably not signed in to Edge with a Microsoft account, so there is nothing to sync. If the options are greyed out, your organization manages the browser. In that case, see the policy sections below.

Scroll down the same page and switch off individual items, such as passwords, favorites, or open tabs. That way you keep the conveniences you want and block the rest.

Turning off sync does not delete data already stored in the cloud. The sync page also offers a reset option if you want to clear it. To undo the change, go back to the same page and turn sync on again.

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

Local Group Policy lets you block sync for every user profile on a computer, and you can repeat the setting on other work or school machines. It only works on Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education. Windows Home does not include this tool, so use the Registry method instead.

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter. The Local Group Policy Editor opens. If Windows says it cannot find the file, you are on Windows Home.
3. In the left pane, go to Computer Configuration › Administrative Templates › Microsoft Edge The list of Edge policies appears on the right. If you have no Microsoft Edge folder, the Edge administrative templates are not installed on this computer. You can download them from Microsoft and add them first.
4. Scroll the right pane to the policy named Configure browser sign-in and double-click it. Its configuration window opens.
5. Select Enabled instead of Not Configured.
6. Open the options dropdown in the same window and choose the option that blocks sync or sign-in entirely. Click OK.
7. Open Command Prompt as an administrator. Type gpupdate /force and press Enter. Windows applies the new policy straight away, with no reboot needed. Close and reopen Edge to be sure it picks up the change.

Users cannot turn sync back on themselves. To undo the change, set the policy back to Not Configured and run the same update command again.

Method 3Stop Syncing Through the Windows Registry

The Registry Editor is the best option for Windows Home users, who do not have Group Policy. It sets the same kind of policy by hand. You need an administrator account, and you should take your time, because a typo here can cause odd behavior.

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run box. Type regedit and press Enter. Click Yes if User Account Control asks for permission. The Registry Editor opens.

Warning: The Registry is a sensitive area. Back it up or create a system restore point before you change anything. In the Registry Editor, you can back up with File › Export

2. Click the address bar near the top of the Registry Editor window and clear whatever is in it. Paste the following path and press Enter: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge The editor jumps to that key. If there is no "Edge" folder at the end of the path, right-click the "Microsoft" folder, choose New, select Key, and name it Edge.
3. Right-click an empty space in the right-hand panel, choose New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new item SyncDisabled. It appears in the list with a value of 0.
4. Double-click the new SyncDisabled item, change the value data from 0 to 1, and click OK. A value of 1 tells Edge to block synchronization.
5. Close Microsoft Edge completely, including any windows still running, and open it again. The sync settings in your profile should now be locked or greyed out.

To undo this, change the value back to 0 or delete the item you created, then restart Edge.

Method 4Use PowerShell to Kill Edge Sync Instantly

PowerShell is a quick command-line route for advanced users. It makes the same registry change as the previous method, so it also works on Windows Home. It suits scripting, and it is much faster than clicking through menus if you do it more than once.

1. Click the Start button or press the Windows key, and type powershell. Right-click Windows PowerShell in the results and choose Run as administrator. Click Yes if prompted. A blue PowerShell window opens.
2. Paste the following command and press Enter. It makes sure the policy folder exists: New-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" -Force
3. Paste this command and press Enter to turn off syncing: Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" -Name "SyncDisabled" -Value 1 -Type DWord If the command works, PowerShell returns to the prompt without an error.
4. Open Microsoft Edge, go to your profile settings, and check the Sync page. The sync toggles should be locked out. If they are not, close all Edge windows and open it again.

Tip: If you manage a fleet of computers, you can put these commands in a script and deploy it with a tool like Microsoft Intune. To undo the change, set the value back to 0 or delete it from the registry, as described in the Registry section.

Summary

The right method depends on whether you are managing one personal computer or many work devices. Everyday users can turn off sync directly in the Edge settings. Administrators can use Group Policy on Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions, or the Registry or PowerShell on any edition including Home, to block data sharing across computers.