This article explains the steps to stop or disable the Microsoft Edge browser from automatically creating a desktop shortcut in Windows 11.
The Microsoft Edge browser is the default browser in Windows 11. However, users can switch to their preferred or favorite browser anytime. Edge is based on Chromium, similar to Google Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers today.
Microsoft wants you to use their Edge browser over others, so every time Edge is updated, a shortcut will automatically be created on the desktop if there’s none already there.
Deleting or removing the shortcut from the desktop will automatically get recreated when Edge is updated again. You can stop that, and the steps below show you how.
Disable Edge from creating desktop shortcuts in Windows 11
The Microsoft Edge browser will automatically create a desktop shortcut, as described above. Even if you delete it, a new shortcut will be created the next time Edge is updated.
Here’s how to stop it.
First, open the Windows Registry, and navigate to the folder key path listed below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate
If you don’t see the EdgeUpdate folder key, right-click on the Microsoft parent key, then create the subkey (EdgeUpdate) folder.
On the right pane of the EdgeUpdate folder key, right-click and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value. Next, type a new key named RemoveDesktopShortcutDefault.
Double-click the new value name (RemoveDesktopShortcutDefault) and enter the Value data of 1 to disable Edge from automatically creating desktop shortcuts.
A Value data of 0 will allow Edge to continue creating desktop shortcuts automatically every time.
That should do it. Restart your computer for the changes to apply.
That should do it!
Conclusion:
This post showed you how to stop the Microsoft Edge browser from creating a desktop automatically. Please use the comment form below if you find any errors above or have something to add.
