How to Stop Microsoft Edge from Creating Desktop Shortcuts

How to Stop Edge from Creating Desktop Shortcuts

Step 1Open the Registry Editor

First, open the Windows Registry on your computer.

Step 2Navigate to the Correct Folder

Go to this folder location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\Update

If you don’t see the EdgeUpdate folder, 🖱️ right-click on the Microsoft folder. Then create a new subfolder called EdgeUpdate.

Step 3Create a New Value ⚠️ Requires Admin Access

On the right side of the window, right-click in the empty space. Select New and then choose DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Type this name for the new value:

RemoveDesktopShortcutDefault

Step 4Set the Value

Double-click on RemoveDesktopShortcutDefault. In the box that opens, enter 1 as the value.

Setting it to 1 stops Edge from creating desktop shortcuts.

Setting it to 0 allows Edge to keep creating shortcuts automatically.

Step 5🔄 Restart Your Computer

🔄 Restart your computer to apply these changes. After you restart, Edge will no longer create desktop shortcuts automatically.

Summary

Microsoft Edge automatically creates desktop shortcuts every time it updates. This can be annoying if you don’t want shortcuts on your desktop. You can disable this behavior by opening the Registry Editor and adding a value called RemoveDesktopShortcutDefault and setting it to 1. After you 🔄 restart your computer, Edge will stop creating these shortcuts. If you ever want Edge to create shortcuts again, you can change the value back to 0.

Frequently Asked Questions