Allow deleting browsing history on exit
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Delete Browsing History User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Delete Browsing History Description
This policy setting allows the automatic deletion of specified items when the last browser window closes. The preferences selected in the Delete Browsing History dialog box (such as deleting temporary Internet files, cookies, history, form data, and passwords) are applied, and those items are deleted. If you enable this policy setting, deleting browsing history on exit is turned on. If you disable this policy setting, deleting browsing history on exit is turned off. If you do not configure this policy setting, it can be configured on the General tab in Internet Options. If the "Prevent access to Delete Browsing History" policy setting is enabled, this policy setting has no effect.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy Value name: ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit
Enabled: ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit = 1
Disabled: ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/AllowDeletingBrowsingHistoryOnExit ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/AllowDeletingBrowsingHistoryOnExit Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
Applying both scopes creates an ambiguous configuration (computer takes precedence over user). Only do this intentionally.
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Allow deleting browsing history on exit
; State: Enabled
; Scope: Computer (HKLM)
; Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy]
"ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow deleting browsing history on exit
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/AllowDeletingBrowsingHistoryOnExit
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow deleting browsing history on exit
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy' -Name 'ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow deleting browsing history on exit
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow deleting browsing history on exit
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow deleting browsing history on exit
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy' -Name 'ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow deleting browsing history on exit
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.