Set default search engine
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Version 1703 or later
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Edge User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Edge Description
This policy setting lets you configure the default search engine for your employees. Your employees can change the default search engine at any time. Important This setting can only be used with domain-joined or MDM-enrolled devices. For more info, see the Microsoft browser extension policy (aka.ms/browserpolicy). If you enable this setting, you can choose a default search engine for your employees. If this setting is enabled, you must also add the default engine to the “Set default search engine” setting, by adding a link to your OpenSearch XML file, including at least the short name and https: URL of the search engine. For more info about creating the OpenSearch XML file, see the Understanding OpenSearch Standards (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd163546.aspx) topic. Use this format to specify the link you wish to add: <https://fabrikam.com/opensearch.xml> Note If you'd like your employees to use the default Microsoft Edge settings for each market, you can set the string to EDGEDEFAULT. If you'd like your employees to use Microsoft Bing as the default search engine, you can set the string to EDGEBING. Employees can change the default search engine at any time, unless you disable the "Allow search engine customization" setting, which restricts any changes. If you disable this setting, the policy-set default search engine is removed. If this is also the current in-use default, the engine changes to the Microsoft Edge specified engine for the market. If you don't configure this setting, the default search engine is set to the one specified in App settings.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\OpenSearch Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\OpenSearch MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Browser/SetDefaultSearchEngine ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Browser/SetDefaultSearchEngine 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: Set default search engine
; State: Enabled
; Scope: Computer (HKLM)
; Supported on: Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Version 1703 or later
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\OpenSearch]
"SetDefaultSearchEngine"=""More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set default search engine
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Version 1703 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\OpenSearch'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SetDefaultSearchEngine' -Value '' -Type StringIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Browser/SetDefaultSearchEngine
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="SetDefaultSearchEngine_Prompt" value=""/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set default search engine
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Version 1703 or later
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\OpenSearch' -Name 'SetDefaultSearchEngine' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set default search engine
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Version 1703 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\OpenSearch'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SetDefaultSearchEngine' -Value '' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set default search engine
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Version 1703 or later
# 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: Set default search engine
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Version 1703 or later
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\OpenSearch' -Name 'SetDefaultSearchEngine' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set default search engine
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Version 1703 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\OpenSearch'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SetDefaultSearchEngine' -Value '' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.