Do not sync browser settings
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Sync your settings Description
Prevent the "browser" group from syncing to and from this PC. This turns off and disables the "browser" group on the "sync your settings" page in PC settings. The "browser" group contains settings and info like history and favorites. If you enable this policy setting, the "browser" group, including info like history and favorites, will not be synced. Use the option "Allow users to turn browser syncing on" so that syncing is turned off by default but not disabled. If you do not set or disable this setting, syncing of the "browser" group is on by default and configurable by the user.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync Value name: DisableWebBrowserSettingSync
Enabled: DisableWebBrowserSettingSync = 2
Disabled: DisableWebBrowserSettingSync = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Experience/DoNotSyncBrowserSettings Multiple CSP matches are possible; the first one was selected.
Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
CSP values
-
2- Disable Syncing. -
0 (Default)- Allow syncing.
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. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Do not sync browser settings
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync]
"DisableWebBrowserSettingSync"=dword:00000002
"DisableWebBrowserSettingSyncUserOverride"=dword:00000000More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not sync browser settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWebBrowserSettingSync' -Value 2 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWebBrowserSettingSyncUserOverride' -Value 0 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Experience/DoNotSyncBrowserSettings
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="CheckBox_UserOverride" value="0"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not sync browser settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync' -Name 'DisableWebBrowserSettingSync' -Expected 2 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync' -Name 'DisableWebBrowserSettingSyncUserOverride' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not sync browser settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWebBrowserSettingSync' -Value 2 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWebBrowserSettingSyncUserOverride' -Value 0 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not sync browser settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
# 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: Do not sync browser settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync' -Name 'DisableWebBrowserSettingSync' -Expected 2 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync' -Name 'DisableWebBrowserSettingSyncUserOverride' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not sync browser settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWebBrowserSettingSync' -Value 2 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWebBrowserSettingSyncUserOverride' -Value 0 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.