Enable or Disable Automatic Sign-in on Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge offers users convenience by allowing automatic account sign-in across devices within the Edge browser. This helps streamline the user experience by allowing synchronization of browsing data, passwords, and settings using their Microsoft account credentials. However, it raises security concerns, especially in managed enterprise environments with strict security policies. If you want Edge to stop auto-sign in, keep reading for steps on how to enable or disable this browser feature in Windows 11.

Methods to control automatic sign-in on Microsoft Edge

Edge’s automatic sign-in feature lets users seamlessly enter sites that accept Microsoft school or work accounts on different devices. However, organizations may prefer to disable this feature to prevent unintended account sign-ins. Here are various methods to consider, depending on your goals and environment.

📌 Prerequisite: Microsoft Edge version 89 or later

💡Tip: Check Things to look out for before proceeding.

📌 Recommended deployment strategies:

Click to Choose a Method	💻 Best for Individual Users	💻💻💻 Best for Enterprises
Method 1: Configure via Microsoft Edge settings	✓
Method 2: Configure via Registry Editor	✓	✓
Method 3: Configure via PowerShell		✓
Method 4: Configure via Group Policy Editor		✓

Method 1: Configure via Microsoft Edge settings

This method allows end users to manually control automatic sign-in via the browser’s UI. Changes will apply only to the currently logged-in user.

📌 Use Cases: End users configuring the settings on shared home computers and small teams monitoring devices without centralized management

📌 Prerequisite: Local user profile access

Steps:

Open Microsoft Edge.
Click Settings and more (•••) or press Alt + F.
Select Settings.
On the left pane, choose Profiles.
On the right pane, under Profile settings, click Profile preferences.
Find the Automatically sign in to sites with your current work or school account and toggle the switch beside it to:
- On = Enable automatic sign-in
- Off = Disable automatic sign-in

Method 2: Configure via Registry Editor

This method enforces automatic sign-in settings across all users on a system by configuring the Windows Registry.

📌 Use Cases: IT administrators managing shared devices or kiosks, and organizations ensuring security compliance of endpoints

📌 Prerequisite: Administrator privileges

⚠️ Warning: Incorrectly modifying the registry can lead to severe system issues. Back up the registry before proceeding.

Steps:

Open the Registry Editor as Administrator. Press Windows key + R, type “regedit,” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
On the left pane, follow this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge
- If the Edge key doesn’t exist create it:
  1. Right-click the Microsoft key, hover over New, select Key
  2. Name it “Edge.”
Right-click the Edge key, hover over New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Create two entries:
- WebToBrowserSignInEnabled
- SeamlessWebToBrowserSignInEnabled
Double-click each created entry and set its values to:
- 1 = Enable automatic sign-in
- 0 = Disable automatic sign-in
  ⚠️ Important: Both entries must have identical values to enable or disable automatic sign-in effectively.
Close the Registry Editor.
Restart Microsoft Edge to apply the changes.

Method 3: Configure via PowerShell

This method automates changes to the registry using PowerShell for quick deployment across multiple machines. This change affects all users on the system.

📌 Use Cases: Enforcing browser behavior by rolling out a script via Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (SCCM) or Intune

📌 Prerequisite: Administrator privileges

Steps:

Open PowerShell as Administrator. Press Windows key + R, type “powershell,” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.

Copy and paste the appropriate command for the action you want to take before pressing Enter:

To enable automatic sign-in:

Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge” -Name “WebToBrowserSignInEnabled” -Value 1 -Type DWord

Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge” -Name “SeamlessWebToBrowserSignInEnabled” -Value 1 -Type DWord

To disable automatic sign-in:

Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge” -Name “WebToBrowserSignInEnabled” -Value 0 -Type DWord

Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge” -Name “SeamlessWebToBrowserSignInEnabled” -Value 0 -Type DWord

Close PowerShell.
Restart Microsoft Edge to apply the changes.

Method 4: Configure via Group Policy Editor

This method allows system administrators to centrally manage automatic sign-in settings for all domain-joined devices using the Group Policy Editor.

📌 Use Cases: Managing Windows devices within an organization using Active Directory or Azure AD

📌 Prerequisites:

Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition (Group Policy Editor is unavailable in devices with Windows 11 Home edition)
The latest Microsoft Edge administrative templates must be installed
Administrator privileges

Steps:

Open the Group Policy Editor as Administrator. Press Windows key + R, type “gpedit.msc,” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
On the left pane, follow this path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge
On the right pane, locate and double-click the Configure automatic sign in with an Active Directory domain account when there is no Azure AD domain account policy.
Set the policy to:
- Enabled = Enable automatic sign-in
- Disabled or Not Configured = Disable automatic sign-in
Click OK and close the Group Policy Editor.
To enforce the new policy, run this command in an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell: gpupdate /force
Restart Microsoft Edge to apply the changes.

⚠️ Things to look out for

Risks	Potential Consequences	Reversals
Incorrect registry modifications (e.g., mispelled keys, wrong locations, invalid data types)	Edge ignores the intended policy Inconsistent browser behavior System instability	Check all paths, keys, entries, and values, then manually correct any errors Always create a restore point using the System Restore utility or export the appropriate key before making changes
MDM configurations override registry or GPO changes	Policies apply, but are replaced during sync Registry and GPO changes are reverted without warning	Remove conflicting profiles using the Intune admin center Confirm consistency across all devices using reporting tools within Intune
Impaired user experience after disabling the feature	Helpdesk tickets increase User trust declines	Document and communicate policy changes clearly before rollout Revert changes if necessary

Verifying automatic sign-in configuration on Microsoft Edge

After modifying this setting, it’s important to confirm the changes are applied correctly because misconfigurations, outdated administrative templates, or policy conflicts can cause settings to be ignored or overridden. To check:

Open Microsoft Edge.
In the address bar, type “edge://policy” to display all applied and active policies configured via the Windows Registry or Group Policy.
Inspect the entries and confirm that the policies reflect your desired configuration.

Additional considerations when managing the auto sign-in feature on Microsoft Edge

Administrators must remember a few strategic and operational factors when changing this setting to ensure predictable and secure Edge behavior.

Purpose	Recommendation
Balancing convenience and security	Before changing the setting, organizations should assess whether the benefits of auto sign-in outweigh the risks in their specific environment.
Enforcing consistency	It is recommended to use Group Policy or MDM tools to avoid per-user discrepancies, especially in large or distributed teams.
Regulatory and compliance alignment	Browser sign-in policies might need to be aligned with broader organizational policies regarding identity management and data retention.

Troubleshooting common issues

There may be cases where the configuration does not take effect or behaves inconsistently despite following the correct procedures. See some common problems below and how you can resolve them.

Automatic sign-in still occurs after disabling

Changes don’t apply immediately, so restart Edge after modifying this configuration. If you used Group Policy Editor, run gpupdate /force to update the policy. You should also confirm that Edge recognizes the policy settings via edge://policy.

Registry or PowerShell changes have no effect

If you edited the registry manually, retrace your steps and check that you modified the correct entries under the proper path and keys. Ensure there are no typos when you created the WebToBrowserSignInEnabled and SeamlessWebToBrowserSignInEnabled entries. If you used PowerShell, make sure you have administrative privileges to apply the changes to the HKLM hive. Additionally, update Microsoft Edge to the latest version.

Group Policy setting is missing or not visible

This happens if you haven’t installed the latest Microsoft Edge administrative templates (ADMX/ADML). Download and install them first to see the Microsoft Edge folder and the concerned policy within the Group Policy Editor.

Controlling Edge sign-in behavior wisely

The automatic sign-in feature on Microsoft Edge can be convenient yet risky, so administrators need to weigh the pros and cons of enabling or disabling this functionality. Several methods can be used, but the best one will depend on one’s goals and environment. With important considerations and troubleshooting steps in mind, IT pros can easily manage this feature for better accessibility and security.

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