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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →To suppress Microsoft Edge’s first-run experience and splash screen on managed Windows devices, configure the mandatory Edge policy HideFirstRunExperience as enabled. Microsoft documents that it hides both screens. The policy supports Windows devices running Edge 80 or later, and Edge must be restarted before the change takes effect.
Configure the Edge policy
In the applicable Intune configuration profile for your Windows devices, locate the Microsoft Edge policy HideFirstRunExperience and set it to enabled. Intune’s Windows device-configuration documentation describes profiles as the mechanism for configuring settings and assigning them to Windows client devices. The available documentation does not establish a definitive current portal click path for this specific Edge browser policy, so confirm the policy location and intended device or user scope in your tenant rather than relying on labels that may differ.
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The underlying Windows policy is stored at SOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftEdge as a REG_DWORD named HideFirstRunExperience; the enabled value is 1. Microsoft describes the effect this way: “If you enable this policy, the First-run experience and the splash screen won’t be shown to users when they run Microsoft Edge for the first time.” Microsoft Edge policy documentation: HideFirstRunExperience.
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- Enable HideFirstRunExperience in the applicable managed Edge policy configuration in Intune.
- Allow the configuration to reach the intended Windows devices through the profile’s assignment and deployment process. Intune’s separate managed-app configuration guidance for Edge on Windows 11 22H2 describes an app-configuration route, but it does not establish that route as the correct way to set this machine-wide browser policy. Intune Windows device restriction profiles and Intune app configuration for Edge on Windows provide deployment context.
- Restart Microsoft Edge. This policy does not support dynamic refresh, so an Edge restart is required for the setting to take effect.
- Check the result on a device in scope by launching Edge. The first-run experience and splash screen should not appear. The policy documentation does not specify a separate verification command or portal status for this setting.
Microsoft lists support for this Edge policy on Windows starting with Edge 80. It is a Boolean policy that can be mandatory, cannot be recommended, and is not per-profile. Microsoft Edge policy documentation.
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Know what the policy does—and does not—change
HideFirstRunExperience suppresses the first-run flow and splash screen; it is not a general-purpose setup policy. Microsoft documents that the New Tab Page defaults to the MSN News feed and Inspirational layout. Users signed into Windows with an Azure AD or Microsoft account are still automatically signed in to Edge. Sync is not enabled by default: users are prompted to decide about sync when the browser starts.
If your goal is to control sign-in or sync, use the relevant policies rather than assuming this setting handles them. Microsoft names BrowserSignin for browser sign-in behavior and ForceSync and SyncDisabled for sync behavior and consent. Other related first-run or profile settings include AutoImportAtFirstRun, NewTabPageLocation, NewTabPageSetFeedType, and NonRemovableProfileEnabled. Review each policy’s own documentation before combining settings.
How the related Windows MDM policy differs
Windows also has a Browser Policy CSP setting called PreventFirstRunPage. Microsoft documents it for Windows 10 version 1703 and later, with both user and device scope. Its stated effect is to prevent the Microsoft First Run webpage. That is related to, but not interchangeable with, Edge’s HideFirstRunExperience, which is specifically documented to hide both the Edge first-run experience and splash screen. Microsoft Browser Policy CSP documentation.
| Policy | Policy context | Documented effect | Compatibility floor |
|---|---|---|---|
| HideFirstRunExperience | Microsoft Edge browser policy | Hides the first-run experience and splash screen | Windows with Edge 80 or later |
| PreventFirstRunPage | Windows Browser Policy CSP; user or device scope | Prevents the Microsoft First Run webpage | Windows 10 version 1703 or later |
Why Initial Preferences are not a substitute
Microsoft’s Edge Initial Preferences are defaults available beginning with Edge release 93. They are not equivalent to centrally enforced policy: when an Edge policy and an initial preference configure the same setting, policy takes precedence. Use the managed policy when you need the setting enforced for managed devices. Microsoft Edge Initial Preferences documentation.
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