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Microsoft Edge can automatically delete selected browsing data whenever you close the browser. In Edge, open Settings and more (…) → Settings → Privacy, search, and services, then select Choose what to clear every time you close the browser. Turn on only the data types you want removed.
This setting applies to the Edge profile you configure. It does not delete downloaded files, erase server-side account activity, or automatically remove data from every device.
Turn on automatic clearing in Edge
- Open Microsoft Edge on your Windows 11 PC.
- Select Settings and more (…) in the upper-right corner.
- Select Settings.
- Open Privacy, search, and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, select Choose what to clear every time you close the browser.
- Turn on the switches for the data categories Edge should delete when it closes.
You can also open edge://settings/privacy directly and search the page for clear browsing data. Edge does not enable browsing-data deletion on exit by default; you must configure it yourself or an administrator must apply a policy.
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What each automatic-clear option does
| Data type | What is removed | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing history | Visited-page records in the local Edge profile | History-based address-bar suggestions may disappear. |
| Download history | The list of downloaded items shown in Edge | Downloaded files remain on the computer. This does not empty the Downloads folder. |
| Cookies and other site data | Cookies, sessions, and other local website data | You will usually be signed out of websites. Preferences, shopping carts, and site state may also reset. |
| Cached images and files | Locally cached webpage resources | Some sites may load more slowly the first time after cleanup. It can help with stale or corrupted page content. |
| Passwords | Saved passwords in Edge | Saved credentials may be lost. Do not enable this casually; secure or export credentials first. |
| Autofill form data | Saved names, addresses, and other form entries | Forms will stop filling automatically. |
| Site permissions | Per-site permissions and settings | Websites may ask again for camera, microphone, location, notifications, or other permissions. |
| Hosted app data | Data used by installed web apps | Web apps may reset or require you to sign in again. |
For more detail on the available categories, see Microsoft’s browser-history and data-deletion documentation.
Which switches should you enable?
For a shared family computer
Start with Browsing history, Download history, Cookies and other site data, and Cached images and files. Add Autofill form data if people share the Windows account or device and should not leave form details behind.
Leave Passwords off unless you deliberately want saved credentials removed. Leave Site permissions off if you do not want users to repeatedly approve permissions.
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For website troubleshooting
Temporarily enable Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. This is useful for stale sessions and broken cached content, but clearing cookies generally signs you out of most sites. Turn the switches off again after testing if you want to preserve normal sessions.
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For minimal cleanup
Enable only Browsing history and Download history. This removes visible activity lists while preserving most cookies, logins, passwords, and site settings.
For maximum local cleanup
Select every category only when the computer is shared or you intentionally want Edge to behave like a newly configured profile at each exit. Automatic deletion of passwords, autofill information, permissions, and hosted app data is disruptive and can be difficult to recover.
Important limitations
Closing Edge is not the same as clearing data immediately
The automatic setting is separate from Clear browsing data now. The latter performs a one-time cleanup. For an immediate manual cleanup, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete; this shortcut does not configure automatic deletion.
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When Cookies and other site data is deleted, most websites lose their local login session. Some services use separate authentication systems or persistent tokens, so behavior can vary. Clearing cookies does not by itself delete passwords saved in Edge; the Passwords option is separate.
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Downloaded files are not deleted
Clearing Download history removes Edge’s list of downloads, not the files stored on disk. Delete files separately from locations such as your Downloads folder if that is your goal. Microsoft explains this distinction in its Edge privacy documentation.
Sync can affect other devices
Before deleting history or other synchronized information, check Settings → Profiles → Sync. Depending on the category and synchronization state, deleting synchronized data may affect other devices using the same Edge account. Local browser cleanup is also different from deleting cloud-held account activity through Microsoft’s privacy controls. See Microsoft’s guidance on synced browsing data.
This feature is not a complete privacy system. It does not remove website records, employer or school monitoring, ISP records, account activity stored online, Windows diagnostic data, or files saved to the device.
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Verify that automatic clearing works
- Use a low-risk test account or a website where signing out will not cause problems.
- Enable Cookies and other site data.
- Sign in to the test site in the Edge profile you configured.
- Close Edge completely, not just one tab or window.
- Reopen Edge using the same profile and visit the site again.
If the site requires you to sign in again, cookie deletion is working. Test history separately by visiting a harmless page, closing Edge fully, and checking whether it appears in the profile’s history after reopening.
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When the setting is missing or does not work
- Confirm you opened Edge Settings, rather than Windows Settings.
- Open
edge://settings/privacyand search for clear browsing data. - Make sure you configured the Edge profile you actually use.
- Confirm the specific switch is enabled, especially Cookies and other site data when testing sign-outs.
- Close all Edge windows and ensure Edge has fully exited before testing again.
- Open
edge://policyto check whether an organization manages or overrides the setting. - Restart Edge after an administrator changes a policy.
The Edge interface can change between versions, and management controls vary by organization and Windows edition. If passwords disappeared, check whether Passwords was selected or whether an administrator enforced deletion. Recovery may be possible if passwords were synchronized or backed up, but do not assume they can be restored.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Advanced: enforce clearing with Group Policy
Administrators can use Microsoft Edge’s ClearBrowsingDataOnExit policy. It applies to Windows Edge versions 78 and later and is configured in Group Policy under:
Administrative Templates → Microsoft Edge → Clear browsing data on exit
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See Microsoft’s ClearBrowsingDataOnExit policy documentation. A policy change requires an Edge restart; verify the result at edge://policy.
Advanced: Registry policy
On a managed computer, the same policy can be created at:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftEdgeCreate a DWORD (32-bit) Value named:
ClearBrowsingDataOnExitSet its value to:
1Back up or export the relevant Registry key before editing it. Incorrect Registry changes can affect Edge behavior, and this policy is not the recommended shortcut for most home users. To remove this policy, delete the ClearBrowsingDataOnExit value, then restart Edge.
Administrators can preserve selected cookies with SaveCookiesOnExit. Microsoft supports URL patterns such as https://www.example.com and [*.]example.edu, stored under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftEdgeSaveCookiesOnExit as numbered string values such as 1, 2, and 3. Password deletion can be excluded with the administrator policy PasswordDeleteOnBrowserCloseEnabled. Consult Microsoft’s SaveCookiesOnExit documentation before applying exclusions.
Quick Recap
Alternatives to clearing normal Edge data on exit
- InPrivate: Best for a temporary session. InPrivate or Guest download history is cleared when those windows close, but downloaded files remain on the device.
- Guest mode: Useful when another person needs Edge without access to your normal profile.
- Manual clearing: Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete when cleanup is occasional.
- Age-based enterprise retention: Administrators can use Microsoft’s
BrowsingDataLifetimepolicy to remove selected categories after a specified number of hours. Microsoft says cleanup occurs shortly after startup and periodically while Edge runs, but the policy has no effect when Sync is enabled. See the BrowsingDataLifetime documentation.
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