Hi, Today I would like to discuss how to configure the Restore on Startup Policy in MS Edge Browser using M365 Admin Center. By learning about Edge’s startup behaviors, you can better manage how users first interact with the browser.
With the Restore on Startup policy, Microsoft Edge’s startup can be customized by administrators to either open a new tab, restore the previous browsing session, or launch a predefined group of URLs. This blog post shows how to set this up using the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
The Restore On Startup setting lets IT admins decide how Edge Home Page starts for everyone. They can make it always open a new page or bring back the tabs from the last time it was used. If they choose to restore the last session, some cleanup features won’t work.
The Restore On Startup policy helps make sure everyone’s Edge browser starts the same way. It can also help people get back to work faster by reopening their last tabs. For security, it can even make sure people start on specific, safe websites.
Table of Contents
What are the Benefits of Configuring the Restore On Startup Policy in Microsoft Edge?
Configuring the Restore On Startup policy in Microsoft Edge offers several key benefits. It helps maintain a consistent browser experience for all users by standardizing what they see when Edge starts.
It also streamlines workflows by enabling users to quickly pick up where they left off if the last session is restored. Furthermore, it can enhance security by ensuring users start with a predefined set of safe URLs, potentially preventing access to risky sites.
Availability of the Restore On Startup Policy
This setting for controlling how Edge starts only works if your computer is connected to a work or school network (Microsoft Active Directory or Azure AD) or managed by a device management system. If you are using a Mac, it works if it’s managed by a device management system (MDM) or connected to a network using MCX. It doesn’t apply to personal computers that are not managed this way.
- How To Configure Friendly URL Format Policy In MS Edge Browser Using M365 Admin Center
- Enable Or Disable Background Mode Policy In MS Edge Browser Using M365 Admin Center
- How To Configure Auto Import At First Run Policy In Edge Browser Using M365 Admin Center
Different Options for the Restore On Startup Policy in Microsoft Edge
The Restore On Startup policy offers several options for controlling Edge’s behavior upon launch. The following table will explore the startup behavior of Microsoft Edge.
| Options and Value | Behavior on Startup | Features |
|---|---|---|
| RestoreOnStartupIsNewTabPage(5) | Opens a new tab | Standard clean start. |
| RestoreOnStartupIsLastSession (1) | Restore the last session | Reopens the URLs that were open when Microsoft Edge was last closed. |
| RestoreOnStartupIsURLs (4) | Open a list of URLs | Allows administrators to control the initial websites users see. |
| RestoreOnStartupIsLastSessionAndURLs (6) | Open a list of URLs and restore the last session | Reopens the last session’s URLs and a specific set of predefined URLs. |
| Not configured / Disabled | Users can configure their preferred startup behavior within Microsoft Edge settings | Gives individual users control over how Edge starts. |
How to Configure Restore On Startup Policy in MS Edge
This blog post provides a step-by-step guide on how to set up the Restore On Startup policy for Microsoft Edge through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. To do so, we will first log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
- Navigate to Settings > Microsoft Edge > Configuration Policies > Create policy.
Basics
During policy configuration, the first step, Basics, involves assigning a policy name. You can also add an optional description for easier identification.
| Name | Description | Policy Type | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restore On Startup | Edge’s Restore On Startup policy manages what the browser does when you open it. | Intune | WIndows 10 and 11 |
Settings
Navigating to the Settings tab in the policy configuration interface, the subsequent action involves clicking the Add settings button. To move forward with defining the policy’s behavior, simply click the +Add Setting button.
Clicking Add Settings takes you to the Configure a Settings page. Here, you can find the policy you want by either searching for its name or looking through categories. Each policy usually has two sections: one to change its setting (Value) and another with More details.
Value
In the Value tab, a dropdown menu presents the available choices for this policy, such as enabling, disabling, or selecting a particular feature. For the Restore On Startup policy specifically, there are four options (detailed in Table 1).
- To configure the browser to open a new tab upon startup, you need to select the RestoreOnStartupIsNewTabPag, (i.e opens a new tab) option.
More Details
The More Details section provides crucial context and information about the policy, including whether it’s deprecated. Always review this section before clicking Select to configure the policy.
After clicking Select, you should receive a confirmation message indicating that the policy has been successfully applied. The newly created policy will then appear in the list on the Settings page. Simply check the box next to its name to select it and click Next to continue with the setup.
Extensions
The Extensions tab allows you to add extensions like Edge Add-ons and sidebar apps to your policy. This is optional for managing browser features. If you want to manage extensions, including those from the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store, click Add Extension.
- For now, I will skip this and click Next to continue with the policy settings.
Assignments
The next essential step is Assignments, where you determine who will receive this policy. To assign it, click + Select group and choose the appropriate group from the available Microsoft Entra groups.
- In this instance, the group Test_HTMD_Policy has been selected.
Once you have selected the group for the policy, you will see a confirmation of your selection. Click Next to proceed. However, it’s important to remember that none of the configurations you have made will be saved until you reach the final Finish step and explicitly save all the changes there.
Finish
The Finish stage presents a summary of your policy settings. Use the Back button to make any necessary changes. Once you have confirmed everything is accurate, click Review and Create to finalize the policy creation.
- Upon clicking Review + Create, a confirmation message will appear which is stating that the Policy successfully created.
Monitoring Status
The newly created policy will be visible in the Configuration Policies list. To see the policy, navigate Settings> Microsoft Edge> Configuration Policies > search your policy name.
Device and User Check-in Status
To ensure the new policy is applied to devices, a manual sync via the Company Portal is necessary. Once synced, the policy will be visible in Microsoft Intune. To verify its successful implementation, check the policy’s status in the Intune Portal by navigating to Devices > Configuration, locating your policy in the Policies tab, and confirming a succeeded (1) status.
- This indicates that the policy has been applied to the device.
Client Side Verification – Event Viewer
Administrators can also verify policy application on individual devices using the Windows Event Viewer. Navigate to Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > DeviceManagement-Enterprise-Diagnostics-Provider > Admin and look for Event ID 814.
The presence of this event confirms that the policy has been successfully applied to the specific device.
MDM PolicyManager: Set policy string, Policy: (RestoreOnStartup), Area: (microsoft_edge~Policy~microsoft_edge~Startup), EnrollmentID requesting merge: (B1E9301C-8666-412A-BA2F-3BF8A55BFA62), Current User: (Device), String: (), Enrollment Type: (0x6), Scope: (0x0).
End User Experience
You can confirm the successful application of the Restore On Startup policy by opening Microsoft Edge. Then, access the browser’s settings by clicking the three-dot menu (…) located in the top-right corner of the window and selecting Settings.
- Click Start, Home and New Tab Page
- Here, you can see the Open the new tab page option is enabled.
Need Further Assistance or Have Technical Questions?
Join the LinkedIn Page and Telegram group to get the latest step-by-step guides and news updates. Join our Meetup Page to participate in User group meetings. Also, Join the WhatsApp Community to get the latest news on Microsoft Technologies. We are there on Reddit as well.
Author
Anoop C Nair has been Microsoft MVP for 10 consecutive years from 2015 onwards. He is a Workplace Solution Architect with more than 22+ years of experience in Workplace technologies. He is a Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group Community leader. His primary focus is on Device Management technologies like SCCM and Intune. He writes about technologies like Intune, SCCM, Windows, Cloud PC, Windows, Entra, Microsoft Security, Career, etc.