Enhance your security on the web with Microsoft Edge (2024)

Microsoft Edge offers two optional browsing modes—Balanced and Strict—for enhanced security to provide you with an extra layer of protection when browsing the web and unfamiliar sites.

What is enhancedsecurity in Microsoft Edge?

Enhanced security in Microsoft Edge helps safeguard against memory-related vulnerabilities by disabling just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compilation and enabling additional operating system protections for the browser. These protections includeHardware-enforced Stack ProtectionandArbitrary Code Guard (ACG).With these protections in place, Microsoft Edgehelps reduce the risk of an attack by automatically applying stricter security settings on unfamiliar sites while adapting to your browsing habits over time.

You may see enhanced security turned on by default due to ongoing development and testing in Microsoft Edge. If you want to turn the security feature off, refer to the What's new in Microsoft Edge security settings.

What to expect when enhanced security is turned on

When this feature is turned on you will see Added securityto the left of your browser’s address bar. This indicates that Microsoft Edge is applying enhanced security to this specific website.

To turn enhanced securityon or off froma specific website:

1. Select Added security to view site information.

2. SelectEnhance security for this site and turn theUse enhanced security for this sitetoggle On or Off.

If you turn off enhanced security,Microsoft Edge will automatically add that website to a list of site exceptions.

Select yoursecurity enhancementlevel

Select your preferred level of added security using the following steps:

1. In Microsoft Edge, go to Settings and more .

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2. SelectSettings > Privacy, search, and services.

3. Under theSecuritysection, confirm thatEnhance yoursecurity on the webisOn.

4. Select thebrowsing mode that’s right for you.

Make an exception forsecurity enhancements

In both enhanced security modes, you can set this feature to alwayson or off for websites on your exception list.

To add a site to an exception list:

1. In Microsoft Edge, selectSettings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services.

2. Confirm thatEnhance yoursecurity on the web isOn.

3. UnderEnhance yoursecurity on the web, selectManage enhanced security for sites.

4. Depending onwhich list you want to manage, do one of the following:

   • To remove the extra layer of protection fromspecific sites, go toNever use enhanced security for these sites, then selectAdd a site.

   • To apply an extra layer of protection to specific sites, go to Alwaysuse enhanced security for these sites, then selectAdd a site.

5. Enter the full URL,then selectAdd.

To edit or remove a site from an exception list:

1. In Microsoft Edge, selectSettings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services.

2. Confirm thatEnhance yoursecurity on the webisOn.

3. UnderEnhance yoursecurity on the web, selectManage enhanced security for sites.

4. Next to the website you want to manage,select More actions, then select one of the following actions:

   • Select Editto updatethe site URL, then select Save.

   • Select Removeto remove the site from that exception list.

To remove all sites from an exceptionlist:

1. Select Remove all to the right of the exception list to removeall sites from that list.

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2. SelectRemove allto confirm that you want to clear all site exceptions.

Note:This action can't be undone.