Disable Bing / Sidebar using GPO

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So this week the latest and greatest of Microsoft popped up in Edge – the not-to-miss ‘b‘ in the upper right corner. Let’s make a GPO setting to disable it. According to the documentation, the setting is called Show Hubs Sidebar and is to be found in different places, like Computer Configuration as well as User Configuration. And in both sections it can be found under Microsoft Edge – Default Settings (Users can override). This last section has me puzzled. It suggests the GPO settings can be changed by the user. So I set the Show Hubs Sidebar in this section to Disabled, thinking a user could switch it on. When set, it appears to be working. That is, there’s no sidebar, but the ‘b‘ in the upper right is there. And when I click it, the sidebar appears. And there’s no way to switch it off – when I click the gear-icon, the button for Always show sidebar is switched on and greyed (well, blued) out. Is this a bug?

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wavy

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There’s no way to remove the new Bing icon in the top-right of Edge‘s toolbar using Edge‘s settings.

I did it with a .REG file:

I’ve attached an edge_hubs_sidebar_disabled.zip file containing the .REG file at the end of this post.

1. Download, unblock and unzip it then open Edge_HubsSidebar_Disabled.reg in Notepad to read what it does. Next, double-click on the .REG file and follow the prompts to merge it into the registry.

2. Open Edge and, in the navigation bar, enter edge://policy.

You should see the policy (a). If not, click on the Reload Policies button (b):

You should now see that the Bing icon in the toolbar has disappeared:

Unfortunately, this tweak also hides the sidebar.

edge_hubs_sidebar_disabled
(Note: This also includes a .REG file to undo the change.)

Both .REG files tested on Windows 10 Pro 22H2 (and should work on Windows 10 Home as well.

Hope this helps…

 

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BobbyB

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Many thx works a treat been bugging the life out of me forcing me to seek refuge in Safari, Firefox and experimentation with Brave. Losing the sidebar to boot is an added bonus

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I set User configuration > Policies > Administrative templates > Microsoft Edge: Show Hubs Sidebar to Disabled and it’s completely gone, including the blue ‘b’.

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Note: User Configuration ⇒ Administrative Templates ⇒ Microsoft Edge ⇒ Show Hubs Sidebar will only apply to the “specific user” who set it, not all users.

To apply it to “all users“, disable Computer Configuration ⇒ Administrative Templates ⇒ Microsoft Edge ⇒ Show Hubs Sidebar, without the – Default Settings (Users can override) at the end, instead.

BTW, Microsoft intends to add an option to turn on/off the Discover button (their “official” name for the new B icon) in an upcoming version of Edge (it’s already been added to the “developer’s” Canary edition.)

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@bigal67 (alejr)-

I’ve got Windows 10 Pro 22H2 x64 on two machines at home, but neither one has a folder labeled “Microsoft Edge” under Administrative Templates within Group Policy as you and @Simon_Weel seem to have on your machines. I’m currently sitting at 19045.2604, so I’m only missing the March updates.

The folders that I do have directly under Administrative Templates are Control Panel, Network, Printers, Server, Start Menu and Taskbar, System, and, finally, Windows Components. I do have a Microsoft Edge folder under Windows Components, but as you know, that folder has none of the entries that you show under your Admin Templates>Microsoft Edge folder.

I’m curious to find out just why the difference? Also, as can be surmised from what I’ve typed above, I don’t have any of the other Edge-related folders you do either under Admin Templates nor any other place within Group Policy.

EDIT to add that I also don’t have an Edge folder under User Configuration>Admin Templates either, just the same folders I have under Computer Configuration>Admin Templates, and one other folder labeled Shared Folders.

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Deo

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Sounds like your Group Policy templates (.admx) are outdated!

Windows 10 is suppose to automatically update them to the “latest version” during installation of the monthly cumulative updates and/or when the actually MS app they affect (i.e. Edge) gets updated.

The current templates for Win10 22H2 can be “manually” updated using the .msi available at the following link.

• Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 10 2022 Update (22H2)

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wavy, Deo

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Thanks for the link!! I’ve never noticed the admx nor adml updates, but I have seen changes within GP, namely changes to the WUFB settings’ names and functions over the last year or so. I’ve no idea why I haven’t received all of the latest adml and admx templates during the monthly updates, so that’s a real head scratcher!

I’m currently running Edge 111.0.1661.54 and the Webview runtime is up to 1661.51. With Edge being up to the .54 iteration, I’ve been able to dump the annoying “b” in the sidebar and keep the sidebar off, just the way I prefer.

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Am in same boat as @Bob99…Win 10 Pro

Just another Forum Poster wrote:

Sounds like your Group Policy templates (.admx) are outdated!

Windows 10 is suppose to automatically update them to the “latest version” during installation of the monthly cumulative updates and/or when the actually MS app they affect (i.e. Edge) gets updated.

The current templates for Win10 22H2 can be “manually” updated using the .msi available at the following link.

• Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 10 2022 Update (22H2)

Could this be due to having either of these 2 settings turned off a)  M/Store “auto update” apps off, and/or b) Windows Update stgs “receive updates for other M/soft products when you update Windows” off??

PS the link to .admx goes to page with file date of 10/19/2022-is that the latest?

And will updating via that .msi get rid of all my current GPO tweaks/settings and revert all to MS defaults?

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Deo wrote:

…Windows Update stgs “receive updates for other M/soft products when you update Windows” off??

I have that set to on, so I doubt that’s a factor.

And will updating via that .msi get rid of all my current GPO tweaks/settings and revert all to MS defaults?

That’s a very good question that inquiring minds want to know the answer to! 

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Deo

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Deo wrote:

PS the link to .admx goes to page with file date of 10/19/2022-is that the latest?

Yes, that’s the latest version for Win10 22H2.

Deo wrote:

will updating via that .msi get rid of all my current GPO tweaks/settings and revert all to MS defaults?

The GP settings are actually stored in the registry and the msi does not mess with those at all!

It simply updates the “templates” that are located in the C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions folder as follows…

• Removes any Group Policies templates MS has “retired“.

• Updates any Group Policy templates that need newer versions.

•  Adds any new/missing Group Policy templates.

So no, it will not change any existing GP settings (even those that were set using a now “retired” GP!)

The only changes you’d notice after running it would be if a particular policy has been retired (it won’t show up in GPedit any more), a new policy has been added (i.e. those missing Edge policies) or if the “wording/options” for a particular policy have been changed.

FYI, an Excel spreadsheet of all the current Win10 22H2 policies is available at the following link.

• Group Policy Settings Reference Spreadsheet for Windows 10 2022 Update (22H2)

BTW, if you’re stilling missing those Edge Group Policies after the update, they can be separately downloaded and added to the Group Policy store but they have to be manually added (i.e. there’s no .msi to do it for you.)

For anyone who’s interested, instructions on how to do this are located at:

• Get ADMX Templates for Microsoft Edge

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Bob99

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Just another Forum Poster wrote:

BTW, if you’re stilling missing those Edge Group Policies after the update, they can be separately downloaded and added to the Group Policy store but they have to be manually added (i.e. there’s no .msi to do it for you.)

@alejr re: Edge Group Policies, would the instructions and your zip file from your post #2503594 still work?

I found the post as I noticed my apps/programs list my MS Edge Webview2 Runtime as older version 109.0.1518.61 dated 1/23/2023. (This was just before I updated to 22H2 via your manual method of using KB5015684. I wonder if using that vs waiting for WU may have prevented Edge GPO & Webview 2 from updating? Have to figure out updating Webview2 now.)

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Deo wrote:

@alejr re: Edge Group Policies, would the instructions and your zip file from your post #2503594 still work?

That zip file only includes the us-eng language files so, as long as that’s your default language, yes.

Deo wrote:

I found the post as I noticed my apps/programs list my MS Edge Webview2 Runtime as older version 109.0.1518.61 dated 1/23/2023. (This was just before I updated to 22H2 via your manual method of using KB5015684. I wonder if using that vs waiting for WU may have prevented Edge GPO & Webview 2 from updating? Have to figure out updating Webview2 now.)

Good catch!

That’s most likely why they were missing as the KB5015684 enablement package (which was only 177 KB) simply “turned on” existing features already installed in earlier versions of Win10 2004 – 21H2 via the standard monthly updates. That’s also why it installs so quickly.

A standard monthly update is typically ~600 – 800 MB so the actual 22H2 update offered thru WU would’ve been that size and included the updated Group Policies.

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Just another Forum Poster wrote:

A standard monthly update is typically ~600 – 800 MB so the actual 22H2 update offered thru WU would’ve been that size and included the updated Group Policies.

Yeah, but that’s how I ran the update to 22H2 from 21H2 (and, for that matter all of my updates from one version to the next), I went via using WU, not the “stand-alone” installer. Yet, I’m in the same boat as @Deo…not having all of the GP settings for Edge that you and @Simon_Weel have.

Can we continue this discussion somehow on a new/different thread, so this one isn’t “hijacked” any further?

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Will keep an eye out for your new thread! Hope the .msi fix above works effortlessly for your situation:)

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Thx to @Simon_Weel for starting the topic.

Did not mean to hijack a thread, merely responding to @ Bob99 and @aljer with thx! If you wish me to open new Topic, pls advise.

Just another Forum Poster wrote:

Sounds like your Group Policy templates (.admx) are outdated!

Yes @Bob99, I hope the AW powers that be can pls chime in re good/bad ugly of and impact on GOP policies currently in place if one were to download/install .msi to set all aright? Am local account only, winshowhide, @PKCano GP stgs as per AKB2000016, and news/interest ,OneDrive locked off.

Am sure we’re not the only ones with this mystery, unearthed by the Edge ordeal.

Could do it, msi offline, yet feel it would still reset everything? Would it? How to mitigate?

*In looking back, my Group policy issues began noticably in Sept, after Aug updates. Wonder if it has to do with WU “receive updates for other products..”?

Attached pls see what I believe @Bob99 was referring to re GPO editor

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@Deo –

In your second image, showing the folders under Windows Components, you didn’t scroll down far enough. There is a folder for Edge under the Windows Components listing, but it’s listed as “Microsoft Edge”, so it’s further down the list than your screenshot goes. I’m saying this based upon my current GPEdit listings that have not been modified yet by the .msi file that is for 22H2.

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Yes, I just made scrn shot small for brevity:)

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Bob99

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Al-

I just noticed in your screenshot above that one of the folders under Admin Templates was titled “Safer-Networking, Ltd.”. Would this be because at one time in the past, or currently, you had/have a version of Spybot installed on your system? Or is that one if the default folders that’s part of the latest policy definition files (.admx/.adml)?

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I currently still use the free versions of SpyBot S&D and Spybot Anti-Beacon and, as I pointed out above, some apps add their own templates to the Group Policy store.

In fact, if you look, you’ll notice Google is listed right above Microsoft Edge. That’s because, even though I only use it to test new pages I create for my Uncle’s “browser based” S/W, I do have Chrome installed on my PC.

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Bob99

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Just another Forum Poster wrote:

…some apps add their own templates to the Group Policy store.

Just the same way they add their own app-specific tasks in Task Scheduler!

At this point, I believe we should cut off any further discussion dealing only with Group Policy in this thread, as neither I nor @Deo intended to hijack this thread with out posts. It is my understanding that this thread is intended by the OP to deal with Group Policy only as it affects the sidebar’s appearance in Edge, and nothing else about Group Policy.

For those who may have questions about updating your Group Policy templates as described by @bigal67 (Alejr) above, please start a new thread about Group Policy under the version of Windows you’re currently using (Windows 10 or 11, and the sub-version such as 21H1, 22H2, etc.). For example, if I have any other questions about Group Policy, since I’m running Windows 10 22H2, I’ll go to the forum area pertaining to questions about Windows 10 22H2 and post my new question there.

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Edge 111.0.1661.54. You can now remove ‘discover’.
Menu is not removed.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-relnote-stable-channel#version-1110166154-march-24-2023

…With this release, admins now have the ability to disable the Discover app and still keep the Sidebar. In this situation, the Sidebar tower will always be shown. If a user would like to hide their sidebar from always showing, they can do this in their Sidebar settings (edge://settings/sidebar). Additionally, Enterprise users can choose to ‘always show’ or ‘auto hide’, when an admin ‘enables’ the Sidebar…

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lmacri

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