iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Microsoft Edge’s privacy controls work best as a set of separate tools: Tracking prevention limits cross-site trackers, Enhanced security hardens browser execution against some exploit techniques, and cookie controls decide which site data can be stored or shared. Start with Settings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services, choose Balanced tracking prevention, then review Security, cookies, and site exceptions when a site needs an adjustment.
Understand what each Edge control changes
Before changing settings, separate the three jobs Edge is performing. Tracking prevention decides which known or suspected trackers can load. Enhanced security changes how Edge handles code on websites, adding protection against some attack techniques. Cookie settings govern stored site data and cross-site cookie access. InPrivate controls what Edge removes locally when the private session ends.
These controls overlap in their privacy goals but are not interchangeable. Blocking trackers does not make every website safe, Enhanced security does not remove advertising trackers, and InPrivate does not hide browsing from websites, network administrators, or internet providers. Evaluate every change against three practical criteria:
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
- Tracker coverage: how many third-party tracking resources Edge blocks.
- Site functionality: whether sign-in, video, payments, embedded content, or other features continue to work.
- Personalization: how much advertising and content can still be tailored to your activity.
Labels and availability can differ by Edge version, operating system, and organizational policy. If a control is missing or locked, the device may be managed by an administrator rather than using a different privacy mode.
#1 Best Overall
- Powerful Turbo Fan:CAGIWIRU Electric Air Duster have reached speed up to 130000RPM,Can efficient remove dust and debris.With LED light and Three Adjustable Speed to meet with different cleaning tasks.
- With Attached USB C Fasting Charging cable.Charing 3 hours,Enjoy up to 240 minutes of use on the lowest setting, For third speed can use for 25mins.with four charging options to meet with your needs.
- Wide Application: attached 5 different nozzles,making it suitable for a variety of scenes, such as car,pet, pc, keyboards, and other electronic devices. It also serves for office and home clean duster.
- Handy Design & Portable:Cordless air duster electric nozzle is Light weight and small size, design and comfortable to hold and space saving, convenient to carry around. You can put it in your room or inside the car without taking up space.
- Economical &Reusable: Built durable materials with a long-lasting battery,our CAGIWIRU air duster it's a sustainable alternative to disposable air cans.
Set Tracking prevention
Open the Tracking prevention control
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Select Settings and more (the three-dot menu), then choose Settings.
- Open Privacy, search, and services.
- Find Tracking prevention and turn it on.
- Select Basic, Balanced, or Strict.
Tracking prevention applies to ordinary browsing windows and is independent of InPrivate. Turning it on does not automatically block every cookie or every advertisement; it uses Edge’s tracker classifications and the level you select.
Compare Basic, Balanced, and Strict
| Level | What Edge blocks | Likely site behavior | Personalization trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Potentially harmful trackers. | Most sites and embedded features should continue to operate normally. | Allows most other trackers, including trackers used to personalize ads and content. |
| Balanced (Recommended) | Potentially harmful trackers and trackers from sites you have not visited. Microsoft describes it as blocking “potentially harmful trackers and trackers from sites you haven’t visited.” | Sites should generally work as expected, although some embedded content may behave differently. | Less personalized advertising and content than Basic, while retaining more compatibility than Strict. |
| Strict | Potentially harmful trackers and most trackers across sites. | Some features can malfunction, including video playback or sign-in. | Minimizes personalization but has the greatest compatibility cost. |
Balanced is the sensible starting point for a general-purpose browser. Choose Strict when reducing tracking is more important than seamless access to every embedded service, and be prepared to make narrowly scoped exceptions.
Handle a site that breaks
When a page loses a login button, video, payment frame, or other embedded feature after you raise protection, first confirm that tracking prevention is the cause. Open the affected page, select the site-information icon at the left of the address bar, and inspect the trackers Edge reports as blocked. The list can show which resources were prevented from loading and helps distinguish a tracker issue from a server, extension, or network problem.
If the feature genuinely requires an exception, use the Tracking prevention exceptions controls to add only the affected site. An exception permits all trackers from that selected site, including potentially harmful ones; it is not a narrowly filtered allow-list of the one resource that failed. Remove the exception after the site no longer needs it, or reassess the site’s behavior periodically.
- Open Settings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Tracking prevention.
- Open the exceptions or allowed-sites list.
- Add the site’s address exactly as Edge requests.
- Reopen the site and test the missing function.
- If the exception does not help, remove it and investigate another cause rather than weakening protection further.
Use per-site adjustments instead of a global downgrade
A single incompatible site is not a reason to switch the entire browser to Basic. Keep Balanced or Strict globally, record which site needs access, and use the smallest available site-specific change. This preserves stronger tracking prevention everywhere else and makes future troubleshooting easier.
Rank #2
- Screen Cleaner is Your Screen’s New Bestfriend! - EVEO is proud to present a screen cleaner that’s perfectly suited for your TV. Meet your new screen cleaner, computer screen cleaner, laptop cleaner, iPad cleaner, Macbook,tv cleaner or any other electronic device. Our screen cleaner spray and wipe along with the included plush microfiber cloth, easily removes dust, fingerprints & other smudges on the screen’s surface. Clean effectively for a streak-free screen
- Gentle on your Screens - Our screen cleaner spray and wipes is compatible to be used even for the most sensitive LCD, LED, CRT, and OLED screens in proper use. Be at ease knowing that this product is compatible with all the major brands: LG, SONY, Samsung, Sharp, iPad, iPhone, Android screens, Kindle, PC monitors - we’ve got you covered! Can be used as LCD screen cleaner, tv cleaner, smart tv screen cleaner, and more
- Premium Super Soft Plush Microfiber Cloth - Included in this efficient screen cleaning kit. This screen cleaner spray and wipe has our signature plush microfiber cloth specially designed to comply with screens and monitors and leave them streak-free. Has been shown to effectively absorbs stubborn stains, zero streaks, and no fiber shedding. Always use this together with our screen cleaner for the best results
- Easy-to-Use Screen Cleaner Kit + microfiber cleaning cloth - The EVEO Screen Cleaning Kit will easily be your new favorite tool when it comes to taking care of the things you love most, quick and easy solution for a streak-free screen. Simply screw on the sprayer gun on the screen cleaner bottle. Spray the cleaning liquid onto the microfiber cloth, then wipe the screen until desired cleanliness & shine is achieved.
- Quality Screen Care Kit Worth Purchasing - Enjoy a convenient Screen Cleaner anytime, anywhere you need it. Your satisfaction is our top priority. We stand behind the quality of our products and that’s why, you shouldn’t be worrying at all. We manufacture the Best Screen Cleaner. and can be used for laptop cleaning kit, laptop screen cleaner, tv screen cleaner for smart tv. MacBook screen cleaner, monitor cleaner or screen cleaner spray for electronic devices with microfiber cleaning cloth
Enable Enhanced security on the web
Turn on the separate hardening feature
- Open Settings and more > Settings.
- Select Privacy, search, and services.
- Scroll to Security.
- Turn on Enhance your security on the web.
- Choose Balanced or Strict.
Enhanced security is not another Tracking prevention level. It adds browser hardening to reduce exposure to certain exploit techniques. Microsoft describes the mechanism as disabling just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compilation and enabling additional operating-system protections, including Hardware-enforced Stack Protection and Arbitrary Code Guard (ACG). Those measures reduce some attack paths; they are not a guarantee that a website is safe or that every vulnerability is prevented.
Choose Balanced or Strict enhanced security
| Enhanced-security mode | Default scope | Compatibility expectation | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced | Applies added protections to unfamiliar or infrequently visited sites; frequently visited sites are left out. | Usually less disruptive because familiar sites are not hardened by default. | People who want additional protection while preserving normal workflows. |
| Strict | Applies added protections to all sites by default. | More likely to interfere with normal tasks or site scripts. | High-risk browsing or users willing to troubleshoot compatibility for stronger hardening. |
Edge may enable Enhanced security by default in some builds while Microsoft continues development and testing. Do not assume that seeing it enabled or disabled represents a universal Edge default; verify the switch and mode on the device you are using.
Set site preferences for Enhanced security
Some sites work only when the additional restrictions are relaxed, while others deserve protection even if you normally use Balanced. In the Enhanced security section, use the site-preferences controls to specify sites that should always use the feature or never use it. Keep these lists short. A “never use” entry removes the extra hardening for that site, so it should be reserved for a known compatibility requirement rather than used as a general troubleshooting shortcut.
Configure SmartScreen and Secure DNS
Microsoft Defender SmartScreen
In Edge’s Security settings, keep Microsoft Defender SmartScreen enabled unless an administrator has a documented reason to change it. SmartScreen helps identify phishing sites and malicious downloads. It complements, rather than replaces, tracking prevention and Enhanced security: a page can contain trackers without being a phishing page, and a legitimate page can still serve vulnerable code.
Use Secure DNS
In the same Security area, turn on Use secure DNS and choose how Edge looks up website network addresses. Microsoft says Secure DNS encrypts DNS queries, helping protect those lookups from interception or manipulation associated with phishing and malware. It protects the DNS request; it does not make the destination website trustworthy, remove trackers from the page, or encrypt every other connection made by the device.
Rank #3
- 【Large size】：Measuring 800 x 300 mm/ 31. 5×12 inches, which is wider and taller than others. Large mouse pad can perfectly fit your keyboard and mouse of any size, and there is also ample space for peripherals such as phones, tablets, etc.
- 【LED backlight mouse pad】：Blade Hawks RGB mouse pad provides 7 static modes and 7 dynamic modes will give you the options you are looking for. Power-off memory function remembers the last lighting mode you selected. The super glow fiber Chroma will give you a colorful gaming setup that you want.
- 【Anti-slip rubber base】：Made from Natural rubber, this gaming mousepad will firmly grip your desktop, allowing you to enjoy the ultimate precision in the games you are most passionate about. It also comes with a texture that enhances this ability even further.
- 【Smooth and waterproof surface】: Micro-textured cloth surface, for extremely precise mouse control and a smooth movement. When liquid splashes on the gaming mouse pad, it forms water droplets and slides down. Will not delay your work or gameplay.
- 【Plug and play】: This mouse and keyboard pad is powered by USB, plug and play, no driver required. One button control light modes. Press one time to change the lighting mode, press twice to change the brightness, press and hold about 3 seconds turn ON/OFF.
If a corporate network, parental-control system, or security service requires its own DNS resolver, Secure DNS may be unavailable, overridden, or incompatible with that policy. Treat a locked or missing selector as an administrative or network condition, not as evidence that Edge lacks the feature.
Control cookies and cross-site data
Review the cookie controls
- Open Settings and more > Settings.
- Select Privacy, search, and services.
- Open Cookies.
- Review the options for viewing site data, allowing or blocking cookies, blocking third-party cookies, and deleting stored data.
Cookies can preserve sessions, preferences, shopping baskets, and embedded-service state, but they can also enable cross-site tracking. Blocking all cookies is therefore a blunt control: pages may display incorrectly, sign-ins may fail, and a site may repeatedly ask for preferences. If a trusted site needs cookies, use its specific exception rather than allowing cookies globally.
Decide whether to block third-party cookies
Third-party cookies are set by a domain different from the page you are visiting, often through advertising, analytics, social, or embedded-service components. Blocking them can reduce cross-site tracking, but it can also affect federated sign-in, embedded video, payment widgets, and content loaded from another domain. Test the particular workflow you need and create a site exception only when the benefit is clear.
Evaluate temporary cross-site cookie requests
A site may ask for access to cookies and site data belonging to another site. Microsoft says that, when approved, this allowance lasts 30 days from the first approval and can be removed from cookie settings. Such access can enable the requested function, but it may also enable cross-site tracking. Approve it only when you trust both sites and need the feature, then remove the allowance if the workflow was temporary.
Use Do Not Track with realistic expectations
Edge can send a Do Not Track request asking websites not to track your browsing behavior. It is a preference signal, not a technical block. A website decides whether to honor the request, and Edge does not force compliance. Use it if you want to communicate your preference, but rely on Tracking prevention, cookie choices, and site-level decisions for enforcement.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Rank #4
- 【Softer and More Comfortable】Vaydeer wrist rest has unique diamond pattern, which is the combination of softness and aesthetics. The materials of wrist rest are improved into higher quality memory foam and covered with silky smooth lycra. The computer wrist rest makes you as comfortable and cushiony as like rest your wrists on clouds.
- 【Ergonomic Wrist Saver】The wrist rests for keyboard and mouse comes with a 17.32×3.15×0.83 inch keyboard wrist pad and a 5.94×3.15×0.83 inch mouse wrist support. Based on ergonomic design, the unique concave shape is the perfect fit for your wrist joints. The wrist rest pad fits most computer keyboards and laptops, improve hand and wrist posture, release your wrist and arm stress.
- 【Non-Slip Rubber Bottom】Featuring an anti-skid silicone base on the bottom, this wrist keyboard support stays firmly in place on your desk, preventing the padding from sliding around, ensuring stable and consistent wrist support during extended computer sessions.
- 【Better Experience & Pain Relief】Our keyboard arm rest is beneficial to alleviate the soreness caused by direct contact and friction between your arm and a hard desk surface, reducing the risk of wrist fatigue or carpal tunnel. The soft texture of memory foam can evenly distribute the pressure around your wrists and provide good support with just enough give.
- 【Helpful in Multiple Scenarios】Whether you're working, studying, writing, typing, gaming, this keyboard and mouse rest combo is an essential accessory to add comfort and support to your hands and wrists. It’s also a great gift for men, women, family, friend, coworker, gamer, teacher, etc.
Know what InPrivate does and does not do
When all InPrivate windows close, Edge says it clears the session’s history, cookies, site data, passwords, addresses, and form data. That makes InPrivate useful on a shared computer or for a temporary session, but it is not an all-purpose security mode.
- InPrivate does not itself add ad blocking.
- InPrivate does not itself protect you from malicious websites.
- Websites, employers, schools, network operators, and internet providers may still be able to observe activity outside what Edge retains locally.
- Tracking prevention and the other Security controls continue to be the tools for tracker and threat reduction.
Use InPrivate when you need reduced local history, and combine it with the protection settings appropriate for the sites you visit.
Practical configurations for common priorities
| Priority | Tracking prevention | Enhanced security | Other settings | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday browsing with good compatibility | Balanced | Balanced | SmartScreen on; Secure DNS on where available; review third-party cookies. | Some personalization remains and an occasional site may still need an exception. |
| Maximum tracker reduction | Strict | Balanced or Strict | Block third-party cookies; allow only necessary, trusted exceptions; keep SmartScreen and Secure DNS on. | Video, sign-in, embedded content, or other features may need per-site adjustment. |
| Managed or compatibility-sensitive work | Balanced | Balanced with documented site preferences | Follow organizational cookie, DNS, and SmartScreen policy. | Some controls may be locked, and local changes may not persist. |
| Temporary privacy on a shared device | Your normal level | Your normal level | Use InPrivate; close every InPrivate window when finished. | Local session data is cleared after closing, but network and website visibility is not eliminated. |
Troubleshoot the most common failures
A site will not sign in
- Check whether Tracking prevention is set to Strict and whether the site appears in the blocked-tracker list.
- Check third-party-cookie blocking and any cross-site cookie request associated with the sign-in flow.
- Test a narrow exception for the sign-in site, then remove it if it does not resolve the problem.
- If Enhanced security is Strict, use its site-preference control to test the site without the added hardening.
Do not disable every privacy control at once. Changing one setting at a time identifies the actual dependency and prevents an unnecessarily broad exception.
Video or embedded content is missing
Inspect the address-bar site-information panel for blocked trackers, then test the site’s required embedded domain. Strict Tracking prevention can block resources that a video player or embedded application expects. Cookie restrictions can have the same symptom when the player relies on state stored by another domain. Prefer a site-specific adjustment and restore the stricter setting elsewhere.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →A page looks broken after blocking cookies
Review the cookie exception list and determine whether the page needs first-party cookies, third-party cookies, or temporary cross-site access. Allow only the required site or request, reload the page, and avoid a global “allow all cookies” change unless you understand the privacy cost.
Best Value
- 【No Drill Mounted】Cable management tray can be assembled in as little as 3 minutes or less-simply. Side clips easily clampe the edge of desk, pass through the holes on the sides, and secure excess cables with baskets. Desk cable management supports inward or outward installation to meet your needs in different scenarios, and provides you with great convenience when collecting and organizing wires.
- 【Rubber Pad Protects Desk】Wire organizer under desk built-in soft rubber pads on the clamp protect your desk from scratches, so you will not damage your furniture or office.
- 【Sturdy and Beautiful】Cord management under desk is made of high-quality carbon steel and holds about 15 lbs. The wire basket has 2 holes on each side of the tray to enable your cables to pass freely. Cable baskets are suitable for desk thickness use from 0.4" to 2.4".
- 【Space Saving & Keep Organized】Desk cable management tray holds all your power cords, outlet strips, USB hubs and computer transformers hidden from your feet, and the data cables will not enter the vacuum cleaner to keep your desk clean and tidy. Desk wire organizer is also suitable for use in the kitchen and outdoors.
- 【Reduce Safety Risks】Cable tray under desk keeps all plugs away from your kids, no more worry about tripping. Using 2 holes wire tray saves extra space, helps you easily cabling and wire protection. The mesh design is not easy to accumulate dust, but avoids safety accidents caused by messy wires.
A security control is unavailable
Check the Edge version, operating system, and whether the browser is managed. Organization policies can hide, force, or lock settings. In that situation, an administrator must change the policy; repeatedly changing local settings will not override it.
Enhanced security causes an application error
Switch from Strict to Balanced, or add a site preference for the affected application, and retest. If the application still fails, leave Enhanced security unchanged and investigate the application, its extensions, or its network requirements. Hardening reduces risk but cannot guarantee compatibility with every script-heavy site.
Review your settings after Edge updates
Microsoft can change labels, defaults, and feature availability as Edge evolves. Reopen Privacy, search, and services after major updates, confirm the Tracking prevention level, review exception and cookie lists, and verify that Enhanced security, SmartScreen, and Secure DNS still match your needs. On a managed device, compare the displayed choices with your organization’s policy rather than assuming a personal configuration is permitted.
A durable setup keeps Balanced Tracking prevention as the compatibility baseline, raises it to Strict when the privacy benefit justifies troubleshooting, and treats every exception as a deliberate reduction in protection. Enhanced security, SmartScreen, Secure DNS, cookie controls, Do Not Track, and InPrivate each address a different part of the risk; using the right one for the problem is safer than turning everything off.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
