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This article describes how to configure Microsoft Edge on macOS using a property list (.plist) file. You'll learn how to create this file and then deploy it to Microsoft Intune.
For more information, see About Information Property List Files (Apple's website) and Custom payload settings.
Note
This article applies to Microsoft Edge version 77 or later.
Configure Microsoft Edge policies on macOS
Note that Microsoft Edge is still in beta and might be buggy. Under the Canary Channel, click Download. Ensure that beneath the download button, it says macOS — if not, you’ll need to click the dropdown arrow and select it. Accept the license terms. When the Edge browser for Mac download has finished, open the download package. Microsoft Edge downloads to the Mac. Open the Downloads folder in Finder and select the Microsoft Edge.pkg item. The Edge installer launches. Proceed through the on-screen instructions to install Microsoft Edge.
The first step is to create your plist. You can create the plist file with any text editor or you can use Terminal to create the configuration profile. However, it's easier to create and edit a plist file using a tool that formats the XML code for you. Xcode is a free integrated development environment that you can get from one of the following locations:
For a list of supported policies and their preference key names, see Microsoft Edge browser policies reference. In the policy templates file, which can be downloaded from the Microsoft Edge Enterprise landing page, there's an example plist (itadminexample.plist) in the examples folder. The example file contains all supported data types that you can customize to define your policy settings.
The next step after you create the contents of your plist, is to name it using the Microsoft Edge preference domain, com.microsoft.Edge. The name is case sensitive and should not include the channel you are targeting because it applies to all Microsoft Edge channels. The plist file name must be com.microsoft.Edge.plist.
Important
Starting with build 78.0.249.2, all Microsoft Edge channels on macOS read from the com.microsoft.Edge preference domain. All prior releases read from a channel specific domain, such as com.microsoft.Edge.Dev for Dev channel.
The last step is to deploy your plist to your users' Mac devices using your preferred MDM provider, such as Microsoft Intune. For instructions see Deploy your plist.
Create a configuration profile using Terminal
In Terminal, use the following command to create a plist for Microsoft Edge on your desktop with your preferred settings:
Convert the plist from binary to plain text format:
After converting the file verify that your policy data is correct and contains the settings you want for your configuration profile.
Note
Only key value pairs should be in the contents of the plist or xml file. Prior to uploading your file into Intune remove all the <plist> and <dict> values, and xml headers from your file. The file should only contain key value pairs.
Deploy your plist
For Microsoft Intune create a new device configuration profile targeting the macOS platform and select the Preference file profile type. Target com.microsoft.Edge as the preference domain name and upload your plist. For more information see Add a property list file to macOS devices using Microsoft Intune.
For Jamf upload the .plist file as a Custom Settings payload.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Microsoft Edge be configured to use master preferences?
Yes, you can configure Microsoft Edge to use a master preferences file.
A master preferences file lets you configure default settings for a browser user profile when Microsoft Edge is deployed. You can also use a master preferences file to apply settings on computers that aren't managed by a device management system. These settings are applied to the user’s profile the first time the user runs the browser. After the user runs the browser, changes to the master preferences file aren’t applied. A user can change settings from the master preferences in the browser. If you want to make a setting mandatory or change a setting after the first run of the browser, you must use a policy.
A master preferences file lets you to customize many different settings and preferences for the browser, including those shared with other Chromium based browsers and specific to Microsoft Edge. Policy related preferences can be configured using the master preferences file. In cases where a policy is set and there’s a corresponding master preference set, the policy setting takes precedence.
Important
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All the available preferences might not be consistent with Microsoft Edge terminology and naming conventions. There’s no guarantee that these preferences will continue to work as expected in future releases. Preferences might be changed or ignored in later versions.
A master preferences file is a text file that’s formatted using JSON markup. This file needs to be added to the same directory as the msedge.exe executable. For system wide enterprise deployments on macOS this is typically: “~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Microsoft Edge Master Preferences' or '/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Microsoft Edge Master Preferences”.
See also
Anyone interested in trying Microsoft's redesigned Edge Chromium browser can now download and use the first release version.
Microsoft Edge Mac Version
Edge Chromium is rebuilt with Google's Chromium, the open-source browser engine that powers main rival Google Chrome. The change will, in theory, make it easier for developers to produce extensions for the browser, as well as making for a more standardized web experience for users and web developers, with websites loading with a similar appearance to Google's own browser.
Under the new version of Edge, Microsoft will include a new tracking prevention default where it is turned on from the start. The SmartScreen and Tracking Prevention mechanisms aim to protect against phishing schemes, malware, and other malicious software, while an InPrivate mode will stop web searches from being attributable to the user, somewhat similar to Chrome's Incognito mode.
At launch, history sync and extension sync won't be available, which could be a deal breaker for some users. These features are a large reason why many users choose Google's Chrome in the first place. Microsoft has stated that both history and extension sync will be available later in 2020.
A Collections feature, which is listed as 'coming soon,' can be used to collect web content for research purposes, which can then be exported into Word or Excel for further analysis.
While many established users are likely to continue using their browser of choice, Microsoft Edge Chromium does serve a purpose. Enterprise users will be able to utilize Chromium's built in 'Internet Explorer' mode, which will allow businesses and agencies to load legacy Internet Explorer content.
While it targets enterprise users, the newly released browser is available for anyone download now from Microsoft directly, on both macOS and Windows. Chromium's enhanced privacy features and support for 4K Ultra HD Netflix with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, currently for Windows 10 only, has not been replicated on Google Chrome yet.
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