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Microsoft Edge - Browser History Retention Time

Anonymous
2020-01-09T14:30:02+00:00

How long is the Browser History retained within Microsoft Edge and where is this information stored?

A previous poster asked this in 2017 and was advised that "Browsers keep all websites that you have accessed unless you delete the browsing history. Edge and Internet Explorer can keep the history of the accessed websites up to 999 days. To configure the settings, follow these steps:

  1. Click on Start.
  2. Type Internet Options then press Enter.
  3. Under Browsing history, click on Settings.
  4. Go to the History tab.
  5. Adjust the number of days if necessary."

However this no longer appears to be the case. This value is set to 20 (confirmed within Internet Options and the Registry) but Microsoft Edge appears to be retaining the browsing history for 90 days. There does not appear to be anywhere within Microsoft Edge that this can be customised and I have been unable to locate a registry key that stores this information for Microsoft Edge.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Internet and connectivity

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-01-09T14:41:24+00:00

    Hi my name is Ross, I'm an independent advisor. I'd be happy to help with your issue.

    Unfortunately there is no way to customise this setting, the only similar setting available is to clear the browsing data upon exit but I don't think this would suit your requirements.

    Although no value is able to be set you are correct in that data is stored for 90 days.

    You might wish to suggest this as a feature update using the feedback hub:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/402156...

    Regards,

    Ross

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-01-09T15:40:36+00:00

    Hi Ross,

    Thank you for your response, is there anywhere in the registry that this is stored? 

    I've checked a few different Windows 10 machines, some have the "DaysToKeep" registry key within the "HKCU\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.microsoftedge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\MicrosoftEdge\Internet Settings\Url History" key. 

    However on other machines the "Url History" key is not present within the above structure and by virtue of this the "DaysToKeep" registry key is also not present. 

    I've not yet managed to work out what (if anything) causes this key to be created or if it is created manually. Within the Internet Options for IE, the

    "DaysToKeep" registry key is only created when the days are adjusted within Internet Options > Browsing history > History but as you have previously stated there is no way of customising this setting with Microsoft Edge so the key is clearly not created in the same way. 

    Thanks

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-01-09T20:13:58+00:00

    Hi,

    I’ve certainly not seen anything reporting about a registry key available to modify this setting. However Edge does run using a completely separate set of parameters from IE so anything that previously worked, is unlikely to do so now.

    Regards,

    Ross

    4 people found this answer helpful.
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