Enable Application Bound Encryption

Purpose

Show registry keys (1)

• HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\ApplicationBoundEncryptionEnabled

A DWORD value of 1 enables Application Bound Encryption in Microsoft Edge. Edge then binds the encryption keys used for local data storage to the browser whenever possible. This binding is intended to prevent other applications from readily retrieving and using those keys outside Edge.

This is a mandatory, device-level Microsoft Edge policy supported on Windows beginning with Microsoft Edge version 127.

Notes

Security

Binding the keys improves the protection of locally stored Edge data against unknown or potentially hostile applications that might otherwise retrieve the encryption keys. The policy specifically protects the use of these keys; it does not impose a general access restriction on every file or all data belonging to the user account.

Microsoft Edge also uses Application Bound Encryption when the policy is left unset. Setting the value to 1 enforces that behavior through policy.

Possible side effects

The binding can interfere with applications that have a legitimate requirement to access encrypted Microsoft Edge data directly. Compatibility issues may also occur where encrypted user data must remain fully portable between computers or where the location or integrity of the Edge executable files is not consistent.

Notes

The policy is not profile-specific. A browser restart is required before a policy change takes effect. It is supported only on Windows and is not available on macOS, Android, or iOS.

Microsoft documentation

Microsoft Learn: Enable Application Bound Encryption

See also

• Entry in the reference