This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable HTTPS-First Mode in Microsoft Edge for your account or all users in Windows 11.
Microsoft Edge is the AI-powered browser. A smarter way to browse. As the only browser built and optimized for Windows, it’s AI-powered tools are designed to help you make the most of your time online. Whether you’re searching, shopping or gaming, AI-powered tools and a security-first approach help you stay productive, save money, and get things done your way.
HTTPS-First Mode in Microsoft Edge automatically upgrades HTTP connections to HTTPS when possible, helping protect your data from insecure connections.
If a site doesn’t support HTTPS, Microsoft Edge shows a warning to highlight the security risk. By default, this appears only for public sites—not private ones or manually entered HTTP URLs. For stronger security, you can enable a setting to show warnings for all failed HTTP upgrades.
Microsoft Edge has HTTPS-First Mode enabled by default, but you can change your preferred level of security enforcement below or disable it.
- Alerts you about insecure public sites (Default): Receive warnings when navigating to insecure public HTTP sites. This excludes manually entered URLs starting with http://.
- Alerts for about insecure public and private sites: Receive warnings for both public and private sites, including internal company sites that may use HTTP.
Secure your web browsing with HTTPS-First Mode in Microsoft Edge | Microsoft Support
Secure your web browsing with HTTPS-First Mode in Microsoft Edge
support.microsoft.com
Contents
- Option One: Turn On or Off HTTPS-First Mode in Microsoft Edge for Current User from Settings
- Option Two: Enable or Disable HTTPS-First Mode in Microsoft Edge for All Users using REG file
EXAMPLE: HTTPS-First Mode HTTP site alert in Edge
1 Open Microsoft Edge.
2 Click/tap on the Setting and more (Alt+F) 3 dots button, and click/tap on Settings. (see screenshot below)
3 Click/tap on Privacy, search, and services in the left pane, and click/tap on Security in the right pane. (see screenshot below)
If you do not see a left pane, then either click/tap on the 3 bars menu button towards the top left OR widen the horizontal borders of the Microsoft Edge window until you do.
4 Do step 5 (on) or step 6 (off) below for what you want.
5 Turn On HTTPS-First Mode in Microsoft Edge
This is the default setting.
A) Turn on Automatically switch to more secure connections with Automatic HTTPS. (see screenshot below)
B) Select (dot) Alerts you about insecure public sites (Default) or Alerts for about insecure public and private sites for the level of security enforcement you want.
6 Turn Off HTTPS-First Mode in Microsoft Edge
A) Turn off Automatically switch to more secure connections with Automatic HTTPS. (see screenshot below)
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
This option uses the HttpsOnlyMode and HttpsUpgradesEnabled policies for Microsoft Edge.
1 Do step 2 (always on - public), step 3 (always on - public and private), step 4 (disable), or step 5 (default) below for what you want.
2 Always Turn On HTTPS-First Mode with "Alerts you about insecure public sites (Default)" in Microsoft Edge for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 6 below.
Force_Enable_Edge_HttpsOnlyMode_alerts_for_insecure_public_sites_for_all_users.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"HttpsOnlyMode"="force_balanced_enabled"
"HttpsUpgradesEnabled"=-3 Always Turn On HTTPS-First Mode with "Alerts for about insecure public and private sites" in Microsoft Edge for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 6 below.
Force_Enable_Edge_HttpsOnlyMode_alerts_for_insecure_public_and_private_sites_for_all_users.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"HttpsOnlyMode"="force_enabled"
"HttpsUpgradesEnabled"=-4 Disable HTTPS-First Mode in Microsoft Edge for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 6 below.
Disable_Edge_HttpsOnlyMode_for_all_users.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"HttpsOnlyMode"="disallowed"5 Default User Choice HTTPS-First Mode in Microsoft Edge
This is the default setting to allow using Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 6 below.
Default_user-choice_Edge_HttpsOnlyMode.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"HttpsOnlyMode"=-
"HttpsUpgradesEnabled"=-6 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
7 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
8 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
9 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
10 If Microsoft Edge is currently open, then close and reopen Microsoft Edge to apply.
11 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
