Migrating Bookmarks/Favorites from IE11 to Microsoft Edge Chromium

The New Microsoft Edge does not support folder redirection for Favorites/Bookmarks, the AutoImportAtFirstRun policy could do a one-time import of the current IE bookmarks silently on the first launch but the challenge is to keep them in sync across various devices when users roam.

Automatically import another browser’s data and settings at first run
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\AutoImportAtFirstRun REG_DWORD 0x00000001
Group Policy (ADMX) info
  • GP unique name: AutoImportAtFirstRun
  • GP name: Automatically import another browser’s data and settings at first run
  • GP Option Mapping: FromInternetExplorer (1) = Automatically imports all supported datatypes and settings from Internet Explorer
  • GP path (Mandatory): Administrative Templates/Microsoft Edge/
  • GP ADMX file name: MSEdge.admx

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-policies#autoimportatfirstrun

For the users that roam to different PCs or use VDI, Sync to Azure, or a personal Microsoft account can be enabled, this is the easiest option. However, if you like to keep the sync data local then on-premises only sync is configurable. This is similar to favorites folder redirection, with a couple of additional steps to get the same experience.

Step 1. Enable BrowserSignin

SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\BrowserSignin REG_DWORD 0x00000001
Group Policy (ADMX) info
  • GP unique name: BrowserSignin
  • GP name: Browser sign-in settings
  • GP Option Mapping: Enable (1) = Enable browser sign-in
  • GP path (Mandatory): Administrative Templates/Microsoft Edge/
  • GP ADMX file name: MSEdge.admx

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-policies#browsersignin

Step 2. Associate Edge profile with Active Directory (AD) account

SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\ConfigureOnPremisesAccountAutoSignIn REG_DWORD 0x00000001
Group Policy (ADMX) info
  • GP unique name: ConfigureOnPremisesAccountAutoSignIn
  • GP name: Configure automatic sign in with an Active Directory domain account when there is no Azure AD domain account
  • GP Option Mapping: SignInAndMakeDomainAccountNonRemovable (1) = Sign in and make domain account non-removable
  • GP path (Mandatory): Administrative Templates/Microsoft Edge/
  • GP ADMX file name: MSEdge.admx

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-policies#configureonpremisesaccountautosignin

Step 3. Enable Roaming Profile Support

SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\RoamingProfileSupportEnabled REG_DWORD 0x00000001
Group Policy (ADMX) info
  • GP unique name: RoamingProfileSupportEnabled
  • GP name: Enable using roaming copies for Microsoft Edge profile data
  • GP path (Mandatory): Administrative Templates/Microsoft Edge/
  • GP ADMX file name: MSEdge.admx

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-policies#roamingprofilesupportenabled

Step 4. Copy profile.pb to network share on Logout

by default profile.pb in %APPDATA%/Microsoft/Edge. Using GP logout action, copy the file to the user-specific network location.

Step 5. Copy profile.pb from network share on Login

Using GP login action, copy down the profile.pb file to %APPDATA%/Microsoft/Edge.

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