Below are guidelines on how to change your settings, find the paths stored in the browser, delete any cookies, and how Edge handles fingerprints, another tracking method that identifies users by collecting details about their system configuration. If you are interested, keep reading to the end.
Important guidelines in the Chromium Edge browser to enhance your precious privacy protection:
First: Dealing with Tracking:
The new version of Edge browser comes with tracking modes using one of the three different protection levels. The first is “Balanced,” which is active by default upon installation. It considers the sites you frequently visit and reduces blocking tracking for institutions you interact with regularly. The second level is “Basic,” which provides more relaxed control, banning tracking devices defined as “harmful” by Microsoft or allowing you to switch to the third and final level, “Strict,” which bans most third-party tracking devices across websites.
To change your protection level, simply click on the three dots in the upper right or left corner (depending on the language) of the browser, then go to settings, privacy, and services. Make sure to turn on the “Block Tracking” option and finally choose the protection level you want, as shown in the image above.
Second: Adjusting Your Tracking Settings
While Edge offers you three mentioned tracking modes that are easy to select, you can also delve deeper to find out which tracking devices are blocked and make exceptions for specific sites. In the “Privacy and Services” page, look for the “Blocked trackers” option under the three tracking prevention modes. Through this option, you can see all the tracking devices Edge has blocked.
Under this option, you will find the second option, “Exceptions,” where you can specify any sites you want to stop tracking on.
When you visit a site, you can see how effective your tracking prevention is by clicking on the lock icon on the left or right side of the address bar. This dropdown box allows you to view cookies and associated site permissions, enable or disable pop-ups, adjust tracking permissions for that site, and see what tracking devices have been blocked.
Third: Clearing Your Cookies
Conveniently, Edge can delete several types of data every time you close it, including browsing history, passwords, and cookies. For this task and more, go to the “Clear browsing data” section in the “Privacy and Services” tab, which can be found among the aforementioned tracking prevention levels.
Now, click on the arrow next to “Choose what to clear every time you close the browser,” then switch to any data categories you want to clear every time you exit Edge.
You can also manually delete cookies and other data at any time by clicking on the “Choose what to clear” option next to the “Clear browsing data now” option, which will bring up a small window with various options. At this step, select the “Cookies and other site data” box or any other type of data you want to delete, then click on the “Clear now” option.
You can also delete cookies and other data manually at any time by clicking on the “Choose what to clear” option next to the “Clear browsing data now” option, which will bring up a small window with various options. At this step, select the “Cookies and other site data” box or any other type of data you want to delete, then click on the “Clear now” option.
Furthermore, there are other privacy features on the “Privacy and Services” page, including options to send a “Do Not Track” request, choose your search engine, and more.
Fourth: Fingerprints and Ad Blocking
According to Microsoft, the three tracking prevention modes, especially Strict, will help protect against fingerprinting, which can identify users. Edge does not block ads locally, but you can download ad-blocking extensions. Since the browser now relies on Chromium, many Chrome extensions as well as extensions from the Microsoft Store will work with this latest version of Edge, which is a step in the right direction.
Final Word:
This was the subject of our article for today, in which we discussed how to use the new tools of Microsoft Edge browser to protect your privacy and data security. If you have any questions about this or anything else, write and put it in the comments box below, and we will respond as soon as possible.
