Enable or Disable Printing in Microsoft Edge

This guide shows you how to turn printing on or off in Microsoft Edge, whether you want to block print jobs on a shared computer, prevent accidental printing, or simply remove the print option from menus. You’ll use Edge’s built-in group policy settings (on Windows) or a simple registry tweak to control this feature. No extra software is needed—just access to your computer’s system settings.

What You’ll Need

• A Windows PC with Microsoft Edge installed (this method works for Edge versions 77 and later).
• Administrator rights on the computer to change group policy or edit the registry.
• For Windows 10/11 Pro or Enterprise: access to the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc). For Home editions, you’ll use the Registry Editor instead.

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Using Group Policy (Windows Pro/Enterprise)

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes.
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Microsoft Edge.
3. Look for a policy named Enable printing (or Printing enabled). If you don’t see it, right-click on the Microsoft Edge folder and select Add/Remove Templates, then add the Edge ADMX template if available.
4. Double-click the policy. To disable printing, select Disabled and click OK. To enable printing again, select Not Configured or Enabled.
5. Restart Microsoft Edge completely (close all windows and reopen). The change takes effect immediately.

Method 2: Using Registry Editor (All Windows Editions)

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if UAC prompts.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge. If the Edge key doesn’t exist, right-click on Microsoft, choose New → Key, and name it Edge.
3. Right-click on the Edge key, select New → DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it PrintingEnabled.
4. Set the value data: 0 disables printing, 1 enables it. Click OK.
5. Close the Registry Editor and restart Edge. The setting applies immediately.

Method 3: Disable the Print Button in the UI (Temporary)

1. Open Edge and go to any webpage.
2. Press Ctrl + P to open the Print dialog. You can’t remove the button from the menu, but you can set a default printer to “Save as PDF” to minimize accidental prints.
3. To fully block printing, use the policy methods above—UI-only options don’t exist for completely removing the print feature.

Common Mistakes

• Using the wrong registry path: Some guides suggest HKEY_CURRENT_USER. That works only for the current user; for all users, use HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
• Forgetting to restart Edge: The policy won’t apply until Edge is fully closed and reopened. Check the system tray for Edge processes.
• Setting the value as a string: The registry value must be a DWORD (32-bit), not a string. If you create a String Value, it won’t work.
• Confusing “Disabled” with “Not Configured”: In Group Policy, “Disabled” forces the feature off, while “Not Configured” leaves it to the default (which is enabled).

Tips

• To re-enable printing later, simply set the registry value back to 1 or change the Group Policy to Not Configured.
• If you’re managing multiple computers, use the same registry key via a script or Group Policy Management Console for efficiency.
• For a quick temporary block, you can also set the default printer to “Microsoft Print to PDF”—but that still allows saving PDFs, not physical printing.
• If you only want to prevent printing from a specific site (like a banking portal), use Edge’s built-in site permissions instead of disabling printing globally.

Troubleshooting

• Policy doesn’t take effect: Ensure the registry path is correct and the value name is exactly PrintingEnabled. Also verify that no other policy overrides it—check HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge as well.
• Print button still appears: The policy hides the print functionality but may not remove the menu item in all versions. Test by pressing Ctrl+P—if the dialog doesn’t open, the policy is working.
• Edge updates reset the policy: After a major Edge update, policies can be overwritten. Re-apply the registry key or group policy setting.
• Can’t find group policy editor: On Windows Home, gpedit.msc is not available. Use the registry method instead.
• Policy applies to all users, but I only want one user: Use the registry path under HKEY_CURRENT_USER instead of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, and log in as that user to make the change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does disabling printing in Edge affect other browsers?

No, this setting only affects Microsoft Edge. Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers remain unaffected.

Can I still print to PDF if printing is disabled?

No, disabling printing completely blocks all print output, including “Save as PDF”. If you want to allow PDF saving, set the policy to enabled and instead use a third-party tool to block physical printers.

Will this work on Mac or Linux versions of Edge?

No, the registry and group policy methods are Windows-only. On Mac/Linux, you’d need to use command-line flags or a different management approach, which is not covered here.

How do I know if the policy is active?

Press Ctrl+P on any page. If nothing happens or an error appears, printing is disabled. You can also check Edge’s internal page by typing edge://policy in the address bar—look for PrintingEnabled.

Is there a way to temporarily disable printing without changing settings?

You could set the default printer to a non-existent printer or use a kiosk mode, but these are workarounds. The cleanest way is to use the policy method and then revert when needed.

Can I disable printing for only specific websites?

Yes, but not through this policy. Use Edge’s site permissions: go to the site, click the lock icon, and adjust printing permissions if available. However, this is limited—most sites don’t have a printing permission toggle.

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