Blocker Toolkit to disable automatic delivery of Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)

• 06/30/2020
• 4 minutes to read
• • 

This article describes the Blocker Toolkit for disabling automatic delivery and installation of Microsoft Edge. This article was updated on 01/09/2020 with more information about devices that might require you to use the Blocker Toolkit, on 2/28/2020 to remove "MDM managed" from the criteria of devices to be excluded from this automatic update, and on 6/30/2020 to reflect that all Windows Update connected devices are in scope to receive this update (effective no sooner than 7/30/2020).

Overview

To help our customers become more secure and up-to-date, Microsoft will distribute Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) to all Windows Update-connected devices running Windows 10 version 1803 and newer. This process will start after January 15, 2020 and more information will be available on that date.

The Blocker Toolkit is intended for organizations that would like to block automatic delivery of Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) to Windows Updated-connected devices running Windows 10 version 1803 and newer. Devices that are Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) or Windows Update for Business (WUfB) managed will be excluded from this automatic update.

It's important to note that:

• The Blocker Toolkit will not prevent users from manually installing Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) from Internet download, or from external media.
• Organizations with updates managed through Windows Update for Business (WUfB) will not automatically receive this update and do not need to deploy the blocker toolkit.
• Organizations with environments managed with an update management solution such as Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) or System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) do not have to deploy the Blocker Toolkit. They can use those products to fully manage deployment of updates released through Windows Update and Microsoft Update, including Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based), within their environment.
• This update is a stand-alone update (not part of the monthly cumulative update) to give Enterprise customers flexibility and maximum control over deploying this update.
• The new Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) will be included as part of the Windows 10, version 20H2 feature update in the second half of 2020. The Blocker toolkit does not impact 20H2 behaviors or deployment. See more information about Windows 10, version 20H2 here.

You can download the Blocker Toolkit executable file from https://msedgeblockertoolkit.blob.core.windows.net/blockertoolkit/MicrosoftEdgeChromiumBlockerToolkit.exe.

Toolkit components

This toolkit contains the following components:

• Executable blocker script (.CMD)
• Group Policy Administrative Template (.ADMX and .ADML)

Supported Operating Systems

Windows 10 version 1803 and newer.

Blocker script

The script creates a registry key and sets the associated value to block or unblock (depending on the command-line option used) automatic delivery of Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) on either the local machine or a remote target machine.

Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate
Key value name: DoNotUpdateToEdgeWithChromium

The script has the following command-line syntax:
EdgeChromium_Blocker.cmd [<machine name>] [/B] [/U] [/H]

Machine name

The <machine name> parameter is optional. If not specified, the action is performed on the local machine. Otherwise, the remote machine is accessed through the remote registry capabilities of the REG command. If the remote registry can't be accessed due to security permissions or the remote machine can't be found, an error message is returned from the REG command.

Switches

Switches used by the script are mutually exclusive and only the first valid switch from a given command is acted on. The script can be run multiple times on the same machine.

Group Policy Administrative Template (.ADMX and .ADML files)

The Group Policy Administrative Template (.ADMX and .ADML files) allows administrators to import the new Group Policy settings to block or unblock automatic delivery of Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) into their Group Policy environment, and use Group Policy to centrally execute the action across systems in their environment.

Users running Windows 10 RS3 Enterprise/EDU and RS4 and newer, will see the policy under the following path:

/Computer Configuration  
  /Administrative Templates
    /Classic Administrative Templates
      /Windows Components
        /Windows Update  
          /Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) Blockers  

This setting is available only as a Computer setting; there is no Per-User setting.

See also

• Microsoft Edge Enterprise landing page
• Windows updates to support Microsoft Edge
• How to access the old version of Microsoft Edge