Share via

WebContentFilteringBlockedCategories

Configure Web Content Filtering

Supported versions

  • On Windows since 135 or later

Description

Configure this policy to block access to specific categories of websites in Microsoft Edge on Windows devices. Web Content Filtering is available exclusively in Microsoft Edge on Windows and requires the appropriate Microsoft 365 licensing.

When this policy is enabled, users are blocked from accessing URLs that fall within the defined list of content categories. You can configure this by adding Category Strings to the list of blocked categories.

If the policy is not configured or is disabled, no categories will be blocked.

To view the list of supported content categories, including each Category String and its definition, refer to: Web content filtering

To block a specific URL outside of a category, use the “Block access to a list of URLs” policy.

To allow a specific URL that falls under a blocked category, use the “Define a list of allowed URLs” policy.

Note: This policy is supported only when deployed through the Edge management service, not via Microsoft Intune.

To use this policy, your organization must have one of the following licenses:

  • Microsoft 365 A1, A3, or A5
  • Microsoft 365 Business Premium
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic or Standard with Intune Plan 1 or Plan 2

Policy options mapping:

  • chat (chat) = Chat

  • child_abuse_images (child_abuse_images) = Child Abuse Images

  • criminal_activity (criminal_activity) = Criminal Activity

  • download_sites (download_sites) = Download Sites

  • gambling (gambling) = Gambling

  • games (games) = Games

  • hacking (hacking) = Hacking

  • hate_and_intolerance (hate_and_intolerance) = Hate and Intolerance

  • illegal_drug (illegal_drug) = Illegal Drug

  • illegal_software (illegal_software) = Illegal Software

  • image_sharing (image_sharing) = Image Sharing

  • instant_messaging (instant_messaging) = Instant Messaging

  • nudity (nudity) = Nudity

  • peer_to_peer (peer_to_peer) = Peer to Peer

  • pornography_or_sexually_explicit (pornography_or_sexually_explicit) = Pornography or Sexually Explicit

  • professional_networking (professional_networking) = Professional Networking

  • self_harm (self_harm) = Self Harm

  • sex_education (sex_education) = Sex Education

  • social_networking (social_networking) = Social Networking

  • streaming_and_downloads (streaming_and_downloads) = Streaming Media and Downloads

  • tasteless (tasteless) = Tasteless

  • violence (violence) = Violence

  • weapons (weapons) = Weapons

  • web_based_email (web_based_email) = Web Based Email

  • gen_ai (gen_ai) = Gen AI

  • shopping (shopping) = Shopping

  • none (none) = None

Use the preceding information when configuring this policy.

Policy options mapping:

Use this information when configuring this policy.

  • chat = Chat
  • child_abuse_images = Child Abuse Images
  • criminal_activity = Criminal Activity
  • download_sites = Download Sites
  • gambling = Gambling
  • games = Games
  • hacking = Hacking
  • hate_and_intolerance = Hate and Intolerance
  • illegal_drug = Illegal Drug
  • illegal_software = Illegal Software
  • image_sharing = Image Sharing
  • instant_messaging = Instant Messaging
  • nudity = Nudity
  • peer_to_peer = Peer to Peer
  • pornography_or_sexually_explicit = Pornography or Sexually Explicit
  • professional_networking = Professional Networking
  • self_harm = Self Harm
  • sex_education = Sex Education
  • social_networking = Social Networking
  • streaming_and_downloads = Streaming Media and Downloads
  • tasteless = Tasteless
  • violence = Violence
  • weapons = Weapons
  • web_based_email = Web Based Email
  • gen_ai = Gen AI
  • shopping = Shopping
  • none = None

Supported features

  • Can be mandatory: Yes
  • Can be recommended: No
  • Dynamic Policy Refresh: Yes
  • Per Profile: No
  • Applies to a profile that is signed in with a Microsoft account: Yes

Data type

  • List of strings

Windows information and settings

Group Policy (ADMX) info

  • GP unique name: WebContentFilteringBlockedCategories
  • GP name: Configure Web Content Filtering
  • GP path (Mandatory): Administrative Templates/Microsoft Edge
  • GP path (Recommended): N/A
  • GP ADMX file name: MSEdge.admx

Example value

Gambling

Streaming Media and Downloads

Games

Registry settings

  • Path (Mandatory): SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\WebContentFilteringBlockedCategories
  • Path (Recommended): N/A
  • Value name: 1, 2, 3, ...
  • Value type: List of REG_SZ

Example registry value

SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\WebContentFilteringBlockedCategories\1 =

gambling

SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\WebContentFilteringBlockedCategories\2 =

streaming_and_downloads

SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\WebContentFilteringBlockedCategories\3 =

games

See also