We've used Group Policy for years to set Google as the default search provider in Microsoft Edge through the Recommended settings, which still lets users change it. After the recent Edge 154 update, some users can no longer search from the address bar. In edge://settings/search, the configured provider appears as "----" and cannot be selected, even though it remains in the search-engine list. Choosing Edge's built-in Google entry works normally.
The issue is reproducible: the policy provider works after a fresh launch or after changing policy values, but stops working after switching to another provider and then switching back. It also happens with plain search URLs, unique provider names and keywords, and no conflicting mandatory or managed-search policies. The policy reports successfully in edge://policy with Recommended device scope.
Has anyone else seen this behavior since Edge 154? Is there a way to default users to the built-in Google provider while still allowing them to change it and preserve their custom search engines?
2 Answers
Several administrators are seeing the same problem beginning with Edge 154, including deployments managed through Intune. It appears to be an Edge bug: the Recommended provider works initially, then becomes unavailable after users switch away from it and back. The provider remains listed, but the settings page shows "----" and address-bar searches stop working.
Microsoft support has confirmed the issue and is working on a fix, although there is currently no ETA. The temporary options are to have users select the built-in Google provider again, roll Edge back to version 153, or make the search provider mandatory. The manual selection is the least disruptive workaround if preserving users’ custom engines is important. The behavior was reportedly still present in Edge Beta 155.
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