Standardizing Microsoft Edge Favorites

Update – September 2026: A new cross-platform option

There is now another—and in many cases much easier—way to configure Managed Favorites through the Microsoft Edge management service.

Instead of deploying separate configurations through Intune, you can create a Cloud policy that applies to Microsoft Edge on:

• Windows
• macOS
• Android
• iOS

You can find it in the Microsoft 365 admin center under:

Settings > Microsoft Edge > Configuration policies

Or jump directly to the policy wizard:

👉 Create an Edge configuration policy

Create a Cloud policy, select the platforms you want to support, add a setting, and search for ManagedFavorites.

Microsoft now provides a visual editor where you can create folders and add favorites without writing the JSON manually. So yes, Microsoft has essentially built its own version of my generator. I choose to take that as validation. 😉

My Microsoft Edge Favorites JSON Generator is still useful when you want to:

• Build larger or nested folder structures
• Keep the configuration in source control
• Reuse the same configuration between tenants
• Review or download the complete JSON
• Deploy the setting directly through Intune
• Generate the corresponding macOS preference payload

The generated JSON can also be pasted directly into the JSON value tab in Microsoft’s editor.

Cloud policies follow the signed-in Edge user across supported platforms. The user must sign into Microsoft Edge with their work or school account before the browser can retrieve the policy.

The original Intune-based method described below still works and remains relevant when you specifically want Windows device-level management.

For more information, see Microsoft’s documentation for the Microsoft Edge management service and the ManagedFavorites policy.

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If you’ve ever joined a new company and spent the first week hunting for the ServiceDesk link, the intranet, or “that one HR page everyone keeps mentioning”, you already understand the problem.

Managed Favorites in Microsoft Edge is one of those small-but-mighty configurations that quietly removes friction for users and support teams alike. One central place. Same links for everyone. No “where do I find…?” tickets.

Let’s walk through how to configure it properly using Intune, a clean JSON structure, and a generator that saves you from JSON-induced headaches.

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Table of Contents

1. What are Managed Favorites?
2. Why use Managed Favorites?
3. Example JSON structure
4. Use the generator instead
5. Creating the Intune policy
6. Enable the Favorites bar (highly recommended)
7. Important limitation
8. Wrap-up

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What are Managed Favorites?

Managed Favorites allow you to centrally define a set of browser favorites that:

• Appear for all users
• Cannot be removed by users
• Can be updated centrally
• Support folders and nesting

This is done via policy in Microsoft Edge, typically delivered using Microsoft Intune.

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Why use Managed Favorites?

This is one of those “why aren’t we already doing this?” features.

Managed Favorites are great for:

• Intranet links
• ServiceDesk portals
• HR systems
• Admin portals
• Onboarding resources
• Country- or department-specific tools

They’re always there, and they’re consistent. In most environments, this reduces onboarding friction and “where is the link?” support requests.

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Example JSON structure

Below is a realistic, production-ready example of a Managed Favorites JSON. This is exactly the structure Intune expects.

[
  {
    "toplevel_name": "TechWithLudwig"
  },
  {
    "name": "APENTO",
    "url": "www.apento.com"
  },
  {
    "name": "ServiceDesk",
    "url": "servicenow.com"
  },
  {
    "name": "HR Department",
    "children": [
      {
        "name": "Our idol",
        "url": "https://theoffice.fandom.com/wiki/Toby_Flenderson"
      },
      {
        "name": "Vacation",
        "url": "hotels.com"
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "name": "IT department",
    "children": [
      {
        "name": "Entra Admin Page",
        "url": "entra.microsoft.com"
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "name": "Employee Handbook",
    "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_handbook"
  },
  {
    "name": "Intranet",
    "url": "Sharepoint.com"
  }
]

Yes, you can handcraft this.
No, you probably shouldn’t.

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Use the generator instead

I’ve built a small tool that does exactly one thing:

Generate valid Managed Favorites JSON without pain.

You can find it here:

👉 Microsoft Edge Favorites JSON Generator

With the generator you can:

• Add links
• Create folders
• Nest items
• Copy-paste directly into Intune
• Download the JSON file directly

Less time debugging brackets. More time doing literally anything else.

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Creating the Intune policy

Now for the actual policy.

Policy basics

• Platform: Windows
• Profile type: Settings catalog
• Name: Windows - Config - Edge

You can use the generated JSON from the Microsoft Edge Favorites JSON Generator directly in the Intune Settings Catalog.

Add the setting

1. Search for Microsoft Edge
2. Add the setting: Configure favorites
3. Paste the JSON generated by the tool
4. Save and assign the policy

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Enable the Favorites bar (highly recommended)

Managed Favorites are nice.
Managed Favorites you can actually see are better.

Add this setting to the same policy:

Microsoft Edge > Enable favorites bar

Set it to Enabled.

This ensures the links are always visible and not hidden behind menus. For most users, this dramatically improves discoverability.

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Important limitation

A device cannot have multiple Configure favorites policies applied at the same time.

This means:

• You can create separate policies per department, country, or business unit
• You must make sure assignments never overlap

Overlapping policies are not supported and should be avoided.

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Wrap-up

Managed Favorites is one of those configurations that quietly improves daily life for users while making IT look very organized.

• Central control
• Easy updates
• Consistent experience
• Zero user effort

Combine it with a clean naming convention, the Settings Catalog, and the Microsoft Edge Favorites JSON Generator, and you’ve got a solution that scales without drama.

If you’re not using this yet, now you are.

Happy deploying.