Privacy & Security Settings

Recommendations for Chrome and Edge, 2025

Author

Ian Gress
March 17, 2025

 Google Chrome: Enabling Privacy Settings

Chrome - Privacy and Security

  1. Open Settings

    • Launch Chrome.

    • Click the three-dot menu (top-right corner).

    • Select Settings.

  2. Enable Safe Browsing

    • Go to Privacy and Security (left sidebar).

    • Click Safe Browsing.

    • Select Enhanced Protection (highest level—blocks malicious sites, downloads, and extensions, and warns about password breaches).

  3. Block Third-Party Cookies

    • Under Privacy and Security, click Cookies and Other Site Data.

    • Choose Block Third-Party Cookies to prevent cross-site tracking.

    • (Optional: Toggle Clear Cookies and Site Data When You Close All Windows for extra cleanup.)

  4. Turn On Tracking Protection

    • Still in Privacy and Security, click Tracking Protection (if available in your version).

    • Enable Send a ‘Do Not Track’ Request with Your Browsing Traffic (note: sites may ignore this, but it’s a signal).

  5. Enable HTTPS-First Mode

    • Go to Privacy and Security > Security.

    • Scroll to Advanced.

    • Toggle Always Use Secure Connections to ON (forces HTTPS on sites that support it, falling back to warnings for insecure ones).

  6. Block Pop-Ups and Redirects

    • Under Privacy and Security, click Site Settings > Pop-ups and Redirects.

    • Set to Don’t Allow Sites to Send Pop-ups or Use Redirects (Blocked).

  7. Limit Ad Tracking

    • In Privacy and Security, click Ads.

    • Select Block Ads on Sites That Show Intrusive or Misleading Ads (uses Chrome’s ad filter).

  8. Clear Browsing Data Regularly

    • Go to Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data.

    • Choose Advanced tab.

    • Select Cookies and Other Site Data, Cached Images and Files.

    • Set time range to All Time (or Last 7 Days for routine).

    • Click Clear Data.

  9. Check Extensions

    • From the three-dot menu, go to Extensions.

    • Remove untrusted ones; add privacy-focused ones like uBlock Origin (blocks ads) or Privacy Badger (stops trackers).

Microsoft Edge: Enabling Privacy Settings

Edge - Privacy, search, and services

  1. Open Settings

    • Launch Edge.

    • Click the three-dot menu (top-right corner).

    • Select Settings.

  2. Set Tracking Prevention

    • Go to Privacy, Search, and Services (left sidebar).

    • Under Tracking Prevention, choose Strict (blocks most trackers and ads; may break some sites—use Balanced if needed).

    • Toggle Send ‘Do Not Track’ Requests to ON.

  3. Enable Safe Browsing

    • In Privacy, Search, and Services, scroll to Security.

    • Click Enhance Your Security on the Web.

    • Select Strict (highest protection against malicious sites and downloads).

  4. Block Third-Party Cookies

    • Under Privacy, Search, and Services, scroll to Cookies.

    • Click Manage and Delete Cookies.

    • Toggle Block Third-Party Cookies to ON.

  5. Force HTTPS

    • In Privacy, Search, and Services, scroll to Security.

    • Toggle Automatically Switch to More Secure Connections with HTTPS to ON (enforces secure connections where possible).

  6. Block Pop-Ups

    • Go to Cookies and Site Permissions (left sidebar).

    • Click Pop-ups and Redirects.

    • Toggle Block to ON.

  7. Control Ad Behavior

    • In Privacy, Search, and Services, scroll to Personalization & Advertising.

    • Toggle Block Potentially Intrusive Ads to ON (Edge’s built-in ad filter).

  8. Clear Browsing Data

    • In Privacy, Search, and Services, click Choose What to Clear under Clear Browsing Data.

    • Check Cookies and Other Site Data, Cached Images and Files.

    • Set time range to All Time (or Last 7 Days for routine).

    • Click Clear Now.

  9. Review Extensions

    • From the three-dot menu, go to Extensions.

    • Remove unused or risky ones; install uBlock Origin or ClearURLs (strips tracking elements from links).

      • (again) Or my personal favorite, NoScript

Final Notes

The steps above are very simple configuration changes that you can implement in about 5 minutes. If you get through the whole list, you will have successfully reduced your threat profile AND significantly reduced your risk.

Simply being aware of these setting and configuring them immediately takes you off the “lowest hanging fruit” list…which means you’re less likely of a target than someone who uses the default settings.

To keep up your new level of diligence, remember to do these three things:

Test After Changes: Strict settings might break some sites (e.g., login pages). If so, adjust to “Standard” or “Balanced” temporarily for that site via the address bar lock icon.

Keep Updated: Both browsers auto-update, but confirm it’s active (Chrome: three-dot menu > Help > About; Edge: three-dot menu > Settings > About Microsoft Edge).

Repeat Monthly: Clear data routinely to minimize tracking buildup.

These steps lock down your browsing with specific, verifiable actions. You’re now set to browse with control.

Stay safe out there and thanks for reading!

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