How to Add Trusted Sites in Edge on Windows 11

Microsoft Edge doesn’t have its own trusted sites list. To add a trusted site on Windows 11, open Internet Options, click the Security tab, select Trusted sites, click Sites, type the address, and click Add. Edge uses that list for pages opened in Internet Explorer mode, and Windows apps that rely on security zones use it too.

If you want to trust a site for a specific feature in normal Edge browsing, such as pop-ups or cookies, you add it to an allow list in Edge’s own settings instead. Both methods are below. These steps are for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 with the current version of Microsoft Edge as of October 2026.

Which Method Do You Need?

What you want to do	Where to do it
Trust a work site, intranet app, or file link that your IT team told you to add	Trusted sites zone in Internet Options
Make an older site work in Internet Explorer mode	Trusted sites zone plus Internet Explorer mode pages
Let one site show pop-ups or use your camera, microphone or location	Edge site permissions
Stop a site from losing your sign-in because cookies are blocked	Edge cookie settings

If a work or school help desk sent you instructions, follow the method they named. Their settings may also be managed for you, which is covered in the troubleshooting section.

Add a Site to the Trusted Sites Zone

1. Click the Start button, type Internet Options, and press Enter. The Internet Properties window opens.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. Click the green check mark labeled Trusted sites.
4. Click the Sites button. The Trusted sites window opens.
5. Type the site’s address in the Add this website to the zone box, for example https://portal.example.com.
6. Click Add. The address moves into the Websites list.

7. Click Close, then click OK in the Internet Properties window.

By default, Windows only accepts addresses that start with https:// in this zone. If you need to add an address that starts with http:// or a file share path, clear the Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone check box in the Trusted sites window before you click Add. Only do this for sites you know and control, such as a server on your company network.

You can use a wildcard to cover every subdomain of a site. For example, https://*.example.com includes https://portal.example.com and https://mail.example.com.

To remove a site later, return to the same Sites window, select the address in the Websites list, and click Remove.

Open the Site in Internet Explorer Mode

Internet Explorer itself is retired, but Edge can load old sites with the Internet Explorer engine. Pages in this mode follow the security zone settings from Internet Options, which is where the Trusted sites list does its main job in Edge. Microsoft documents these steps in its Internet Explorer mode guide.

1. In Edge, type edge://settings/defaultBrowser in the address bar and press Enter.
2. Under Internet Explorer compatibility, set Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode (IE mode) to Allow.
3. Click Restart to restart Edge.
4. Go back to the same Default browser page. Next to Internet Explorer mode pages, click Add a page.
5. Type the site’s address and click Add.

6. Open the site. An Internet Explorer icon appears at the left of the address bar to show the page is loaded in IE mode.

For background on what this mode does, see our guide on how to enable Internet Explorer in Windows 11.

Allow a Site in Edge’s Site Permissions

For everyday browsing, Edge decides what a site can do with its own permission settings. You can allow a single site without changing the setting for every other site. Pop-ups are the most common example.

1. In Edge, click Settings and more (the three dots at the top right), then click Settings.
2. Click Privacy, search, and services in the left pane.
3. Click Site permissions, then click All permissions.
4. Click Pop-ups and redirects. Leave the main setting on Blocked (recommended).
5. Next to Allowed to send pop-ups and use redirects, click Add site.
6. Type the full address, starting with https://, and click Add. The site appears in the allowed list.

The same All permissions page has entries for Camera, Microphone, Location, Notifications, JavaScript, and others. Each has its own allow list that works the same way. Microsoft’s pop-up blocker help page shows the pop-up version of these steps, and our guide to turning off the pop-up blocker on Windows 11 covers the setting in other browsers.

You can also change permissions for the site you’re on. Click the lock or site information icon to the left of the address, click Permissions for this site, and change the options you need.

Allow a Site to Save Cookies

If you block third-party cookies and a site keeps signing you out or shows a cookie warning, add it to the cookie allow list. Microsoft covers this in its Edge cookie guide.

1. Open Settings and more > Settings.
2. Click Privacy, search, and services, then click Cookies.
3. Next to Allowed to save cookies, click Add site.
4. Type the site’s address and click Add.

That site can now save cookies even though your general cookie setting stays the same.

If a Trusted Site Still Doesn’t Work

• Close and reopen Edge. Changes in Internet Options apply to new sessions. Our guide on how to restart Microsoft Edge shows a quick way to do it without losing your tabs.
• Check the exact address. https://example.com and https://www.example.com are different entries. Add both, or use a wildcard.
• The Add button or Sites list is grayed out. Your organization manages security zones through Group Policy. Only your IT department can add sites on that PC.
• Edge says a setting is “managed by your organization.” The same applies to Edge permissions. Contact your administrator.
• The page loads, but parts are broken. Clear the cache in Edge and reload it. If the site was built for Internet Explorer, add it to Internet Explorer mode pages as shown above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does adding a site to Trusted sites affect normal Edge browsing?

Not much. Regular Edge tabs mostly rely on Edge’s own settings, such as site permissions, cookies, and Microsoft Defender SmartScreen. The Trusted sites zone matters for Internet Explorer mode pages and for Windows features and apps that check security zones, like some file downloads from a company server.

Is it safe to add a site to Trusted sites?

Only add sites you know and trust. Sites in this zone get looser security settings than the Internet zone, so a harmful site on the list would face fewer protections.

Do Edge’s IE mode pages stay on the list forever?

No. Pages you add yourself expire after a set period, and Edge shows the expiration date next to each entry on the Default browser settings page. Add the page again when it expires. If your organization manages an IE mode site list, those pages don’t expire.

Can I add trusted sites in Edge on a Mac?

The Internet Options Trusted sites zone is a Windows feature, so it doesn’t exist on a Mac. You can still allow a site for pop-ups, cookies, and other features with the same Settings > Privacy, search, and services steps.