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Use Group Policy to populate IE Favorites

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Using Group Policy to populate the favorites in Internet Explorer allows you to make sure your users have quick access to mission critical websites.  To do this, create or use an existing GPO that is properly scoped to the users you want to publish the links to.

In Group Policy Manager right click the GPO and click Edit.

Expand User Configuration / Policies \ Windows Settings / Internet Explorer Maintenance / URLs

Double click Favorites and Links

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Click Add URL

Provide a name and a URL.  You can even provide the location for a custom icon for the site.

Click OK.

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Once you are finished, click OK in the Favorites and Links window.

Close the Group Policy Management Editor to save the policy.

Refresh the Group Polices on a client and test.

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Should the user delete this link, it will re-appear at the next Group Policy refresh.
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Comments

Aravinda Bhat said…
Nicely explained. Thanks Jason
November 14, 2013 at 3:54 AM
edanto said…
Would you recommend this approach instead of Shortcuts in GP Preferences? If so, why?

I've read a different article that recommended using GP Prefs, but unfortunately didn't explain how to do it!
March 5, 2014 at 9:49 AM
edanto said…
Would you recommend this approach instead of Shortcuts in GP Preferences? If so, why?

I've read a different article that recommended using GP Prefs, but unfortunately didn't explain how to do it!
March 5, 2014 at 9:49 AM
Jason Yoder, MCT said…
Edanto,

If you want your users to be able to modify the list, then yes, GP Prefs is the direction to go. The problem is that I have not been able to find any guidance from Microsoft on how to do this in PowerShell.

Jason
March 5, 2014 at 9:57 AM
Ian Lindsay said…
I am not seeing the Internet Explorer Maintenance section in my GPOs (Running Windows Server 2012R2). Is there something I need to add, or has this option been removed?

--Ian
December 2, 2015 at 9:15 AM
Jason Yoder, MCT said…
I see this is from Windows Server 2008. More than likely has.
December 2, 2015 at 10:02 AM
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