How to Apply Favorites & Links to IE10/IE11 in GPO Without IEM

Background

We know that Internet Explorer Maintenance (IEM) has been removed from IE10.

Client machine with IE10+ installed cannot get the content configured in IEM from DC GPO.

Here is official reference:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj890998.aspx

Target & Suggestions

Customer used to apply “Favorites and Links” via GPO by IE Maintenance. Now the question is: How to apply “Favorites and Links” for IE10/IE11 clients from Windows 2008 R2 DC since IEM NOT working in IE10/IE11?

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Detailed Steps:

Steps for add Favorites from “ Preferences -> Windows Settings -> Shortcuts ”:

1. Open Group Policy Management by “gpmc” command on DC and enter into Editor for Domain Policy that you want to edit.

2. Choose path from “User Configuration-> Preferences -> Windows Settings -> Shortcuts”, and create a new shortcut:

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3. Please input name in “Name”, select “URL” in ”Target type:”, select “Explorer Favorites” in “Location”, input url you expect in “Target URL”, such as www.bing.com:

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4. Below picture shows the result after finishing configuration:

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5. Run “gpupdate /force” on client machine, IE can get Favorites setting as expected.

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Note: The method above which set Favorites can be used for IE6 to IE11 on Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1. So we suggest customer removing IE maintenance if using this “GPP->Shortcuts” method in case they have any conflicts.

Xiaoman Wang from CSS DSI Team