Automatic Configuration
Automatic configuration allows you to apply branding changes to your installations of Internet Explorer on computers running Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012. Access to the feature is controlled by a feature control registry key. To use automatic configuration in Internet Explorer 10, you must add the FEATURE_AUTOCONFIG_BRANDING to the registry.
Important
The following procedure shows how to modify the registry correctly. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it so that you can restore the registry if a problem occurs.
To add the automatic configuration feature control key
On the Start screen, type regedit, and then click Regedit.exe.
Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl
On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Key.
Type the following key name, and then press Enter:
FEATURE_AUTOCONFIG_BRANDING
On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
Type iexplore.exe, and then press Enter.
Right-click iexplore.exe, and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
Exit the Registry Editor.
With the registry key in place, automatic configuration should now process successfully. Ensure that the Use automatic configuration script check box is selected, a proper URL path to the .ins file is present, and the Automatically detect settings check box is cleared.
Note
Branding changes (such as a customized Internet Explorer 10 title bar or toolbar that is distributed to users' computers through automatic configuration) are not applied if the Disable external branding of Internet Explorer policy setting is enabled in Group Policy. This policy prevents branding by a third party, such as an Internet service provider or Internet content provider.
Updating automatic configuration settings
Use the following procedure to enable or change automatic configuration settings in the Internet Explorer 10 browsers that you deploy to your users' Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012 computers.
To edit automatic configuration settings
In the Internet Explorer Customization Wizard 10, advance to the Automatic Configuration page.
Select the Enable Automatic Configuration check box.
Specify the interval, in minutes, for how often automatic configuration will occur. If you enter 0 (zero) or do not enter a value, automatic configuration occurs only when users restart their computers.
To configure proxy selection automatically, type the URL for the automatic proxy script on your server in the Auto-proxy URL (.JS, .JVS, or .PAC file) box.
To enable automatic detection of browser settings, select the Automatically detect configuration settings check box.
Locking automatic configuration settings
You can restrict your users' ability to override the automatic configuration settings. In Group Policy, simply enable the Administrative Templates setting Disable changing Automatic Configuration settings.
Alternatively, if you do not manage an Active Directory environment, you can use the Advanced Settings policies in the Internet Explorer Customization Wizard 10. Click Corporate Restrictions, and then click Connections Page. Select the Disable changing Automatic Configuration settings check box to lock automatic configuration settings.