Microsoft Edge 135 Encountering ERR_INVALID_URL During First-Run Experience on Windows

Microsoft’s recent rollout of Edge version 135 has caused significant disruption, particularly among IT administrators and organizational users. The introduction of the “ERR_INVALID_URL” error, encountered while accessing the First Start Wizard page, has proven to be a major headache.

Typically, when Edge is updated, users are directed to a welcoming page that assists in setting up their accounts. However, for many new users on managed PCs, launching Edge 135 redirects to the edge://welcome-new-device page, which, unfortunately, displays the “ERR_INVALID_URL” error.

The crux of this issue lies in the HideFirstRunExperience registry setting. Admins often enable this setting to bypass the welcome page, allowing the browser to open directly. However, in Edge version 135, this policy contradicts the welcome page functionality, resulting in an error that prevents users from proceeding. Notably, discussions about this issue began on platforms such as Reddit and Microsoft’s official forums. Microsoft has since acknowledged this issue as a known problem.

According to updates from Microsoft’s Known Issues page, the “ERR_INVALID_URL” error is officially recognized. The attention on this matter escalated after Windows Latest reproduced the error on their test machines by creating a new DWORD value for HideFirstRunExperience, setting it to 1 to activate the policy.

Edge first page error after changing registry key

After replicating the settings, the welcome page indeed showed the same error. However, unlike managed PCs, they were able to close the error page and continue using the browser efficiently.

Steps to Resolve the Edge 135 ERR_INVALID_URL Issue

The most straightforward workaround available is to disable the HideFirstRunExperience setting. By doing so, users can avoid encountering the error in version 135. Alternatively, reverting to Edge version 134—which is free from this First Page Experience issue—can serve as a temporary relief until Microsoft deploys a fix.

In addition to Microsoft’s two prescribed workarounds, several users have unearthed alternate methods to access a functional Edge window. When faced with the error in Edge, try right-clicking the taskbar icon and selecting the New window option.

This action launches a new window that operates without errors, while the original window remains problematic.

Launching Edge without the first experience page through PowerShell

Another viable solution is to open Edge using the command start microsoft-edge:about:blank. This command-line approach effectively initiates Edge with a clean tab, circumventing the issues associated with the welcome page.

For ongoing updates, you may consider following discussions on forums or keeping an eye on Microsoft’s official platforms for future fixes related to Edge 135.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What causes the ERR_INVALID_URL issue in Microsoft Edge 135?

The ERR_INVALID_URL error in Edge 135 is primarily caused by the registry setting HideFirstRunExperience, which conflicts with the updated version’s welcome page requirement.

2. How can I work around the ERR_INVALID_URL error?

The main workaround is to disable the HideFirstRunExperience registry setting. Alternatively, you can revert to Edge version 134 until a patch is made available by Microsoft.

3. Can I access Microsoft Edge if I encounter the ERR_INVALID_URL error?

Yes! Users can access a functional window by right-clicking the Edge taskbar icon and selecting New window or by using the command start microsoft-edge:about:blank in PowerShell to bypass the error.

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