- How to Uninstall or Remove Internet Explorer
- Removing IE is really hard—disabling or hiding it is best
- Why You Can’t Uninstall Internet Explorer
- How to Disable Internet Explorer
- Disable Internet Explorer in Windows 10, 8, 7, and Vista
- Disable Internet Explorer in Windows XP
- Uninstalling windows internet explorer
- Answered by:
- Question
- Answers
- How to remove Internet Explorer on Windows 10
- How to uninstall Internet Explorer using Control Panel
- How to uninstall Internet Explorer using PowerShell
- More Windows 10 resources
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How to Uninstall or Remove Internet Explorer
Removing IE is really hard—disabling or hiding it is best
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If you don’t use Internet Explorer, don’t uninstall it. Uninstalling Internet Explorer may cause your Windows computer to have problems. Even though removing the browser isn’t a wise option, you can safely disable it and use an alternative browser to access the internet.
Instructions in this article apply to Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Why You Can’t Uninstall Internet Explorer
There are many reasons why people want to remove Internet Explorer from a Windows computer. Alternative browsers are sometimes faster, provide better security, and contain better features. However, there is no safe method to remove Internet Explorer.
This is because it’s really more than just a browser. It works as an underlying technology for a number of internal processes including updating the operating system and apps, basic Windows functions, and more.
There are methods outlined on some websites that completely uninstall Internet Explorer and provide workarounds for the problems that removing it causes, but there may be too many problems and the workarounds may not work.
Instead of uninstalling it, disable it. You’ll get all the benefits that removing IE gives, but without the possibility of creating serious system problems. Another option is to run two browsers simultaneously on a single PC. Designate one browser the default browser but both are free to access the internet.
How to Disable Internet Explorer
Test out an alternative browser first, such as Edge, Chrome, or Firefox, then follow the steps below to disable Internet Explorer in your version of Windows.
Disable Internet Explorer in Windows 10, 8, 7, and Vista
In Windows 10 through Windows Vista, disable Internet Explorer by turning it off through the Windows Features screen. Here’s how to get there:
These instructions will disable Internet Explorer, not remove it. Your Windows PC will continue to use the browser for internal processes.
In Windows 10, open the Start menu and choose Settings (the gear icon).
For other versions of Windows, open Control Panel.
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Select Apps in Windows 10, or Programs in other Windows versions.
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Select Apps & Features on the left and then Programs and Features on the right.
Choose Programs and Features if you’re in Control Panel.
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From the left pane, choose Turn Windows features on or off.
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Clear the Internet Explorer 11 check box.
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In the warning dialog box, confirm that you want to disable Internet Explorer, and then select OK on the Windows Features screen.
When prompted to restart your computer for the change to take effect, select Restart now, or restart manually. When the computer reboots, Internet Explorer is disabled.
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Disable Internet Explorer in Windows XP
One way to disable Internet Explorer in Windows XP is to use the Set Program Access and Defaults utility, available as part of all XP installations with at least the SP2 service pack installed.
Navigate to Control Panel: Go to Start and select Control Panel (or Settings and then Control Panel, depending on how Windows is set up on the computer).
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Select Add or Remove Programs.
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In Microsoft Windows XP, depending on how the operating system is set up, you may not see the Add or Remove Programs icon. To find this icon, select Switch to Classic View on the left.
Select Set Program Access and Defaults.
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Choose Custom.
In the Choose a default Web browser section, clear the Enable access to this program check box.
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Select OK. Windows XP applies the changes and the Add or Remove Programs window closes automatically.
Uninstalling windows internet explorer
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as far as i know — you are not able to uninstall IE because it’s part of the Windows OS
but you can reset your internet settings : Internet Options -> Advanced -> Reset.
i just found a related post . it looks like that it IS possible to reinstall IE
To uninstall Internet Explorer 9
The following instructions apply to both Windows 7 and Windows Vista.
1. Click the Start button, type Programs and Features in the search box, and then click View installed updates in the left pane.
2. Under Uninstall an update, scroll down to the Microsoft Windows section.
3. Right-click Windows Internet Explorer 9, click Uninstall, and then, when prompted, click Yes.
4. Click one of the following:
Restart now (to finish the process of uninstalling Internet Explorer 9, and restore the previous version of Internet Explorer).
Restart later (to wait until you shut down or restart your computer).
Note
After you uninstall Internet Explorer 9, the previously installed version of Internet Explorer will be available on your computer. It is not necessary to reinstall.
I just had a look in my config. I can Enable/Disable IE in Control Panel\Programs\Turn Windows fatures on or off
I’ve never tried this before — but it’s seems to allow you uninstalling IE and then «re-enable» IE
How to remove Internet Explorer on Windows 10
Although Microsoft Edge is your new default web browser (soon to be replaced with a version based on Chromium), Windows 10 still ships with Internet Explorer 11 as a legacy feature to support sites using old web technologies.
However, since the web has been evolving rapidly, developers are no longer maintaining sites for Internet Explorer, and you have plenty of other choices (including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Microsoft Edge), there’s no reason to keep using the old browser as it can now only lead to security and stability problems.
If you no longer have a need for Internet Explorer 11, you can remove the browser in at least two different ways on Windows 10 using Control Panel and PowerShell.
In this Windows 10 guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to remove Internet Explorer 11 from your device.
How to uninstall Internet Explorer using Control Panel
To remove Internet Explorer 11 from Windows 10, use these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Apps.
- Click on Apps & features.
On the right pane, under «Related settings,» click the Program and Features option.
On the left pane, click the Turn Windows features on or off option.
Clear the Internet Explorer 11 option.
Once you complete the steps, Internet Explorer 11 will be removed from your computer. Searching the «Internet Explorer» will highlight Microsoft Edge in the Start menu, and the «Open with Internet Explorer» option will be available in the main menu, but it won’t work.
Using this method will remove the browser from your device, but not the files. If you need the old browser back, you can use the same instructions, but on step No. 6, make sure to check the Internet Explorer 11 option.
How to uninstall Internet Explorer using PowerShell
Alternatively, you can use PowerShell to remove Internet Explorer 11 from Windows 10. This is a particularly useful option when managing multiple computers and you want to create a script to save time uninstalling the app.
To remove IE11 using PowerShell commands, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to disable Internet Explorer 11 and press Enter:
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64 –Online
After completing the steps, your device will restart to complete the process, and then IE will be gone from your installation.
If for some reason, you need the browser back, you can use the instructions, but on step No. 3, use this command instead: Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64 –Online .
Updated February 14, 2019: This guide has been revised to make sure it’s current with the latest version of Windows 10.
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For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:
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