Disable Internet Explorer in Windows - Complete Guide
Disabling Internet Explorer in Windows
Many Windows users find Internet Explorer undesirable, to the point where simply utilizing a different browser isn't sufficient. They often desire to remove it entirely from their system. While a complete uninstall isn't possible, we will explore the process of disabling Internet Explorer within Windows.
Prior to disabling the browser, consider importing your bookmarks and settings from Internet Explorer to Chrome. You should also designate Chrome as your preferred default browser for a seamless transition.
How to Disable Internet Explorer: A Step-by-Step Guide
To begin the disabling process, access the Start menu and input "control panel" into the search field. Subsequently, select "Control Panel" from the displayed search results.
If you are operating Windows 7, you can directly click the Start menu button and then select the "Control Panel" option.
On the Control Panel screen, navigate to and click the “Programs” category.
Within the Programs screen, locate the "Programs and Features" section. Click the link labeled “Turn Windows features on or off”.
The Windows Features dialog box will then appear. Locate and uncheck the box next to “Internet Explorer 11”.
Users of Windows 7 may encounter a different version of Internet Explorer. However, the procedure remains consistent across versions installed as part of the Windows operating system, including Windows 7, 8, and 10.
A warning dialog will be displayed, indicating that disabling Internet Explorer could potentially impact other Windows features and programs. Confirm your intention to proceed by clicking “Yes”.
Within the Windows Features dialog box, click “OK” to apply the changes.
A dialog box will appear, notifying you that changes are being applied to the system.
A computer restart is required for the changes to take effect. If you are not ready to restart immediately, select “Don’t restart” and initiate the restart manually at a later time. Alternatively, click “Restart now” to restart your computer immediately.
Verifying the Disable
Following the reboot, Internet Explorer will no longer be listed within the "Set Default Programs" list, accessible through Control Panel > Default Programs > Set Default Programs.
Furthermore, Internet Explorer will be absent from the "Open with" context menu.
When selecting “Choose another app” from the submenu, Internet Explorer will not appear in the list of available programs for opening file types like .htm files.
It’s important to note that this process doesn’t eliminate all remnants of Internet Explorer, as certain programs and processes still utilize its rendering engine. Nevertheless, this method effectively removes it from your regular workflow.