How to permanently get rid of Internet Explorer on Windows 10

Internet Explorer has been the navigation software par excellence on Windows systems for several years, but today is Microsoft Edge to be the default browser on Windows 10. Although it is a recent and modern software (and in some ways very well optimized), even Edge will soon be replaced with a new variant based on the Chromium engine, the same used by Google on Chrome. Despite everything, Internet Explorer 11 is still part of Windows 10 and is provided on all computers that use Microsoft’s OS.

The goal is to maintain maximum compatibility with websites (even the oldest and least updated) without having to install third-party software, but the web is constantly evolving. There are few developers who continue to develop their projects taking into account the old Microsoft browser, and today the alternatives are very many and much more valid. In other words, there is no longer any reason to use Internet Explorer, and exposing it to various vulnerabilities.

This is even more valid after the latest announcements from Microsoft, with the same developer that has suggested to all users to stop using it as if it were a browser. The company has reiterated the concept that continuing to use the old browser can expose users to considerable risks in terms of security and reliability, and is on Windows 10 only as a tool for compatibility, and not as software for browsing the web.

The good news is that Internet Explorer 11 can be uninstalled in at least two ways: via Control Panel and via Windows PowerShell. Let’s see how.

How to uninstall Internet Explorer via Control Panel

Both steps are extremely simple, but the one to uninstall Internet Explorer 11 via Control Panel is certainly more conventional. You can do it all in a few steps, which are shown below in a handy numbered list.

1. First of all, you need to access the Settings
2. Select the Apps category
3. On the right side of the screen, under Related settings, press Programs and Features.
4. On the new screen select Activate or deactivate Windows features.
5. Uncheck the item Internet Explorer 11.
6. Press OK and then Yes.
7. Wait for the operation to end and then select Restart now

Once the PC is restarted, Internet Explorer 11 will no longer be present on the computer. It is curious to note that the item ” Open with Internet Explorer ” will not be deleted, but will no longer work.

We also point out that this procedure does not remove the browser files, which will only be disabled. To reactivate the old browser on your system you can simply follow the same procedure, but in step 5, you have to activate the check mark on Internet Explorer 11.

How to uninstall Internet Explorer via Windows PowerShell

For slightly more experienced users, the PowerShell procedure is recommended, the quicker it is used to using the text-only interface. These steps are useful if you want to disable the browser on multiple devices, for example: creating a script to perform the entire procedure with very few clicks.

1. Access Windows PowerShell with administrator permissions, for example: right-click on the button to start the Start Menu and then select the Windows PowerShell entry (administrator).
2. Copy and paste the following string ” Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64 -Online “, without quotes, and then press the Enter key.
3. Type Y, wait for the end of the procedure and then press Enter to restart the PC.

For those wishing to reinstall Internet Explorer, it is possible to perform the reverse procedure following the same steps except for point 3. The string to insert in this case is the following: ” Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64 -Online “.