How to Uninstall Microsoft Edge in 2023: Completely Remove the Default Browser From Your Windows Computer
Microsoft Edge is far from being a popular browser even though it’s the default browser on Windows machines. Microsoft doesn’t provide a straightforward path to removing its famously stubborn browser, so we’ll show you how to uninstall Microsoft Edge in this article.
— Last Updated: 2022-06-21T17:49:10+00:00 Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska
Microsoft passed the browser torch from the now-discontinued Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge in 2015. Like its predecessor, the Microsoft Edge browser is deeply embedded in the Windows operating system and it can’t easily be removed. We’ll show you how to uninstall Microsoft Edge if you’re one of the many frustrated Windows users with no interest in the developer’s official browser.
Key Takeaways:
- Windows users can’t directly uninstall Edge the way they can other programs.
- Some methods for removing Microsoft Edge become obsolete when Microsoft updates Windows.
- Edge may reinstall itself even after a successful uninstallation.
The lackluster Edge browser was mostly ignored at the time of its launch, but there were major improvements when it received a Chromium makeover in 2020. Despite Microsoft’s efforts, Edge still hasn’t reached the same level of popularity as other browsers, like Google Chrome or Firefox, causing many to remove Edge from their systems — or at least try to.
Uninstalling Microsoft Edge from Windows isn’t as simple as removing any other program, as Microsoft doesn’t provide an obvious path for removal. Keep in mind that some of these methods might not work depending on your version of Edge or Windows, as future Windows updates are likely to thwart these techniques.
We’ll stick to uninstalling Edge in this article without offering much comment on the browser itself. Check out our full Microsoft Edge review for our complete evaluation of the Edge browser.
If you’re looking for a new browser to use, then take a look at our best browser article for a selection of great browsers for everyday use.
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04/25/2022 Facts checked
Rewrote the article; removed obsolete methods and updated working methods.
The best way to delete Microsoft Edge from Windows is to use the command prompt. On some machines it disables Microsoft Edge, while on others it only rolls it back to the pre-Chromium build. Even when disabled, some files still remain on the computer.
Microsoft Edge is the default web browser for Windows operating systems.
Nothing other than the removal of Microsoft Edge should happen if you follow the uninstallation steps correctly.
How to Uninstall Microsoft Edge With the Command Prompt
The best way to remove Microsoft Edge is to use the command prompt. As of this writing, following these steps on Windows 11 will disable the browser, although it won’t completely erase all of its files. Depending on your system, these steps might also simply roll back Edge to its pre-Chromium legacy version.
- Find Edge’s Version Number
First you’ll need to find the version number for your installation of Edge. Open file explorer and enter the path “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\” — you should find a folder with the version number of the most recent installation of Edge installed on your system (e.g. 100.0.1185.36).
- Open the Command Prompt With Admin Privileges
Press the Windows key and search for “cmd.” The command prompt will appear at the top of the search results. Right-click on the command prompt and click “run as administrator.”
- Use the Current Directory Command
Including the quotation marks, enter the command cd “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\[installation_number]\Installer.” Make sure to change the installation number to whichever corresponds to your version of Edge.
- Uninstall Microsoft Edge
Without quotation marks, enter the command “setup.exe –uninstall –system-level –verbose-logging –force-uninstall.” This will uninstall the latest version of Microsoft Edge. If you’re using Windows 11, this method should disable Microsoft Edge without completely uninstalling it. Next restart your device. You should not see Microsoft Edge on your computer any longer.
How to Disable Edge & Switch Default Browser
Naturally, Microsoft has made Edge the default browser for opening all file types in Windows systems. This is one way Edge manages to creep up on users who don’t want to use it, so you’ll have to manually change the default browser for each file type.
- Go to “Default Apps”
Press the Windows key. In the search bar, type “default apps” and click on the button with that name.
- Select “Microsoft Edge”
This menu gives you the option of setting the default application to open individual file types. Scroll down the list to find “Microsoft Edge” and click on it.
- Set the Default Browser for Each File Type
In this menu you will see all of the file types Edge is configured to open by default. These include file types such as PDF, HTML, HTM and others.
- Change Default Browser
Select every appearance of Microsoft Edge beneath each individual file type and select your preferred browser. Now your favorite browser will open those file types by default instead of Edge.
How to Stop Edge From Reinstalling
Windows will reinstall Microsoft Edge even if you succeed in removing or disabling it. You can prevent this by making edits in the registry.
- Launch the Registry Editor
Press the Windows key and “R” at the same time. Search for “regedit” and press enter. This will launch the registry editor, but first a window asking for your permission will appear. Click “OK.”
- Go to the Microsoft Folder in the Registry Editor
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft. When the registry opens, open the folder in the above path.
- Create a New Key
Right-click on the Microsoft folder, select “new” and then “key.” Name the new key “EdgeUpdate” (without the quotation marks).
- Create a Second Key
Right-click on “EdgeUpdate,” select “new” and then click “DWORD (32-bit) Value.” Clicking this will create a new key inside the EdgeUpdate key you just created. Rename the new key “DoNotUpdateToEdgeWithChromium” and press enter.
- Change Value From 0 to 1
Double-click on the new key and change the value. Left-clicking twice will open a new menu with a box labeled “value data.” It should contain a 0; change it to 1. Click “OK.”
Windows will no longer install Microsoft Edge if you have already removed or disabled it. If you want to undo the changes, change the DoNotUpdateToEdgeWithChromium key’s value back to 0.
How to Remove Microsoft Edge on Windows 7, 8 or 8.1
It is easier to remove or disable Microsoft Edge on older versions of Windows.
- Open the Program Uninstallation Menu
Press the Windows key. Search for “uninstall a program” and click on the search result with that name.
- Look for Microsoft Edge
Look for Microsoft Edge in the list of applications, click on it and then the “uninstall” option.
- Clear Your Browsing Data and Uninstall
A window will appear that displays a box with the caption “also clear your browsing data?” Check this box and select “uninstall.” Reboot your device; Edge will disappear after you restart your computer.
Final Thoughts
It should be clear by now that Microsoft doesn’t want its users to get rid of its default browser. For now, each of these methods will remove Edge from your system, but it only takes a single Windows update to render these steps obsolete. Keep an eye out for new techniques to spring up once Microsoft begins another round of whack-a-mole.
What is your preferred way of removing Microsoft Edge? Are there any uninstallation techniques we didn’t cover here? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and as always, thank you for reading.
