Uninstalling Internet Explorer from Windows as a security measure is a procedure recommended by Microsoft itself, for simple reasons: the browser has not been updated for some time, has serious flaws and if it is used, leaves the system vulnerable to hacking attacks. If you still use IE as your primary browser, know why you should not do it, and learn how to uninstall.
Why should not I use IE?
Because the browser has not been updated for some time. Microsoft maintains it as a Windows tool for compatibility purposes, especially for use by developers and companies, who still need to support legacy systems, which only run in the old browser.
To complicate matters, Microsoft Edge, the current standard Windows browser, is only available in Windows 10, and many users do not install other browsers (such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox ) out of sheer ignorance, and continue to use the internet.
Microsoft promises Edge soon with Chromium, which will run on Windows 7 and 8.1, but by then, the safest is to install another browser and get rid of IE.
How to Uninstall Internet Explorer from Windows
Let’s face it first: Internet Explorer can not be uninstalled from any version of Windows. What we are going to do is disable it, through a resource management tool present in Control Panel.
Regardless of which version of Windows you use, do the following:
- On the Windows 10 Search Bar, type the command appwiz.cpl and press Enter.
In earlier versions of Windows (or even in Windows 10), use the Win + R key combination, type the above command in the Run window, and hit Enter; - In the Programs and Features window, click Turn Windows features on or off;
- In the next window, uncheck the box next to Internet Explorer, and click OK;
- Restart the computer.
And ready.
Once this is done, Windows will restart with Internet Explorer disabled, and you will no longer have to worry about an old and insecure browser that could be used as a gateway to attacks.