How to uninstall Microsoft edge? On Windows 10, Microsoft has been rolling out its Chromium version of Microsoft Edge automatically through Windows Update to displace the legacy version of the browser.
The only difficulty is that since the company is making it part of Windows 10 when it installs automatically, you won’t see an option to uninstall it or revert to the legacy version if you don’t like it or you’re not able for the new version.
However, since Microsoft Edge is based on the Chromium project, you can uninstall it with Command Prompt utilizing a process similar to removing Google Chrome with command lines.
In this Windows 10 guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to simply uninstall Microsoft Edge from your system.
How to Uninstall Microsoft Edge (Chromium) Through Settings
Assume you’re trying to uninstall a version of Microsoft Edge that you installed manually utilizing the installer or one of the builds available through the Beta, Dev, and Canary Channels. In that case, you can remove it using the Settings app.
To uninstall Microsoft Edge, use these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Apps.
- Click on Apps & features.
- Select the Microsoft Edge item.
- Click the Uninstall button.
- Click the Uninstall button again.
- (Optional) Choose the Also clear your browsing data option.
- Click the Uninstall button.
Once you complete the steps, the browser version you selected will be removed from your computer.
Way to Uninstall Microsoft Edge through Command Prompt
- If the option to uninstall Microsoft Edge isn’t available in Settings because you accepted the new browser through Windows Update, you’ll need to use Command Prompt to remove it.
- To get relieved of the Chromium version of Microsoft Edge, go through these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for Command Prompt, right-hit the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Enter the following path to access the Installer folder and press Enter:
cd %PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Microsoft\Edge\Application\8*\Installer
Quick note: On Windows 10, the Installer folder remains inside another folder called after the version number of the browser currently installed on your device; as a result, the name may change as new updates roll out. So, in the path, we’re utilizing the number 8 with a wildcard to access the folder no matter the 8x.x.xxx.xx version you have installed. However, once the browser reaches version 9x.x.xxx.x, you’ll require to update the path to 9 with the wildcard.
- Enter the following command to remove Microsoft Edge and hit Enter button:
Setup –uninstall –force-uninstall –system-level
- After you perform the moves, Microsoft Edge will be removed from the device, and the legacy version of the browser will be reinstated on Windows 10.
If you haven’t received the new version of Microsoft Edge through Windows Update, you can use these steps to prevent the automatic installation.
How to Stop Microsoft Edge from Launching
Suppose you don’t mind having Microsoft Edge on your system. You can disable Microsoft edge from launching. To do that, you can do one of these techniques that are explained below.
Method 1 — Change the default browser Application
This is the simplest way to disable Microsoft edge from launching. And the privilege of it is you can change it back whenever you need.
- In the search bar, type “Default Apps.”
- Then from the results, open default apps
- Scroll down and select Web Browser. You will see that now, Edge is the default browser
- Hit on the edge and change it to any other browser that you have installed.
However, Edge can yet be opened by some programs and from its installed folder.
So if you want to force it never to launch again, either you can remove Microsoft Edge from the given methods earlier or follow process two shown here.
Method 2 — Rename the folder and .exe file
Renaming Edge’s installation folder and its exe file, windows won’t find it again, so it will impair Microsoft edge from launching.
- Go to C drive and Enter to windows >SystemApps(or WindowsApps)
- Scroll down and see the folder that starts with the name.
- “Microsoft.Microsoft edge”
- Right-click on it and click on rename.
- Then enter any letter/symbol next to its name.
- Also, you can rename MicrosoftEdge.exe and MicrosoftPdfReader.exe files if you need.
How to Check Microsoft Edge from Installing Again
Once you have removed the Microsoft Edge browser, I can’t state that it won’t install again. Even though you disabled Microsoft edge, I can’t assure you that. Because whenever you run Windows update, there is a possibility that it will be automatically installed again on your computer.
So you have to disable windows updates to prevent that from occurring. Isn’t that so? No! We never suggest you disable windows updates. Because there is a better method to do that.
How to prevent Microsoft Edge from Windows update
To prevent Microsoft edge from installing again through windows update. You can utilize the Microsoft blocker toolkit.
Follow the directions to disable Microsoft edge from installing again on your Windows 10.
- Download Microsoft blocker toolkit from Microsoft website
- Open and extract files to a folder.
- Once you extracted all the files, open the command prompt (Run as administrator)
- Copy the command below:
“cd c:\file_path“ and paste it in CMD. Then rename file path with your obtained folder path
- Copy and paste this command to block Edge from installing again.
“EdgeChromium_Blocker.cmd /b“
That’s it. I think now your problem is solved.
What we can DO if Future Windows Updates Fail
Some of the more recent Windows updates have seen problems with installations failing on machines that have removed Microsoft Edge. Fortunately, if you run into this issue, there’s an easy fix.
Enter into your Program Files (x86) folder on your C: drive and locate the ‘Microsoft’ folder within. Open this up and delete any folders linking to Microsoft Edge.
Now you can try and install your Windows update again, and it should be complete without issue. If you understand the steps above, too, Microsoft Edge won’t be reinstalled with it.
Conclusion
Microsoft might well want you to keep using Microsoft Edge, but however suitable it might be, you’re ideally within your rights to use something else. And having Edge pushed on you can get monotonous.
Removing it isn’t straightforward; neither makes sure it doesn’t come back, but it’s also not hard to accomplish. And if you ever have a difference of heart, you can always get it back again.
