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How to uninstall Microsoft Edge on Windows 11

Tired of Microsoft trying to convince you to use Edge? Here's how to remove it for good.
By

Published onMay 18, 2023

Microsoft has always encouraged customers to use its browser with Microsoft Edge pre-installed and set to the default as soon as they boot up their new computer. Despite their efforts, Edge barely makes up 4% of the browser market share, with most users opting for more popular browsers like Safari or Chrome. With Windows 11, not only is it tricky to change your default web browser, but it’s impossible to remove Edge from your standard computer settings. There is no harm in leaving it on your computer, even if it takes up the extra gigabytes. Additionally, uninstalling Edge may cause problems for other Microsoft applications that rely on the web platform. But if you’re willing to take the risk, here’s how to uninstall Microsoft Edge from Windows 11.

QUICK ANSWER

To uninstall Microsoft Edge from Windows 11, run the Command Prompt App as a system administrator and enter the following lines of code. Make sure to put the current version of Microsoft Edge you have installed in place of "EdgeVersion" and Press Enter after each command prompt.

cd/

cd Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\EdgeVersion\Installer

setup --uninstall --force-uninstall --system-level


KEY SECTIONS

How to uninstall Microsoft Edge on Windows 11

You may have already tried to uninstall Microsoft Edge from the application settings on your computer, only to find that the Uninstall option is unavailable. Unfortunately, you can’t uninstall Edge as you would uninstall any other app on Windows 11 because Microsoft doesn’t want you to, keeping it as an option if you ever change your mind.

edge uninstall
Adam Birney / Android Authority

To uninstall Edge, you will need to use a bit of command-line magic, which we’ll walk you through step by step. First, you’ll need to find what version of Edge you are running. To do so, open Microsoft Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. From there, select Help and Feedback and select About Microsoft Edge.

about edge
Adam Birney / Android Authority

You’ll be taken to a settings page. Be sure to update Edge to the latest version and then copy the newest version number of the Edge application. You’ll need this to use in the command prompt application.

about edge 2
Adam Birney / Android Authority

Now that you have the version number, search for the Command Prompt App on Windows 11 and click Run as administrator.

command prompt
Adam Birney / Android Authority

You’ll then see a black window appear with some lines of command code. First, type cd/ in the command prompt and press Enter. Then, copy and paste the following code into the Command Prompt screen.

Use the latest version number found in the previous step and paste it in place of “EdgeVersion” to locate the appropriate file pathway.

Code
cd Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\EdgeVersion\Installer

Press Enter on your keyboard. Then, copy and paste the following code and press Enter again to run the commands.

Code
setup --uninstall --force-uninstall --system-level
command prompt uninstall microsoft edge 1197w 675h
Adam Birney / Android Authority

You’ll know the process worked when you see the Microsoft Edge icon disappear from your desktop. To reinstall Microsoft Edge, you’ll need to do so from the Microsoft store on your PC.

How to stop Microsoft Edge from reinstalling

Even after you’ve successfully uninstalled Microsoft Edge, it’s possible it could come back whenever you update Windows. You can stop this from happening using a simple registry tweak.

First, type “registry” in the Windows search box and click Run as administrator under the Registry Editor.

run registry editor as administrator windows 11
Adam Birney / Android Authority

When the Registry Editor opens, navigate to the following pathway or copy and paste it into the Registry Editor address bar:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft

registry editor pathway
Adam Birney / Android Authority

Right-click the Microsoft folder, and select New -> Key. Name the key “EdgeUpdate” and then right-click it. Select New, then “DWORD (32-bit) Value,” and name it “DoNotUpdateToEdgeWithChromium.”

redistry editor pathway 2
Adam Birney / Android Authority

Once you’ve created the new DWORD Value, double-click it to open a new window and change the value to one. Click OK to confirm, then close the window.

value data
Adam Birney / Android Authority

Your Windows 10 PC should now be completely free of Microsoft Edge. If you decide you want the browser after all, just change the value you created to zero and download Edge from the Microsoft Store.


FAQs

Yes, Microsoft Edge is free to download from the Microsoft Store.

Yes, but you will need to run the command prompt as a system administrator to do so. You cannot uninstall Microsoft Edge from the application settings.

When you uninstall Microsoft Edge, the shortcut icon will disappear from the desktop and also the Taskbar. Some users still see Microsoft Edge from the Start Menu, but clicking on it will lead nowhere.

Microsoft Edge is integrated into the Windows operating system to support applications that rely on the web platform. Therefore, you may run into issues using such applications if you uninstall it.

If Edge keeps reinstalling after uninstalling it, try following the steps in the second section of this guide to stop it for good.

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