How to Uninstall Microsoft Edge from Windows 10
Microsoft Edge is the default web browser of Windows. Although it has its fair share of fans worldwide, many PC users don’t really care for it.
Instead, they turn to other web browsers like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. We’re talking about those users who, as soon as they finish installing Windows on their computers, the first thing they do is launch Edge to download another web browser.
That doesn’t stop Microsoft to attempts to set Edge as the default web browser, which can be extremely irritating. However, you can take care of this problem if you uninstall Microsoft Edge from your computer.
Before proceeding, you should know that it’s not generally recommended to remove Edge. Microsoft has incorporated Edge in many parts of its operating system, making Edge a core component of Windows 10.
Consequently, you might experience system compatibility issues after eliminating Microsoft’s proprietary web browser. Caution is advised.
Also, it’s a good idea to create a system restore point on Windows 10. It allows you to revert the operating system to a safe checkpoint if you start having stability problems after removing Edge.
How to Uninstall Microsoft Edge
If you’re wondering how to delete Microsoft Edge, know that it mostly depends on how it was installed on your machine.
Unfortunately, Microsoft makes it more challenging to get rid of Edge by upgrading the legacy version to a Chromium-powered edition.
There are several ways to get rid of it, which we are explaining in the steps below.
1. Remove Microsoft Edge using the default Windows uninstaller
Before trying a more elaborate approach, start by trying the Windows integrated uninstaller to remove Microsoft Edge.
- Right-click the Windows 10 Start Menu and select Apps and Features
- Click the Search this list box and type Edge
- Select Microsoft Edge, click the Uninstall button, and proceed with the removal steps
If you can’t remove Edge because the Uninstall button is greyed out, it means that you don’t have the Chromium version of Edge. This method won’t work, so you can proceed to the next solution.
2. Use a software uninstaller
You can choose from multiple free software uninstallers to remove Microsoft Edge from your Windows 10 PC. These are tools specially designed to completely uninstall programs, including leftover files, folders, and registry entries.
Take Revo Uninstaller, for instance. It has a feature called Force Uninstall, which gives you the possibility to remove applications that don’t show up in the list of installed programs. You just have to point it to a file that belongs to Edge.
3. Use Command Prompt
If you’re wondering how to remove Microsoft Edge from your PC if it won’t show up in the list of installed programs but don’t want to turn to third-party uninstallers, you can use Command Prompt to remove Edge by force.
No special skills are required to use CMD to uninstall Edge, as long as you follow the exact steps below.
- Press Win key + R, type cmd, press and hold Ctrl + Shift, then press Enter to launch Command Prompt with administrator rights (click Yes if prompted by User Account Control)
- Enter
cd %PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Microsoft\Edge\Application\8*\Installerto open the Edge installer folder
- Use this command to remove Edge from your machine:
setup --uninstall --force-uninstall --system-level
Those who prefer using PowerShell can use .\setup.exe --uninstall --system-level --verbose-logging --force-uninstall.
If you can still spot Microsoft Edge on your operating system, then it means you’re not using the Chromium-based edition. Proceed to the following solution on our list.
4. Take ownership of the Edge folder
It seems impossible to delete the Microsoft Edge folder due to a lack of permissions. However, you can fix this by taking ownership of said directory.
There are multiple steps involved, so arm yourself with patience:
- Make sure you’re logged in with the administrator account
- Open your file browser and navigate to
C:\Windows\SystemApps - Locate and right-click the Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder to access its Properties
- Go to the Security tab and click Advanced
- Click Change next to Owner
- Type Administrators in the empty box, click Check Names, and press OK
- Enable Replace owner on subcontainers and objects, click Apply, and exit this window
- Once returned to the Security tab, click Edit
- Set Group or user names to Administrators, check Full control under Allow, click Apply and Yes to confirm, then exit this window
- Go to the General tab of Edge’s folder properties, deselect Read-only, click Apply, and exit
- Head back to the
C:\Windows\SystemAppslocation in your file browser, copy the Microsoft Edge folder, and save the folder somewhere as backup
- Remove the Microsoft Edge folder from your PC
- Restart your computer
If you start experiencing stability issues, use the backup to put the Edge folder back.
Conclusion
To summarize, it can be tricky to uninstall Microsoft Edge from your computer, which mostly depends on which Edge version you have installed: legacy or Chromium.
You can try using the Windows built-in uninstaller. However, if it doesn’t work, you can use a third-party program uninstaller or launch CMD to remove Edge by force.
If that doesn’t work either, it’s time to get your hands dirty and take ownership of the Microsoft Edge directory so that you can delete it like any other common folder.
No matter what you try, though, be sure to create a system restore point before attempting to remove Edge. It will be a life-saver if you need to restore Windows 10 later. Also, if you’re going with the ownership method, back up the Edge folder before deleting it.
Even if you managed to successfully uninstall Edge from your operating system, keep in mind that Microsoft might still try to deliver it to your machine through Windows Update. However, you can block the Chromium Edge auto-install.
Did the solutions above work for you? How did you manage to uninstall Microsoft Edge and keep it at bay? Let us know in the comment section below.
