Edge is the default web browser on Windows 10 and 11. Compared to old relics like Internet Explorer, Edge is an order of magnitude better. However, if you are not using Edge and don’t want it on your computer, you can uninstall it. It is not as straightforward as uninstalling other browsers like Chrome but you can still do it. In this tutorial, we’ll show the simplest way to uninstall Edge from Windows. Let’s get started.
Caution: Before proceeding, I recommend you install an alternate browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc.) if you haven’t already. That way, you can continue to browse the web without any interruptions. Otherwise, you will have no software to browse the internet.
Warning: Since Edge is the built-in browser, some system applications and functions depend on it and can cause issues when you uninstall it. While it is rare, you should keep that in mind before proceeding. When you face an issue, you can simply download and install Edge from the Microsoft website to fix the problem.
Note: The steps below are tested to work on Windows 10 & 11.
Steps to Uninstall Edge on Windows 10 & 11
First, open File Explorer by pressing the Windows key + E shortcut. Next, navigate to the C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\ folder.
In the Application folder, you will see several files and folders. Look for a folder named with a series of numbers and open it – this is the version number of the Edge browser installed on your computer. For example, if your Edge browser version is 100.0.1185.36, the folder will be named “100.0.1185.36”. Double-click on the folder to open it. In this folder, navigate to the Installer folder.
Note: If you see multiple numbered folders, open the folder that corresponds to the latest version of the Edge browser installed on your computer. To find out the version of the currently installed Edge browser, open it, type edge://settings/help into the address bar and press Enter. You will see the version number under the Microsoft Edge heading at the top of the page.
In the Installer folder, right-click and choose the Open in Terminal option. If you don’t see this option in the right-click menu, hold down the Shift key and then right-click.
In the terminal window, run this Microsoft Edge uninstall command. If you get a UAC (User Account Control) prompt, click Yes. It will immediately uninstall the Edge browser from your computer../setup.exe –uninstall –system-level –verbose-logging –force-uninstall
That’s all. Close the terminal window and restart your computer. You are done.
And there you have it! While not as straightforward as uninstalling other applications, it’s still doable and rather easy.
How about leaving the Edge browser where it is and come up with a way to stop Edge from running in the background.