How to Uninstall Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge is a robust browser app, but it’s not the best option for everyone. Unfortunately, you can’t uninstall it from your PC as you would a normal app, as the browser is now firmly integrated into the Windows experience. Yet, it is still possible to remove it from your system. Follow this guide to learn how to uninstall Microsoft Edge.

Good to know: if Microsoft Edge is not responding, check out our list of fixes to return it to full functionality.

How to Uninstall Edge from Command Prompt

If you really want Microsoft Edge off your computer, use the Command Prompt to forcibly uninstall it. There’s a prerequisite to doing this: you need to know the version of your Microsoft Edge.

Launch Microsoft Edge on your PC.

Click the ellipsis icon in the top-right corner of the interface.

Select “Help and feedback -> About Microsoft Edge.”

Alternatively, press Alt + F, followed by B and M on your keyboard.

Highlight the version number presented at the top, and copy and paste it somewhere else.

To uninstall the browser from your computer, right-click the Start button, and select “Terminal (Admin).”

Confirm administrator access by choosing “Yes” in the User Account Control window, then press Ctrl + Shift + 2 to open a Command Prompt tab.

Paste the following command into cmd, and press Enter. Don’t forget to replace [Version] with the version number you copied earlier.

cd %PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Microsoft\Edge\Application\[Version]\Installer

Run this command to finish:

setup.exe --uninstall --system-level --verbose-logging --force-uninstall

Once you’ve completed the process, you may still see the Edge icon on the Start menu. However, nothing will happen if you click it. If you’re looking for a better browser, you may want to look into installing a lightweight browser.

Tip: learn how to use Windows Defender straight from Command Prompt.

How to Prevent Edge From Reinstalling

Since Edge is considered a core part of the OS, Windows updates may reinstall the browser later on. You can prevent this by modifying some keys and values in the Registry Editor.

Note: accidentally making a mistake while tweaking the registry can have damaging effects, so make sure you back up your registry first so that you can easily restore it in case something goes wrong.

If you don’t want to mess with the registry, opt out of doing so, and just uninstall Edge again (as demonstrated earlier) once it makes its comeback.

Open the Run utility, type regedit, and press Enter.

Click “Yes” in the User Account Control dialog box to confirm administrator access.

Navigate to this path in the Registry Editor: “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft.”

Right-click “Microsoft,” and select “New -> Key.”

Name the new key “EdgeUpdate.”

Right-click “EdgeUpdate,” and choose “New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value.”

Name this DWORD value “DoNotUpdateToEdgeWithChromium.”

Double-click the newly created value, and set the “Value data” to “1.” Click “OK” and close the Registry Editor.

Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

Tip: follow this guide to stop Windows from opening links in Edge.

Say Goodbye to Microsoft Edge

Each person’s preferences ultimately vary, and that applies to their choice of browser, too. While Microsoft really wants you to use Edge, you are still entitled to your own preferences. Before switching to a new browser, consider exporting and importing your favorites in Edge. Make sure to set your new browser as default, too.

Image credit: Pexels, Icons8, Flaticon All screenshots by Princess Angolluan.

Princess Angolluan

Princess is a freelance writer based in Croatia. She used to work as an English teacher in Hokkaido, Japan before she finally changed careers and focused on content writing & copywriting, while running their own digital marketing company in Europe. For 5 years, she has written many articles and web pages on various niches like technology, finance, digital marketing, etc. Princess loves playing FPS games, watching anime, and singing.