Let’s not beat around the bush here, Internet Explorer is garbage. It has been the thorn in the side for every web developer that has walked the Earth. The Internet would be a much better place without it. Now that I have that out of the way, I’ll get down to showing you how to remove Internet Explorer of any version on an platform.
Internet Explorer 6
Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
- Start->Control Panel->Add or Remove Programs
- Cick Add/Remove Windows Components
- Locate Internet Explorer and uncheck it
- Click Next and continue to follow the prompts
Note: Although this will remove all the links to Internet Explorer on your system it will not actually delete IE completely, as it is integrated with the Windows Shell it will still exist on your computer and be used for browsing files.
Chrome Frame
Our friends at Google have offered us another solution for those who cannot uninstall Internet Explorer 6. If you are not an Administrator on your system and cannot remove IE or install an alternate browser then Chrome Frame is the solution you’re looking for. After installing the plugin your browser will be able to render websites using Chrome’s engine, meaning your old and dusty copy of IE6 will be able to run HTML5 and not mangle every other site out there. How do you get this plugin? Just grab it at Google Code.
Internet Explorer 7
Windows XP and Windows Server 2000/2003
- Start->Control Panel->Add or Remove Programs
- Locate Internet Explorer 7 and click Remove
Note: Uninstalling Internet Explorer 7 will result in Internet Explorer 6 being restored
Windows Vista
- Start->Control Panel->Programs and Features
- Click View Installed Updates
- Locate Internet Explorer 7 and click Uninstall
Note: If the above method does not work for you try following these steps instead:
- Navigate to C:\WINDOWS\ie7\spuninst\
- Run spuninst.exe
Internet Explorer 8
Windows Vista
- Start->Control Panel->Programs and Features
- Click View Installed Updates
- Locate Internet Explorer 8 and click Uninstall
- Cick OK
- Click Yes when prompted
Windows 7
- Start->Control Panel->Programs and Features
- Click Turn Windows Features On or Off
- Locate Internet Explorer 8 and uncheck it
- Cick OK
- Click Yes when prompted
Note: If the above method does not work for you try following these steps instead:
- Navigate to C:\WINDOWS\ie8\spuninst\
- Run spuninst.exe
Stopping Automatic Updates from Installing Internet Explorer 7/8
- Open Internet Explorer
- Click Tools then Windows Update
- Select Custom
- Uncheck the box beside Windows Internet Explorer 7/8 for Windows XP
- Check the box beside “Don’t show this update again”
Windows will no longer try to install the newer Internet Explorer versions when doing its automatic updates.
A seasoned Senior Solutions Architect with 18 years of experience in technology design and implementation. Renowned for innovative solutions and strategic insights, he excels in driving complex projects to success. Outside work, he is a passionate fisherman and fish keeper, specializing in planted tanks.
As a developer you need it precisely because you need to test it’s poor behaviour. Eliminating it from your machine and then dusting your hands off in satisfaction doesn’t eliminate the fact that a large majority of web users still use some version of IE.
So once you sit back with a smug grin on your face, you’re going to realise you need to re-install it to do proper testing for 80-90% of the web population.
Nice one.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I certainly don’t disagree with what you are saying here. I have Internet Explorer installed on all of my Windows machines, I even have it installed on my Linux machines. Why? For testing websites of course. This article was not aimed at developers who want to ignore its existence, rather it was meant for people who need only one browser on their system. Many users simply use what’s easiest, if there’s a shortcut to IE on their desktop they’ll use that, if IE doesn’t exist on their system then they wont use it. I have removed it from many machines for this reason and provided them with a better browser. Another example of where this guide is useful is when you’ve upgraded to a newer version only to discover it has messed up other programs on your system, in that case it would be very beneficial to downgrade to an older version.
Microsoft has a hundred billion dollars and they can’t build in a decent script debugger. Are they still in denial about javascript being here to stay? I have trouble believe they are this dumb – and no problem believing that their business strategy drives their technical decisions in ways which seem inexplicable to us but made sense to Steve Ballmer or whoever. Of course i am pissed right now, because i a troubleshooting an issue that only exists in IE. Pissed enough anyway to google “internet explorer is garbage” just so that i could read about others who share my pain..
You know what else annoys me? Commenters like these last 2 who point out the painfully obvious as if it was some useful wisdom. I wonder how smug the look on Stuart Mack’s face was when he finished typing that post..
Can you get rid of bing for me?
Frustrated hours spent trying to rid my life of bing and pricegong are not improved by reading “Internet Express is garbage.” I’ve had it for years; tried Firefox, which didn’t work properly — ever; Google recently took over my life without so much as a by-your-leave, let alone a “please”; and my home page of AT&T I haven’t seen for months.
Nor can I find — amidst the helpful messages those more savvy than I have left above –my way back to it. I am thoroughly confused…moreso with each message I read (or try to replicate).
I can say only “wish me luck” as I continue to wander the malevolent maze. I am, however, very grateful to all who share information. Next, I try to eliminate bing….