Internet Explorer is one of those things that you just can't seem to get away from. Over the years, they just keep trying to "improve" IE, but the outcome is always sub-par. If you are reading this, you probably have encountered the phenomenon of unwanted Microsoft updates.
One of the oddest things, is that so many business related sites rely on Active X controls. I've found that many internet and intranet applications don't yet support IE 10 or IE 11. I'm not yet certain why there isn't enough backwards compatibility. Compatibility mode is helpful, but it does not always solve every issue.
How do I roll back or uninstall Internet Explorer?
Fortunately, our friends at Microsoft have learned quite a bit about this sort of thing. If you have tried to uninstall IE as an application, you will have a hard time. This because it is built into the operating system. However, you can uninstall the updates themselves. Depending on your OS and service pack, your Windows may have shipped with one of several default browsers. Most copies of Windows 7 came with IE version 8, which seems to be the most supported.
Step 1:
Go to the start menu, and select Control Panel.
Step 2:
Select programs and features:
Step 3:
Select "View Installed Updates" at the top left of the screen:
Step 4:
Wait for all installed updates to load; this may take a few minutes. Afterwards, scroll down to the Microsoft Windows section.
Step 5:
Please be extra careful not to uninstall anything but the update "Internet Explorer 10", or 11 if you have it installed. The IE updates are usually at the top. In my case, I have not upgraded so you do not see it present. This is somewhat what your updates should look like after uninstalling. Just uninstall and you're all set.
Caveat:
If you have installed multiple updates, you will only see the most recent. That being said, you won't know until you uninstall and reboot. A full reboot is required to update, so be sure that you are ready to do so. As always, I recommend taking your time while making selections.
Hopefully you won't have to repeat the process more than once. The only other thing to watch out for is not upgrading the next time you open IE.
One of the oddest things, is that so many business related sites rely on Active X controls. I've found that many internet and intranet applications don't yet support IE 10 or IE 11. I'm not yet certain why there isn't enough backwards compatibility. Compatibility mode is helpful, but it does not always solve every issue.
How do I roll back or uninstall Internet Explorer?
Fortunately, our friends at Microsoft have learned quite a bit about this sort of thing. If you have tried to uninstall IE as an application, you will have a hard time. This because it is built into the operating system. However, you can uninstall the updates themselves. Depending on your OS and service pack, your Windows may have shipped with one of several default browsers. Most copies of Windows 7 came with IE version 8, which seems to be the most supported.
Step 1:
Go to the start menu, and select Control Panel.
Step 2:
Select programs and features:
Step 3:
Select "View Installed Updates" at the top left of the screen:
Step 4:
Wait for all installed updates to load; this may take a few minutes. Afterwards, scroll down to the Microsoft Windows section.
Step 5:
Please be extra careful not to uninstall anything but the update "Internet Explorer 10", or 11 if you have it installed. The IE updates are usually at the top. In my case, I have not upgraded so you do not see it present. This is somewhat what your updates should look like after uninstalling. Just uninstall and you're all set.
Caveat:
If you have installed multiple updates, you will only see the most recent. That being said, you won't know until you uninstall and reboot. A full reboot is required to update, so be sure that you are ready to do so. As always, I recommend taking your time while making selections.
Hopefully you won't have to repeat the process more than once. The only other thing to watch out for is not upgrading the next time you open IE.
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