Is It Safe To Uninstall Microsoft Edge From Windows?

BIIS Editorial Board on September 30, 2022

Microsoft Edge is the default web browser that comes installed on all Windows 10 computers. While it’s a perfectly fine browser, some users prefer to use alternatives like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. So, is it safe to uninstall Microsoft Edge? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons.

So, is it safe to uninstall Microsoft Edge? It depends on your needs and preferences as a user. If you’re tight on disk space or prefer another browser, there’s no harm in uninstalling Edge — just be aware of the potential downsides before doing so.

The Pros of Uninstalling Microsoft Edge

  1. You’ll free up disk space. Microsoft Edge takes up a fair amount of disk space. If you’re tight on disk space, uninstalling Edge can help free up some much-needed space.
  2. You can still access your favorites. Even if you uninstall Microsoft Edge, you’ll still be able to access your favorites by going to the Favorites bar in IE11. So, you don’t have to worry about losing any of your favorite websites.
  3. It’s easy to do. Uninstalling a program in Windows is generally pretty straightforward, and Microsoft Edge is no exception. In most cases, you can just head to the Control Panel, find Microsoft Edge in the list of installed programs, and hit “Uninstall.”

The Cons of Uninstalling Microsoft Edge

  1. You might run into problems with Windows updates. One of the big selling points of Microsoft Edge is that it’s designed to work hand-in-hand with Windows updates. If you uninstall Edge, you might find that some Windows updates fail or don’t install properly. This is a relatively low risk factor as updates should work as planned.
  2. You’ll lose out on security features. Microsoft Edge includes a number of security features that aren’t present in other browsers, like SmartScreen Filter and Windows Defender Application Guard. If you uninstall Edge, you’ll lose access to these features.
  3. It might be reinstated automatically. In some cases, uninstalling Microsoft Edge doesn’t actually remove it from your computer—it just disables it. And if you install another browser and then try to uninstall that one, you might find that Microsoft Edge has been automatically reinstalled!