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Internet Explorer is now an optional feature in Windows 7

Chakkaradeep Chandran
04 March 2009 - 10:06
107 Comments
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Along with various other changes that are to be reflected in Windows 7 RC, here is a big change that is not in the list. From Windows 7 build 7048, Internet Explorer(IE) is an optional Windows feature and can be installed/uninstalled from Windows 7. This will be a welcoming (and surprising) news, especially to European Union and Opera who have accused Microsoft for not giving consumers a genuine choice of Web browsers.

If IE is upgraded to version 8 in Vista (from version 7), users do get an option to uninstall IE 8, but not IE 7. IE 7 remains an integral component of Windows Vista which cannot be removed.

To uninstall Internet Explorer from Windows 7:

  • Go to Control Panel
  • Open Programs
  • Click Turn Windows features on or off
  • Deselect Internet Explorer 8


For more info visit here

Comments (107)

  1. Majesticmerc - 04 March 2009 - 10:43

    Good news, but it should still be installed by default I hope!

  2. Chaks - 04 March 2009 - 10:44

    Yep, it is installed by default

  3. +Northgrove - 04 March 2009 - 11:18

    Damn, here I was hoping they's ship wget as their command-line web downloader, that users were forced to run from cmd.exe to get it.

    wget.exe http://www.microsoft.com/ie/ie8.zip

    Haha, would be hilarious to watch the public outcry from that.

  4. Lord Ba'al - 05 March 2009 - 01:28

    As MS is to lazy or unwilling to change the setup and give users the option to have the IE8 junk not installed in the first place, yes.
    However, being able to uninstall the IE8 crap is already a great improvement - if not even the best Windows 7 feature so far :)

    @Jugalator: The outcry would only stem from their telling to download IE8, rather than Opera or Firefox.

  5. ThomMcK - 04 March 2009 - 10:45

    Woah, does this mean windows update will still work?
    Where do you specify proxy settings if there is no IE Internet Options?

  6. +DonC - 04 March 2009 - 10:50

    ThomMcK said,
    Woah, does this mean windows update will still work?
    Where do you specify proxy settings if there is no IE Internet Options?

    Windows XP was the last one to use IE components during Windows Update.

  7. ThomMcK - 04 March 2009 - 10:56

    Yes, I am aware of that but you still need to specify proxy settings somewhere.
    Also, if you want to opt for additional MS Updates (e.g. Office) then you need to agree to terms & conditions on the website. AFAIK the MS update site doesn't work in Firefox because it uses ActiveX controls

  8. XerXis - 04 March 2009 - 11:38

    ThomMcK said,
    Woah, does this mean windows update will still work?
    Where do you specify proxy settings if there is no IE Internet Options?


    internet options in the configurations screen

  9. Digitalx - 04 March 2009 - 11:41

    ThomMcK said,
    Yes, I am aware of that but you still need to specify proxy settings somewhere.
    Also, if you want to opt for additional MS Updates (e.g. Office) then you need to agree to terms & conditions on the website. AFAIK the MS update site doesn't work in Firefox because it uses ActiveX controls

    When they remove the browser it remove the physical browsing ability but the core and engine which is an important core to windows and stuff. like removing the eyes of a blind person doesn't mean they are dead, useless or otherwise cannot function. But also Windows update in windows vista and windows 7 are integrated into the operating system and not through the windows update website. all components necessary for it to operate independently are shipped with the OS and any further updates come through it accordingly. As for proxy settings and stuff as i say although you get rid of the visual web browsing capability the engine core and components/apis etc are still there. so yeah.

  10. +TCLN Ryster - 04 March 2009 - 13:09

    ThomMcK said,
    Yes, I am aware of that but you still need to specify proxy settings somewhere.
    Also, if you want to opt for additional MS Updates (e.g. Office) then you need to agree to terms & conditions on the website. AFAIK the MS update site doesn't work in Firefox because it uses ActiveX controls

    Good point. Maybe it's time that Proxy settings were configured as a setting of the operating system and not the browser. Many programs make use of proxy information and getting it from a single source (Windows) would be a good idea.

  11. XerXis - 04 March 2009 - 14:14

    TCLN Ryster said,

    Good point. Maybe it's time that Proxy settings were configured as a setting of the operating system and not the browser. Many programs make use of proxy information and getting it from a single source (Windows) would be a good idea.


    they are, "internet options" has been in the configurations screen for years

  12. artfuldodga - 04 March 2009 - 14:24

    sometimes people just don't see whats on their screen correctly, it doesn't say 'internet explorer 7 options' :P

  13. Kevin. - 04 March 2009 - 15:45

    ThomMcK said,
    AFAIK the MS update site doesn't work in Firefox because it uses ActiveX controls

    IE Tab for Firefox will take care of that as it allows you to switch between IE and Firefox rendering engines.

  14. Trajik 2600 - 04 March 2009 - 16:54

    ThomMcK said,
    Yes, I am aware of that but you still need to specify proxy settings somewhere.
    Also, if you want to opt for additional MS Updates (e.g. Office) then you need to agree to terms & conditions on the website. AFAIK the MS update site doesn't work in Firefox because it uses ActiveX controls

    It's not a "site" anymore. It's built into the OS.

    Kevin. said,
    IE Tab for Firefox will take care of that as it allows you to switch between IE and Firefox rendering engines.

    It doesn't bundle the IE rendering engine - it requires that it be present on the machine.

  15. Calum - 04 March 2009 - 18:14

    @Trajik 2600 -

    I'm pretty sure the Internet Explorer rendering engine (Trident) will still be present on the machine. This will just remove the browser application from the system, but not the rendering engine. Too many things rely on the rendering engine.

  16. +FusionOpz - 04 March 2009 - 10:48

    Isn't this just basically the same as what was in Windows XP where it just hides everything?

  17. rakeshishere - 04 March 2009 - 10:54

    Add/Remove Windows Components ?

  18. +Northgrove - 04 March 2009 - 11:23

    Hmm, but does XP allow this for IE 6, or just do downgrade?

  19. Owen Williams - 04 March 2009 - 11:47

    Jugalator said,
    Hmm, but does XP allow this for IE 6, or just do downgrade?

    All that windows does is hides the icons. It doesn't remove IE

  20. RealFduch - 04 March 2009 - 12:10

    FusionOpz said,
    Isn't this just basically the same as what was in Windows XP where it just hides everything?

    Read the linked article!
    iexplore.exe is removed.

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