Windows 10 ships with two built-in browsers. One is the good old Internet Explorer that’s scheduled to go out of support in June 2022. The other one is the Edge browser, a newer-generation Chromium-based web browser. Obviously, Edge is Microsoft’s favorite browser.
Unfortunately, Internet Explorer may sometimes have trouble rendering content from websites using the latest web technologies. That’s why the browser first checks whether it’s capable of rendering the website content or not. Microsoft also maintains a list of all the sites that are incompatible with IE.
Whenever IE can’t render a website, it will automatically redirect you to Microsoft Edge. In other words, IE automatically launches Edge, inviting you to switch to the new web browser.
But that’s something that many users don’t really like. As a result, they’re looking for ways to prevent IE from redirecting them to Edge.
How Do I Stop Internet Explorer from Redirecting to Edge?
Launch Microsoft Edge and go to Settings. Navigate to Default browser, and locate Let Internet Explorer open sites in Microsoft Edge. Set this option to Never.
Edge is a better choice than IE as it supports the latest web standards. To help you transition faster, the redirection window also prompts you to copy your browsing data and preferences from IE to Edge. You can import your Favorites folders, passwords, browsing history, and settings.
By the way, if you want to learn more about Edge redirections, go to Microsoft’s support page.
What Users Say About This Redirection Thing
What makes users really angry is that Microsoft doesn’t give them any choice as to the browser they want to use. Instead, the company is simply ramming Edge down its throats.
Windows 10 users clearly stated they should be given the option to choose whether they want IE to open Edge or not. Since the Redmond giant refuses to do so, many users went as far as uninstalling Edge completely. Well, it seems that’s something Microsoft didn’t take into consideration when implementing the automatic redirections.
Conclusion
If Internet Explorer can’t render the websites you’re visiting, it will automatically redirect you to Edge. The good news is that you can edit your settings to prevent automatic redirections. What’s your stance on this matter? Do you agree with Microsoft’s strategy, or you think the company has gone too far? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
MS says
Microsoft Edge, might as use Netscape Navigator – seems Microsoft is going backwards or just hiring useless staff. Biggest screwup if outlook attachments, so clunky and oversized and cannot move attachments into correct order, need to copy delete and move, sack the idiots for the changes
Zenman says
Does not work on WIN11. Edge keeps on showing up when I start Iexplore.exe. Now I cannot change the settings of my camera. Thanks a lot MS!
No One You Know says
Anyone who PREFERS IE over Edge, probably not too sharp a tack. But there are government websites that will not work with anything but I.E. and redirecting them to Edge breaks the site and reduces employee productivity.
Sean D says
STOP HELPING ME! Or at least ask if I want to have my stuff screwed up.
My library (WaTiN) use IE in the background, not Edge. Forcing IE to redirect to Edge really screwed up my stuff.
I did find how to disable your helpful feature, but that is 30 minutes I will never get back.
JB says
THANK YOU for this quick fix. I like Edge for the most part, but I still have one site that WILL NOT work on anything other than IE and was in panic mode for a minute. The irony is that the one site demanding IE-only is for the State of California’s Workman’s Compensation system. Without IE, I cannot access nor upload critical documents affecting patient care and payments. Hopefully the State of California is aware of IE’s termination in June 2022 and is working on getting their sites to work with Edge, Chrome, etc. If not, I can only imagine the amount of calls that will be flooding my office (and many others in the same field) wanting to know why their documents are missing, etc etc and trying to explain how it’s the State’s site, not our staff, causing the issue(s). Fingers crossed.
Dave E says
Yes this works for now, but not sure how long this will work. I am sure Microsoft will find a way to stop IE from working in a future update. IE has always been a lousy browser but I have an application that only works in IE. Edge is also a lousy browser. Time to start using other O/S that are not Microsoft.
Paul says
Kind of,
Microsoft seems to be upping the ante, now when I launch IE (to access a PTZ camera) I get an edge ad that I have to try and click through.
Not sure how long the will leave the option to get back to IE
We need a better solution.
Rob says
Unfortunately, this fix does not work in Windows 11. Even turning on the option in Edge, when clicking Internet Explorer, it will still open a new tab in Edge.
L says
WOW !!!
Glad I found this
I had looked all over to find out what was going on with IE not opening but instead redirected to edge
I wanted to make sure what bookmarks I had so I could transfer them to another browser
So now I can rest easy that the bookmarks that were still valid were transferred to another browser
So yes this was a very easy way to stop the redirecting of IE to edge
I’m going to leave the edge setting alone and let my IE 11 stay useable til the end
So Thanks for posting this easy solution & YES it works
Mohammad Tahir says
I have a small business, where I have to logon to websites of various vendors. So far those vendors have not converted to MS Edge. Therefore forcing me to use Edge when I have problems using is not the right thing to do. We should have the option to use which ever browser we want use.
DonG says
This simple fix to stop IE from redirecting to EDGE solved a problem with viewing Samsung’s smartcams, which use IE.
THANKS!
Lowell100 says
I need IE for my surveillance DVR. It does not work in any other browser
Allan Smith says
Also, thank you for your solution. It appears to work. Another addendum: One cannot do with these other browsers what one can do with iexplorer, at least not currently. It’s not the libraries, its the way chrome based browsers work
Allan Smith says
There is one really major problem with Edge, or any browser other than iexlorer. I, and many many others, have tons of code written over decades in VBA (And the real kicker is this is for Microsoft applications, Word, Excel, any Office Product) that uses IE and the HTML libraries associate with these applications. What am I supposed to do, just trash all this code and give up because there is no other way and Microsoft knows this!
tvdwouw says
Let’s face it, Edge is simply a superior browser.
However, I use IE11 for one specific reason: when right clicking on a link, it has the option to “Copy shortcut” which copies bothj the text as well as the link. Within Edge this can’t be done – it is either or, not both!
Simply starting Edge when I call IE is making me much less productive.. I am smart enough to know what I am doing but MS thinks they deal with dummies. only…
Sometimes I wonder is the managers deciding about this use Edge themselves….
Chris says
Perfect! I have an application with a remote viewer using Java that is only supported by IE and this worked for me.
EddieB says
My CCTV system works with IE and won’t work with any other browser I have tried – including Edge. I need to be able to retain IE just for this. I don’t use it for anything else.
Why are Microsoft so out of touch with everyday reality?
Kasey says
For all of you having trouble with camera systems, I found that a Chrome extension called IE Tab works even better than internet explorer for managing older security DVRs/NVRs and network switches. It uses Internet Explorer behind the scenes, so who knows if it’ll still work when MS finally removes Internet Explorer next year.
Jfraz says
Turning off the redirect option in Edge seems to have worked. My camera system displays in IE as before. I hope this not a temporary thing. Thanks to the folks who put this page together.
Windows 10 gets more bloated and klunky with every update.
How I miss Windows 7.
Jfraz says
As a previous person said , I have a camera system that requires a now forbidden active-x plugin to display. Only IE will support it. That is all I use IE for. Firefox for all else. I hope turning the redirect option off in Edge will work, otherwise I will uninstall Edge.
Microsoft is trying to be Apple with their “We don’t support it anymore, sorry” attitude.
Eric G Hall says
I need a way to stop microsoft edge from trying to replace internet explorer. My Security system uses internet explorer and works great on my old PC. Microsoft edge breaks that system and disables the security system and cameras. Microsoft needs to Stop trying to change my old system to something that is not compatible with what it is used for.
Petrus says
It seems to me an abuse to remove without users giving their consent a software for which I paid. When I bought Windows 10 I also bought Internet Explorer which I used for a video surveillance system.