You can uninstall Microsoft Edge, but the process depends on your operating system

Microsoft Edge comes built into Windows 10 and Windows 11, and removing it is straightforward on either system. On Windows 10, you uninstall it through Settings like any other program. On Windows 11, Edge is more tightly integrated into the operating system, so the uninstall option may not appear in Settings — but you can still remove it using PowerShell, which is a command-line tool built into Windows.

Before you uninstall, close Edge completely. If it is running in the background, the uninstall will fail or only partially complete. You should also know that some Windows features depend on Edge's underlying engine, so removing it entirely may affect how some links open or how certain web content displays in other programs.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows 10, uninstall Edge through Settings > Apps > Apps and features, find Microsoft Edge, and select Uninstall.
  • On Windows 11, the uninstall option may not appear in Settings, so you will need to use PowerShell with a specific command to remove it.
  • Close Edge completely before attempting to uninstall, or the process will not work.
  • Removing Edge entirely can affect how your system opens links and displays web content in other programs.
  • If you change your mind, you can reinstall Edge from the Microsoft website or through the Microsoft Store.

Uninstalling Edge on Windows 10

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then press Enter. Once Settings opens, select Apps from the left menu, then select Apps and features. Scroll down the list of installed programs until you find Microsoft Edge.

Click on Microsoft Edge to highlight it, then click the Uninstall button that appears. A confirmation window will ask if you want to remove this app and its data — click Uninstall again. Windows will remove Edge from your computer. The process usually takes less than a minute. Once it finishes, you can close Settings.

Uninstalling Edge on Windows 11

Windows 11 does not always show an Uninstall button for Edge in Settings because it is considered a system component. If you open Settings > Apps > Apps and features and search for Microsoft Edge, you may see only a Repair or Reset option, not Uninstall. In that case, you will need to use PowerShell instead.

Right-click the Windows Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin) — the exact name depends on your Windows 11 version. If a User Account Control window appears asking for permission, click Yes. Once the command window opens, type or paste this command exactly:

Get-AppxPackage -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Remove-AppxPackage

Press Enter and wait. The command will run silently with no progress bar. It may take a minute or two. Once the cursor returns to a new line, the uninstall is complete. Close the PowerShell window.

What happens to your system after Edge is removed

After uninstalling Edge, Windows will use your default browser (such as Chrome or Firefox) to open links from emails, documents, and other programs. However, some older Windows features and built-in tools may not work as smoothly without Edge's underlying engine present. For example, some help files or system dialogs that rely on web rendering may display incorrectly or not at all.

If you notice that links do not open or web content does not display properly in other programs after removing Edge, you can reinstall it. read Edge from microsoft.com/edge or search for Microsoft Edge in the Microsoft Store and select Install. Reinstalling takes just a few minutes.

If you want to keep Edge but stop it from opening automatically

If you do not want to remove Edge entirely but straightforward want to prevent it from launching on startup or opening links by default, you have other options. You can change your default browser in Settings without uninstalling Edge — this tells Windows to use a different browser for links and web content.

To change your default browser, open Settings, go to Apps > Default apps, and select your preferred browser from the list. Edge will remain installed on your computer but will not open unless you click it directly. This approach avoids the potential system issues that can come with removing Edge entirely.

Reinstalling Edge if you change your mind

If you uninstall Edge and later decide you want it back, reinstalling is straightforward. Visit microsoft.com/edge in whatever browser you are currently using, and click the read button. The installer will read and run automatically. Follow the on-screen prompts, and Edge will be restored to your computer within a few minutes.

Alternatively, open the Microsoft Store (search for "Microsoft Store" in your Start menu), search for Microsoft Edge, and click Install. Both methods restore Edge to its original state with no settings or history carried over from before you removed it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will uninstalling Edge break Windows or cause problems?

Uninstalling Edge will not break Windows itself, but some system features that depend on Edge's rendering engine may not work as smoothly. Most users do not notice a difference. If you do experience issues with links or web content not displaying, reinstalling Edge usually fixes them.

Can I uninstall Edge on a work or school computer?

If your computer is managed by an organization, your administrator may have locked Edge so it cannot be uninstalled. If the uninstall option does not appear or the process fails, contact your IT department or system administrator — they control what can be removed.

Does uninstalling Edge free up disk space?

Yes, removing Edge frees up a small amount of storage — typically between 300 and 500 megabytes depending on your Windows version. If you are trying to free up significant space, uninstalling unused programs is helpful, but Edge alone will not make a large difference on most computers.

What if the PowerShell command does not work on Windows 11?

If the command returns an error, make sure you opened PowerShell as Administrator (right-click and select "Run as administrator"). Also verify you typed the command exactly as shown. If it still does not work, try the Settings method again — some Windows 11 updates have made the Uninstall button available where it was previously hidden.

Can I uninstall Edge on a Mac?

Edge on macOS is not a system component like it is on Windows, so you can uninstall it normally. Open Finder, go to Applications, find Microsoft Edge, right-click it, and select Move to Trash. Then empty your Trash to complete the removal.