How do I... Uninstall Microsoft Internet Explorer 7?

by Mark Kaelin | Nov 16, 2006 7:00:00 PM

Tags: Web browsers, Mark Kaelin, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, Web browser, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Windows, Windows Registry, Click Start

Takeaway: Contrary to common mythology, it is indeed possible to uninstall Microsoft Internet Explorer 7. Mark Kaelin shows you how in this step-by-step guide.

This article is also available as a TechRepublic download.

The venerable Web browser continues to evolve. No longer just an application for displaying HTML, the Web browser now has to handle JavaScript, PHP, Java, Active X controls, loosely coupled Web services, plug-ins, multimedia, XML, RSS feeds and more. The Web browser has become an integral part of the total computer experience. All of those expectations make choosing a preferred browser more important than many ever thought it would or should be.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) and Mozilla Firefox 2 are the latest Web browser contenders for your attention (apologies to fans of Opera and other Web browsers, but these are the two that garner the most attention). Many of us have tried both and made a decision about which is the browser of choice.

If you have chosen Firefox 2, then you may want to uninstall IE7. But this brings up two questions: Can you uninstall IE7 and if you can how do you do it? The answers are: Yes, you can and here's how.

Uninstall IE7

If your installation of IE7 was successful and uneventful, then uninstalling it is relatively simple process. The following steps will uninstall IE7 and restore IE 6.

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Add or Remove Programs.
3. Scroll down to Windows Internet Explorer 7, click it, and then click Change/Remove.

If for some reason Windows Internet Explorer 7 does not appear in the Add or Remove Programs, you should:

1. Open Windows Explorer
2. Click Tools | Folder Options
3. Click the View tab
4. Make sure the radio button next to Show hidden files and folders is on
5. Click OK
6. Click Start, and then click Run
7. Type: %windir%\ie7\spuninst\spuninst.exe into the text box and click Enter

Specified user account

In some cases, you may get an error message when you try to uninstall IE7 that says you cannot uninstall from a specified user account. To get around this check you will have to edit the Windows Registry.

Warning: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can cause the Windows operating system to stop functioning completely. This is a advanced operation and you are encouraged to back up the Windows Registry before you attempt any editing of the file. You have been warned.

Bypass the user account check with this Windows Registry edit:

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer.
3. Right-click the Internet Explorer key, click New, and then click DWORD value.
4. Type InstalledByUser as the name, and then press ENTER to finish creating the new registry value.
5. Try to uninstall Internet Explorer 7 again.

More help

If you find yourself still needing help uninstalling Internet Explorer 7, check out the IE7 release notes found on the Microsoft MSDN Web site.

Print/View all Posts Comments on this article

Which Web browser have you settled on? Mark W. Kaelin | 11/16/06

Firefox onbliss | 11/16/06

Choice johncart@... | 11/16/06

Find Feature wil2liv | 11/17/06

Extensions BadMansAngel | 11/17/06

IE Tab Extension chrisa@... | 01/17/07

No one needs IE !!!! colurq | 01/17/07

Message has been deleted. User.Booted | 04/26/07

Don't SciFiMan | 11/16/06

You mean tpenuurnvp@... | 11/16/06

better than IE6 SciFiMan | 11/17/06

kidding. right? kdg138 | 11/17/06

think they meant ignore once installed Neon Samurai | 01/17/07

Sometimes you have to... smilewsk@... | 11/17/06

IE7 does break some things SciFiMan | 11/17/06

IE7 Breaks CSS oldcrow74 | 01/17/07

yes mindilator@... | 01/19/07

Firefox with IE tabs? Neon Samurai | 01/17/07

The critical part is a feature that traps illegal software as well SentryWatch | 01/17/07

Not my job Jambalaya Breath | 07/13/07

My order of choice Sultan_Emerr | 11/16/06

Converted j.g.j@... | 11/16/06

firefox extensions for internet explorer eldergabriel@... | 11/17/06

Firefox since 1.1 Tony Hopkinson | 11/16/06

Lost my IE bigbigboss | 11/16/06

How can you lose IE? TechLizard | 11/17/06

But that's a command line Jambalaya Breath | 07/13/07

FireFox Whitz3nd | 11/17/06

Equal Opportunity? cyberjunkie21 | 11/17/06

That is not the whole story... muto@... | 11/17/06

More story kandrolewicz@... | 11/17/06

Disgrace to Consulting rickk@... | 11/20/06

adobe jc@... | 11/20/06

Firefox is the only browser for me Antagonist | 11/17/06

Maxthon 2.0 running on IE7 Totohydra | 11/17/06

Maxthon .. now you're talking eaglewolf | 11/20/06

What? No "no-scripts'? Jambalaya Breath | 07/13/07

MAXTHON 2.0 Lost Cause? | 01/23/07

Another vote for Firefox dbielaski@... | 11/17/06

ie7 breaks some 3rd party apps eldergabriel@... | 11/17/06

IE7 broke Sid Meir's Pirates! Locrian_Lyric | 09/11/07

That is just part of the uninstall story... muto@... | 11/17/06

Firefox Since 0.7, Fav Exts. Links TBBrick | 11/17/06

pretty split here thom_stewart | 11/17/06

FireFox D0M1N8R | 11/17/06

Opera fan. . . bkinsey@... | 11/20/06

Staying with IE6 for now... pyropakjim@... | 11/20/06

Have Your Recovery Disk Ready d.oltmann@... | 11/29/06

removing IE7 rdball00@... | 11/29/06

Firefox Lynne's Honey | 11/29/06

There is another way to install IE7 SentryWatch | 01/17/07

Thanks, Mark - have used this several times now smr19 | 01/17/07

Firefox more often since IE7 was forced Neon Samurai | 01/17/07

I need IE6 for company websites! dpresley_50201@... | 01/29/07

Use the Restore Point to go back to IE6 SentryWatch | 01/30/07

Try IE Tab When You Get Back to IE 6 TBBrick | 03/19/07

FireFox tech@... | 04/23/07

Firefox (almost) all the way Jambalaya Breath | 07/13/07

Now...You DID NOT mean to say... TechExec2 | 11/16/06

yep, php is _server_ side eldergabriel@... | 11/17/06

Got a little carried away Mark W. Kaelin | 11/20/06

You mean... jck | 11/16/06

Wrong! rickk@... | 11/20/06

StandAlone IE7 gary.keegan@... | 11/17/06

IE7 rbest@... | 11/17/06

Does this work on Vista too? tinyang73 | 11/17/06

Good question Mark W. Kaelin | 11/17/06

Correct sjh_vt | 11/20/06

SharePoint and IE7 Juan C Sanchez | 11/17/06

Lynx Rox bitbucketboy | 11/17/06

IE7 1cheyenne2 | 11/20/06

IE7 - Add To Favorites bohig@... | 11/20/06

IE7 Add to my Favorites rokkyofnh2@... | 03/17/07

Did install IE7 but.... ang2006 | 11/20/06

WHY IS IT "CRITICAL" ? blarman | 11/20/06

Completely Disagree rickk@... | 11/20/06

IE 7 is a security upgrade Tony Hopkinson | 11/29/06

Blecch!! Tink! | 12/18/06

Firefox Basics FYI TBBrick | 03/19/07

Unistall IE7 on Vista!!! danparadis@... | 09/11/07

sub way eat fresh smily_558@... | 12/02/07

sub way eat fresh its freshly preperad right in front of you !!! smily_558@... | 12/02/07

spongebob smily_558@... | 12/02/07