Uninstalling EDGE

[ismalli]

What problems occur in Microsoft Windows 10 when a user uninstalls Microsoft Edge as Browser?

 

[hzy4]

You mean what apps are affected by that. I did not notice any issues with other apps after removing of Edge. I use PC mainly for browsing (chrome) and gaming. But I think IE11 is still present on the client.

 

[birdie]

Internal Windows components are never fully uninstalled - their copy is always cached in C:\Windows\WinSxS

If you want a lightweight Windows 10 install without all the crap, install Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC.

 

[MaDhAtt3R]

Why do you need to do to the extreme of uninstalling it, here's a pro tip:
Don't double click edge to open it and it won't run on your system...

 

[lexluthermiester]

Internal Windows components are never fully uninstalled - their copy is always cached in C:\Windows\WinSxS

That can be removed as well. However, Windows does not run code from that directory unless the "Trusted Installer" user privilege is invoked which only happens during an update.

If you want a lightweight Windows 10 install without all the crap, install Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC.

This is a valid option, but make sure you buy a key for it.

Why do you need to do to the extreme of uninstalling it, here's a pro tip:
Don't double click edge to open it and it won't run on your system...

Incorrect. Edge will load and run in the background automatically if not removed.

 

[bug]

What problems occur in Microsoft Windows 10 when a user uninstalls Microsoft Edge as Browser?

When Windows redirects you to Microsoft tech pages, it usually does this by opening Edge, disregarding your default browser. That's the only thing I can think of that could be affected by removing Edge.
That said, I'm happy to keep it around, just changing the default browser so I rarely have to see it. The one thing I use Edge for is its PDF viewer. It's fast and it will handle stuff that other viewers won't (e.g. forms).

 

[ismalli]

Thanks to all of you, especially bug, who saw inside each variable . . . i'small'i

 

[Frick]

Incorrect. Edge will load and run in the background automatically if not removed.

Not on my computers,and not at any computer at work either.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Not on my computers,and not at any computer at work either.

Very likely custom configurations. My above statement refers to Edge's default behavior.

 

[Frick]

Very likely custom configurations. My above statement refers to Edge's default behavior.

How do you configure that? And the machines at work has zero configuration other than blindly clicking through the setup. I occasinally use Edge at work and when I close it it's closed.

 

[lexluthermiester]

How do you configure that? And the machines at work has zero configuration other than blindly clicking through the setup. I occasinally use Edge at work and when I close it it's closed.

Maybe you should look in the Task Manager then. Edge is defaulted to load and run in the background for faster loading times. But it also does telemetry work, thus the reason to remove it.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Edge is defaulted to load and run in the background for faster loading times. But it also does telemetry work, thus the reason to remove it.

Well with just a little bit of homework we can see that several Edge components will preload, but, by default, Edge does not "run" until called up by the user.

As for telemetry, LOL. Well, lucky for us, Tin futures are down.

@ismalli - Contrary to what some folks on this site want everyone else to believe, Microsoft is not the evil Big Brother monster they claim it is. Nor do they collect "personal" data on us as some claim. Nor do they sell any information they do collect. Instead, they collect only what they need to improve the products and keep them secure. They may share that information with partners, but again, that is to improve the products. Not snoop on us. And those partners are contractually obligated to comply with the same privacy rules as Microsoft.

And of course, we can easily disable and opt out of that. See Microsoft Edge, browsing data, and privacy.

Why does Microsoft give us this control? Because unlike Google, Mozilla and others, Microsoft heard the complaints and heeded our requests because they were tried of being relentless bashed by all the MS haters who constantly bash MS (and throw in opportunistic jabs every chance they get ) because they don't trust, and are biased against MS.

Did MS used to be the an evil Big Brother? Yes! Years ago! No denying that. But after Congress, the EU and the general public made it clear that behavior would no longer be tolerated, or else, MS listened.

If someone is telling you Microsoft, Defender or Edge are spying on us, tracking everything we do, sending that information back to MS who is then selling it to others, those people are lying to you. And how do we know this? Because there are plenty of qualified experts out there constantly scrutinizing the data being sent to MS. Microsoft is protecting our passwords, contacts and personal information, and if we connect to our home network via Ethernet, the closest they know of our physical location is our PoP (point of presence), the physical location of where our ISP connects us to the Internet backbone. In my case, that is 10 miles away in the next town over!

If you are worried about telemetry, you need to be MUCH more worried about your ISP. They not only know, track, and log everything you do, they already have your real name, physical location, and your billing information to link that data to everything you do on the Internet - including who you send and receive email to and from.

And if you are REALLY worried about telemetry, throw your cell phone in the ocean. Your cell carrier knows everything your ISP does, plus who you texted, emailed and phoned. AND they know where you have been, where you are standing (including the aisle of the store you are in), the direction you are heading and how fast you are traveling.

Sure, you can remove Edge and no longer worry about the telemetry it might collect. But then what are you going to use as an alternative browser? If you are worried about your telemetry being collected, don't use Chrome or Firefox either. Stay off Facebook and Google. Disable the network connection to your TVs and other "smart" devices. Destroy your Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri devices too. They are all much worse than Edge. In fact, if you are worried about telemetry, get rid of all your electronic devices.

If you are just trying to free up resources, you don't have to remove Edge to do that.