Though Microsoft Edge is now the default browser for Home windows 10, Microsoft nonetheless contains Web Explorer for legacy assist. What are these legacy “functions” and is it protected to disable IE? On this article, I’ll reply these questions and listing extra advantages to turning off Web Explorer.
Reasons To Disable Internet Explorer In Windows 10
1 – Disk space
When Web Explorer is turned off you unlock about 150 MB in your hard disk.
Free disk space with IE11 turned on
Free disk area with IE11 turn-off
2 – Safety
All software program and browsers, generally, have safety vulnerabilities. By disabling Web Explorer, it’s one much less software program package deal to replace and one much less utility that may be exploited — thus, making your system safer.
3 – Fewer Menu Objects
With Web Explorer enabled, sure context menu objects might be seen. For instance, the menu merchandise Open with Web Explorer. As soon as Web Explorer is disabled, these menu objects are now not seen. Good for these of us preferring minimalism.
Reasons to Not Disable Internet Explorer (Microsoft Edge) In Windows 10
Web Explorer has been round since 1995 and plenty of legacy web pages/internet functions nonetheless depend on the browser to perform correctly. Under are the most typical issues to examine earlier than disabling IE11.
1 – ActiveX
In all probability the most typical ActiveX management is Oracle’s Java ActiveX for legacy functions. Web Explorer is the final browser to assist Oracle Java in a browser. Firefox 54 and later dropped assist for an previous Netscape expertise NPAPI and Chrome dropped assist for NPAPI in model 45 in 2015.
A great instance of what may break is older Cisco routers. They’ll require ActiveX to load its internet administrator console which is Java ActiveX/NPAPI.
2 – SilverLight
Though Microsoft’s Flash competitor SilverLight will exit of assist in October 2021, many web sites nonetheless require it, and Web Explorer to perform correctly.
3 – Legacy Intranet Company Purposes
At its peak, Web Explorer was extraordinarily standard and plenty of company intranet websites had been constructed across the browser. Some might require the Web Explorer agent string to render correctly. If that’s the case together with your firm web site, you may modify all trendy browsers to current itself as Web Explorer by changing the user agent string. If the location was utilizing an IE-specific perform, nonetheless, altering the consumer agent string is not going to work. It’s a easy check both approach and maybe you would possibly simply get fortunate with a easy agent string change.
4 – Web websites
Though it’s finest apply to construct an internet site to be browser-agnostic, there are doubtless just a few on the market that may require Web Explorer. Authorities websites, for instance, had been generally constructed and by no means up to date. I’ve examined just a few in my space and found they only work with Web Explorer, typically associated to Java which matches again to ActiveX/NPAPI assist or .utility internet apps particular for IE.
5 – HTA
An HTA (HTML Utility) solely works with Web Explorer. Sorry…
In the event you’re unsure should you want Web Explorer or not, I’d suggest merely disabling Internet Explorer and testing your regular websites. In the event you run into points, worse-case you may simply re-enable the browser. Nonetheless, for many of us on the market, you have to be simply positive. Not solely will your Home windows 10 set up be safer, however it’s going to even be a bit quicker, light-weight and with extra accessible disk area.
If in case you have any questions or different causes to maintain IE11 turned on Home windows 10, depart a remark under or be a part of the dialogue in our Windows 10 Forum.
Read More: