Resolved Removing Microsoft Edge browser from Windows 10

I installed the latest update of Windows 10 this evening. When I restarted the computer it appeared that I had lost a huge percentage of my programs and other items such as my photos, music files, etc. I seemed to me that I now had to endure the biggest computer disaster I've ever had. However, I restarted the computer once more and lo and behold all was well. Phew!
Now, of course, I decided to uninstall the Edge browser, as I had done in previous updates without any negative results. I've used Revo uninstaller Pro for years and it always uninstalled Edge without any ill effects at all. I'm just wondering if there's anything in the latest Edge which might make uninstalling it problematic. All the information previous to my successful uninstallations said that since Edge was now integrated with the Windows build itself it could NOT be uninstalled without damaging Windows.
Does anyone know of any good reason as to why I can't continue uninstalling the latest Edge successfully with Revouninstaller? Thanks.

 

"Now, of course"? I don't understand why you would express it that way - as if removing Edge was a normal process most users would do - for it sure is not. There really is no reason to uninstall Edge. If you would rather use a different browser, Windows happily lets you.

You ask if anyone knows of any good reason why you can't uninstall it, I know of no good reason to uninstall it. It is a core component of Windows. Sadly, I have not seen any definitive current data from Microsoft, or from any reliable source that claims how, or if it truly is totally safe. So I say, if you don't like it, just don't use it. It does not hurt anything to leave it.

 

The reason I've always uninstalled it was because it was superfluous to my needs and I would not be using it. Keeping programs I never use is like keeping junk. I'm better off without junk and happier with Google Chrome. The reason I'm asking the question here is that I'm being led to believe you can't uninstall it without causing trouble - despite the fact that I've uninstalled every imposition of Edge since it was incorporated into Windows update.

 

When I go to Control Panel/Programs and features, if I click on MS Edge it says I can uninstall it. Got the popup window and all. Didn't do it. I just left it.

 

Here's an article from Microsoft which says that it can't be uninstalled:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...oft-edge-ee150b3b-7d7a-9984-6d83-eb36683d526d

 

This is worth reading:https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateof...-with-bold-new-browser-moves/?sh=5ae704415bb7
Followed by this:https://www.zdnet.com/article/bye-b...s-to-help-you-switch-to-the-new-edge-browser/
I use FF.

 

I haven't yet uninstalled Edge, retiredlearner, so maybe I'll hang on to it after reading your first link above and give it a try.

 

In general, I agree 100% with this. But Edge is not an extra program Microsoft just tossed in the box. As I said above, it is a core component of the OS. Okay, not "core" in the sense it is absolutely essential to the OS. But as noted in Tony's Life Hacker link, it is needed to run some Microsoft apps.

If you don't smoke, do you remove the cigarette lighter (the socket too) and ashtrays from your car? Or just don't use them? If you only use HDMI do remove DisplayPort and VGA from your graphics card or motherboard and monitors? If you only use cable to watch TV do you remove the antenna connection and RF tuner from your TV? If you have a multifunction printing device (printer, scanner, copier, fax) but you never ever use the fax function, do you remove the telephone modem from the machine? If you never ever use Mail Merge or Labels in Word, do you delete those features? Or just don't use them?

My point is, you are NOT going to improve performance or free up any significant resources by removing Edge. Even using that Powershell option, it does not really or completely "remove" (as in delete) all the files associated with Edge from your computer. So any disk space you recover is essentially negligible.

You say you like Chrome better, then you really should give Edge a fair and honest chance. Forget it has the Microsoft name on it! Microsoft didn't just steal Chrome, rebrand it and call it Edge. They have actually partnered with Google to ensure Chrome add-ons and extensions work in Edge, for example. And they also work together to ensure both Chrome and Edge security stays current. But MS has also made some significant improvements that are unique to Edge and IMO (and the opinion of many others), Edge is superior to Chrome in many areas.

I used to be a die-hard IE fan. But when MS decided it needed to go, they started to neglect it. So I switched to FF. But I soon became disenchanted with FF due to its many security issues and constant discoveries of new vulnerabilities (in their defense, Mozilla is one of the best at patching those newly discovered vulnerabilities in a very timely fashion). So I switched to Pale Moon (a forked version of FF) and was very happy with it for many years. But it soon started giving me problems too - to include not working with a couple sites I needed access to.

So I switched to Chrome - reluctantly - as my primary browser. People complain about MS and privacy - MS is a saint compared to Google.

When W10 came out with the original version of Edge, I was eager to switch away from Chrome, but, like so many, was extremely disappointed with Edge. It was horrible! Worse than horrible!!! It clearly was an unfinished product, forced out by the MS marketing weenies and MS execs who wanted a new browser to go out with the new W10. This was yet another HUGE marketing blunder and pi$$poor upper management decision by MS. I know a couple of folks on the development side of MS who say they never wanted that version of Edge to go out because they knew it was not finished or ready. But they were overruled (once again) by upper management and marketing. They were instructed to release it anyway.

But MS was not done there. They [eventually - after a couple years!] wised up and totally scrapped the original Edge and replaced it with the new, Chromium Edge. Clearly one of the best decisions and marketing moves they could have made. The new Chromium based Edge is totally different and has no code in common with the old Edge.

But instead of coming up with a new name for their totally new browser, Microsoft decided, once again, to confuse users by branding a different product with the same name as another product. How dumb. You would think after the confusion Outlook, Outlook Express, Outlook.com caused, or Windows Defender, the "antispyware" program for W7 and Windows Defender the "antimalware" program for W8/W10, and all the going back and forth with various "Explorer" monikers for totally different functions, they would learn. But no!!

So what has now, and is still happening is people, aware the original Edge was a piece of "____", still associate the new, totally different, and vastly superior Edge with that same piece of "____". They shouldn't.

Another thing we, as consumers must do, is separate our biases and dislikes of the company and its marketing and upper management departments from the development/programming department. Unlike the former two, the developers and programmers at Microsoft really are some of the sharpest, and most dedicated group on the planet and really do know what they are doing. And when allowed, really do produce and put out some great software. That includes Edge - and W10 too.

So again, I would urge and recommend you (1) forget Edge is from Microsoft and (2) give it a fair and honest chance. And for sure, a fair and honest chance is not 1 or 2 days. As with any major application, it takes time to become totally familiar with it - and get used to it. Let it grow on you. You might find you actually like it. It's fast. Its secure. Its easy to use and to keep current. Its flexible with a vast array of add-ons and extensions available to it. Is it the best at everything? Of course not. No browser is.

 

Thank you, Bill, for your sound explanation and advice. I'll hold onto Edge.