Microsoft Edge is the web browser officially developed and made available by Microsoft. For this reason, it is very likely that you have encountered it during the first configuration, and subsequent use, of any Windows computer, an operating system owned by the same US company. This turns out to be the only browser pre-installed on all machines based on Windows 10, 8 and 7 and also on Xbox One or, the more recent Series X and S.
However, there is also the possibility of downloading it on macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. If you have decided to open this item though, your goal is to stop using it and even remove it from your primary device. For this reason, we will explain the best methods to erase all traces of Microsoft Edge (both the classic and the new one based on Chromium) from a computer with Windows 10 and also from mobile devices based on Android and iOS (and therefore iPhone or iPad).
Before starting with the procedure, however, it is necessary to specify that, should you decide to go back, you can easily download the new version of Microsoft Edge from the official website, but unfortunately you could lose some important data saved inside it (such as password, history or other). As for the old version, there will be no way to download it again from the Web. For this reason, we will first discuss the method for creating a Windows restore point, in order to possibly "go back in time". and reporting everything just as if absolutely nothing happened.
If you want to download the browser again, all you have to do is: access the download page via any browser (for example Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Safari), press the arrow icon you find to the right of "DOWNLOAD", select the name of the operating system you are using and then confirm the start of the download by pressing on "DOWNLOAD". Once the download is complete, you will need to double click on the downloaded file and follow the classic installation wizard that will appear on the screen.
Be careful though, because the browser you install will be the new one based on Chromium. In case you want to bring back the old Edge (identified by the icon of a blue "e"), once removed, you will necessarily have to go through the restore point.
What is it and how to create a restore point
At this point we can therefore move on to the useful procedure for creating a restore point. Before doing so, however, let's try to understand what it is specifically about and why they could be useful in these situations. In fact, this presents itself as a sort of backup of the entire operating system, containing all the various settings, files and programs installed at a specific time.
Generating a restore point will therefore "freeze" the state of a Windows computer, so that, should you decide to carry out potentially dangerous operations, you can still rely on the aforementioned restore points to undo everything and restore the computer at the moment in which it was precisely “frozen”.
So you may be wondering why you would create a restore point simply to delete a program easily found online. The reason is quite straightforward to explain, but mainly concerns the case in which you want to bring back the old version of Edge (that is, always the one identified by the icon of a blue "e"). In fact, by removing this version, you will directly affect an integral part of the operating system and this could also cause more or less serious problems for the entire software. Furthermore, as previously indicated, you will not be able to download it again in any way. With that said, let's get started right away.
How to create a restore point
The restore point creation tool is installed by default on all Windows computers, so all you have to do is simply navigate through the settings of the operating system. However, we repeat again that this procedure will only be necessary if the browser to be deleted is the old version of Microsoft Edge, given that for the new one it will be sufficient to download it as previously illustrated.
To create a restore point, simply open the "Control Panel". To do this, you just have to launch the "Start" menu by pressing the Windows icon at the bottom left and then scroll through the list of all installed programs until you find the aforementioned tool. Alternatively, to speed up the search process, you can type "Create a restore point" in the text field to the right of the Windows icon and then open the first result that will appear on the screen (i.e. the setting dedicated to inside the “Control Panel”).
At this point you will find yourself in front of the "System properties" window, where you will have to access the "System protection" section. The link will be at the top, together with further useful tabs, which however will not serve in any way to complete our purpose. Now you simply have to click on “Create” at the bottom (to the right of “a restore point can be created immediately for drives with System Protection enabled”) and then choose a name for the restore point (anything will do, but it might be useful to insert the date of creation).
Now you will have to confirm the operation with “Create…” and wait for Windows to complete the creation procedure. It may take a few minutes, but the time will mainly be influenced by the amount of data stored on the computer and therefore to be stored on the "backup". Once the process is complete, the operating system itself will warn you and you simply have to finish everything by clicking on "Close".
The restore point will then be successfully created, and if you have problems removing Edge, you can use it to roll back. After permanently deleting Edge, you can decide to also delete the restore point created, or to keep it in case of need. However, remember that you can create a restore point whenever you want by performing the operations just described again.
How to remove Edge from Windows 10
At this point, you will be able to proceed with uninstalling Microsoft Edge without fear of losing any fundamental data. However, even in this it will be necessary to make a clear distinction between the two Edges still available. We are obviously talking about the new one based on Chromium and the one that is no longer even supported by Microsoft itself.
As regards the first, the procedure will be simpler and more immediate, while for the second you will again have to waste a few more moments of time to navigate through the computer settings. Obviously the procedure will affect any PC, fixed or portable, with Windows 10 on board.
The removal of the new Chromium-based Edge is done like any other program (even third-party) installed on the computer, although it is still present as standard. First of all, you will then need to access the computer settings. To do this, just press the Start icon in the lower left and then click on the gear icon on the left of the screen.
Now you just need to choose the link to the "Apps" screen and immediately move to the section dedicated to "Apps and features", shown instead in the left column of the settings window. Now you will have to look for the Microsoft Edge application among those present in the list, click on its name with the mouse and then proceed by double-clicking on "Uninstall". In case you also want to remove all browsing data, make sure you add the check mark where indicated before completing the removal.
If there is no other browser installed, the old Edge will be added to the programs immediately. This is obviously to allow you to continue browsing the internet or to download a new browser from those available online. To also remove this second automatically generated Edge, just continue reading the guide.
Before explaining how to do it, however, we would like to specify that, if you proceed without having first installed a working browser, you could find yourself in front of a computer without any possibility of surfing the Internet, therefore, make sure you already have usable alternatives. Also, remember that a restore point, already analyzed in the previous paragraphs, can be very useful at this juncture.
The removal of the old Edge is unfortunately not possible through standard procedures, but requires a free program (not officially distributed by Microsoft, but still reliable) easily available online by clicking on this link. Immediately after starting its download via the link highlighted by "Click here to download the file", just double-click on its icon (.zip file) to start the uninstall procedure.
After opening the zip file, you will need to right-click the Uninstall Edge program (which will now be a .cmd file) and then proceed with "Run as administrator". Now you just need to confirm everything by clicking on "Yes" and the command prompt will automatically appear which will perform the whole procedure automatically. A few moments later the removal will be completed and you will only have to restart the PC.
Remove Edge from Android
Before closing with the guide, we also dedicate a few paragraphs to the procedure for removing Edge from mobile devices. In particular, let's start with Android. As you surely know, each brand that uses Android on smartphones and tablets has its own interface, which makes the method of deleting installed applications different. However, there is a more "universal" method that actually varies little from one device to another.
In case you are already used to removing applications from your Device, then you can easily proceed in the same way for Edge, otherwise you can do it through the operating system settings. Once open, you will need to search for and open the screen dedicated to "Applications", "Apps" or "Installed apps". Now just tap on Microsoft Edge, choose "Uninstall" and immediately confirm the thing in the warning that will appear.
Alternatively, you can also try holding down its icon in the all applications menu for a few moments and then dragging it to the trash icon that will appear at the top or bottom of the screen (this method may not be available on all the interfaces). The Edge app will be removed from your Android smartphone or tablet immediately, but it can still be downloaded and reinstalled (and free) by simply logging into the Google Play Store.
Remove Edge from iOS
On iOS however, the procedure will be even simpler and more trivial. In this case, in fact, only iPhones and iPads, produced by Apple itself, will be equipped with them. As a result, the steps you need to follow will look exactly the same on any device. The only distinction can be made on the version of the operating system, given that the "App Library" was introduced starting from iOS 14, within which all the apparently removed applications could end up.
If you already have this version, what you will have to do is look for the Microsoft Edge icon among the Home applications and hold down on it for a few moments. At this point an options menu will appear, in which you will have to tap on the "Remove app" item and then on "Remove app" highlighted in red.
If, on the other hand, you can't find the app on the home screen, then you'll have to go to the "App library", which is the screen on the last page on the right of the Home. Here you can use the search field above to type the name of Microsoft Edge and then repeat the steps seen above.
On previous versions of iOS 14, just hold down the Edge icon for a few moments, continue by tapping on the "X" that will appear in the upper corner and confirm with the removal by pressing on the item highlighted in red. Just like for Android, you can still download the Edge application again for free and easily via the App Store.
Obviously the same steps will also apply if you want to permanently delete the app also on the iPad, equipped with iPadOS, and on the iPod Touch, which instead has the same interface that we have always found on the iPhone.