Force Internet Explorer 11 to open instead of Edge on Windows 10

Question

I know IE11 is retired and not advisable to use BUT I need it.

We have a test lab (closed off to the internet) for some Windows 10 PCs (for legacy applications), running Windows 10 Enterprise version 21H2.

After installing October Windows patches:

https://support.microsoft.com/help/5031356

https://support.microsoft.com/help/5031539

We now have an issue where shortcuts that usually open with IE11 now open up Microsoft Edge. We had similar issue earlier this year where upgrading the version of Edge caused this issue. After some searching on forums we put a fix in place via the group policy.

The details of the GPO are:

I know there is option to use IE mode with MS edge (currently trying to get this setup also).

I have tried Rename the BHO Folder, modify Internet Options (unticking option "Enable third-party browser extensions"), default browser is already set to IE11, setting in Edge "Let Internet Explorer open sites in Microsoft Edge" is set to "Never" and unable to uninstall Edge as we use that also.

I have also tried the below command in CMD.exe doesn't work either:

"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" https://some.webiste.com

Edge version we are running is 92.0.902.84 (Official build) (64-bit)

I have solution via Stack Exchange from user markalex (thanks!)

You can create vbs file with the following context (change very-old-site.example.com to your address):

Set objIE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
objIE.Navigate "very-old-site.example.com"
objIE.Visible = 1

Which works for each URL defined in the vbs script.

Please let me know if there is another setting or tweak I could use to get desktop shortcuts opening in IE11 thanks guys!

Answer 1

Unselecting "Enable third-party browser extensions" option had worked but does not work anymore.

KB5031355 (Windows Server, October 10, 2023) notices that "certain versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer have reached end of servicing".

Therefore, the simplest solution may be uninstalling KB5031356 (Windows 10, October 10, 2023) and then unselecting "Enable third-party browser extensions" option.

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On the other hand, as you wrote, you can use a VBS or PowerShell script for opening Internet Explorer, instead of redirecting to Edge.

• VBS Script
  1. Create .vbs file with the script below.
  2. Run VBS file.
  3. Internet Explorer will be started (but will not go to foreground).

Set ie = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
ie.Navigate "about:blank"
ie.Visible = 1

• PowerShell script
  1. Create .bat file with the script below.
  2. Run BAT file.
  3. Internet Explorer will be started.

@PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Command New-Object -COMObject InternetExplorer.Application -Property @{Navigate2='about:blank'; Visible=1}

@PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass is also possible.

If you want to pin the batch file to taskbar or start menu, create a shortcut with the following script instead of the above BAT file.

cmd /c "@PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Command New-Object -COMObject InternetExplorer.Application -Property @{Navigate2='about:blank'; Visible=1}"

Note that InPrivate browsing seems to be impossible under these methods. InPrivate browsing was possible by iexplore.exe -private about:blank, which does not work anymore.

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Some articles in Chinese web report that IE can be re-enabled by replacing the following files with old ones.

• C:\Windows\System32\ieframe.dll
• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ieframe.dll

You can try this method if you are not satisfied with the script-based method.

KB5031356 (Windows 10, October 10, 2023) comes with the 11.0.19041.3570 version of ieframe.dll. Prior versions may be needed for this method.