Repair Internet Explorer

Is Internet Explorer crashing, loading slowly, or refusing to open? There are a variety of things that could be causing problems, from too many toolbars to a corrupted file. Microsoft provides several tools that can fix common problems, or you can take matters into your own hands by scanning for malware or reinstalling Internet Explorer.

Steps

Running Microsoft Fix It

  1. Visit the Fix It website in Internet Explorer. If you can open Internet Explorer, Microsoft provides several automated repair programs that can help fix issues you may be experiencing at microsoft.com/fixit/.
    • If you can't open Internet Explorer, Repair-Internet-Explorer.
  2. Select "Internet Explorer" from the list of programs. The menu underneath will show general categories of problems you may be experiencing.
  3. Select the closest approximation of the problem(s) you are experiencing.
  4. Click "Run Now" next to the suggested solutions.
  5. Follow the prompts to run the Fix It programs. You may be asked to restart your computer after running the programs.
    • If these programs don't fix your problem, Repair-Internet-Explorer.

Removing Toolbars

  1. Open Internet Explorer. Too many toolbars can cause significant performance problems with Internet Explorer. Removing toolbars you no longer use can help speed up Internet Explorer and cause it to crash less.
    • This method only works if Internet Explorer opens. If you can't get it to run, see the next section.
  2. Click the Gear button or the Tools menu.
  3. Select "Manage add-ons" from the menu.
  4. Select "Toolbars and Extensions" in the left frame. This is usually selected by default.
  5. Click the toolbar you want to remove.
  6. Click the .Disable button that appears when you select the toolbar.
  7. Repeat this for all of the toolbars you want to remove.
    • If you try to remove a toolbar but it keeps coming back, see the next section.

Removing Malware

  1. Download a few malware scanners. These are free programs that will scan your computer for malware that may be causing problems with Internet Explorer. If you can't open Internet Explorer, you'll need to download these with another browser or on another computer. Popular programs include:
    • Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
    • Spybot Search & Destroy
    • Adwcleaner
    • Lavasoft Adaware
  2. Install the anti-malware software. Install each of the programs, but don't start the scans yet.
  3. Reboot your computer in Safe Mode. This will allow the anti-malware software to detect more malware. For detailed instructions on booting in Safe Mode, click here.
    • Reboot your computer.
    • Repeatedly press F8 as the computer starts up.
    • Select Safe Mode with Networking from the Advanced Startup menu.
  4. Run each scan, removing any infected entries at the end. Each program scans for slightly different things, so it's important to run all of them.
    • If given the option, perform a Full or Deep scan instead of a Quick scan.
    • Malware scans may take a while to complete.
  5. Run an antivirus scan. While you're in Safe Mode, you should also run a full scan using your antivirus program. It may be able to detect things it normally couldn't.
  6. Reboot your computer. After running all of your scans and removing infected entries, you can reboot your computer to start Windows normally.
    • If your problems aren't fixed, see the next section.

Reinstalling Internet Explorer (Windows XP, Vista, 7)

  1. Visit the Internet Explorer download page. If Internet Explorer can't be fixed, reinstalling it may solve your problems. If you can't open Internet Explorer on your computer and don't have another browser installed, you'll need to download the installer on another computer.
    • You can find downloads for all versions of Internet Explorer at microsoft.com/download/internet-explorer.aspx
    • Windows 8 users cannot reinstall Internet Explorer. Repair-Internet-Explorer.
  2. Find the download for your version of Windows. Different versions of Internet Explorer are available for different versions of Windows. You should download the latest version that works with your operating system, even if you were using an earlier version before.
    • Windows 7 - Internet Explorer 11
    • Windows Vista - Internet Explorer 9
    • Windows XP - Internet Explorer 8
  3. Run the installer. After the installer has finished downloading, you can run it to reinstall Internet Explorer. New system files will be copied over, and any problems you were experiencing should be a thing of the past.
    • If you are still experiencing issues with Internet Explorer, Repair-Internet-Explorer.

Disabling Internet Explorer (Windows 8)

  1. Press .⊞ Win and type "windows features". Since Internet Explorer is built-in to Windows 8, you can't reinstall it. Your only option is to disable it completely. If you want to reinstall Internet Explorer, you'll need to Repair-Internet-Explorer.
  2. Click "Turn Windows features on or off".
  3. Uncheck "Internet Explorer 11" and click .OK.
  4. Restart your computer if prompted. Internet Explorer will no longer be available to use. You'll need to use another browser to surf the internet. If you want to re-enable Internet Explorer, follow the steps again and check the "Internet Explorer 11" box.

Reinstalling Windows

  1. Back up your important data. If nothing is fixing your Internet Explorer problems, reinstalling Windows may be your only option. Reinstalling Windows will cause you to lose all of your data on your windows partition, so make sure to backup anything you need to keep.
  2. Click here for details on backing up your data.
  3. Find your installation disc. You will need your Windows installation disk and product key in order to reinstall Windows.
  4. Start the installation process. Reinstalling Windows will take about an hour, and you'll need to be present to set some of the options. See the following guides for instructions on installing specific versions:

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