So, Microsoft keeps insisting that Internet Explorer isn't available anymore in Windows 11, but I've found a way around that, although it's a bit of a hassle. I need IE for some infrastructure gear and an NVR because their web GUIs just don't play nice with Edge's IE Mode. I've been able to open IE indirectly through mRemoteNG by right-clicking on a link and selecting 'Open in new window,' which launches IE correctly. However, Windows 11 won't let me pin it to my Start menu or taskbar, and whenever I try to run it directly, it just opens Edge instead. Does anyone know a trick—or maybe a registry hack—to get direct access back to Internet Explorer? I'd love to avoid digging too deep into this if I don't have to. Help me out here!
4 Answers
You can actually create a shortcut that lets you launch Internet Explorer on-demand! Use this target in the shortcut:
`%systemroot%System32conhost.exe powershell.exe -noprofile -executionpolicy bypass -windowstyle hidden -command "(new-object -com internetexplorer.application).visible=$true"`
Just double-click that shortcut, and it should open IE for you. Give it a try!
Genius! I’ve been needing this for a while, appreciate it!
Using a server OS is another option! Windows Server 2019 and 2022 still have IE available. Setting it up as an RDS could let those who need it access it easily without too much hassle.
Spin up a Windows 7 VM? It could be a good solution if you can handle the performance issues you're facing.
Have you thought about upgrading your equipment instead? You've got some options like Synology that aren't too expensive and would give you a lot more functionality. Also, you might want to consider running a Windows 7 VM with IE since Microsoft plans to eventually kill IE off completely. Just a thought!
Replacing the hardware isn’t an option for me right now, but yeah, a VM could be a stopgap if I can manage the performance!
This worked perfectly for me! Thanks a ton!