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In Microsoft Intune, create a Windows 10 and later > Settings catalog profile and enable Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer > Disable Internet Explorer 11 as a standalone browser. This redirects IE11 launch attempts to Microsoft Edge Stable while allowing supported legacy sites to run in Edge Internet Explorer (IE) mode. Configure and test IE mode before assigning the disablement policy broadly.

The Microsoft policy name is not “Browser App.” Its Policy CSP name is DisableInternetExplorerApp. Microsoft documents the setting and redirect behavior at Disable Internet Explorer 11 and in the InternetExplorer Policy CSP.

What the Intune policy actually does

Enabling the setting prevents Internet Explorer 11 from opening as an independent browser. Launches through Start, iexplore.exe, shortcuts, and relevant file associations are redirected to Microsoft Edge Stable; IE-related Start-menu and taskbar entries are removed as part of that redirect experience. Edge Stable must be installed for the policy to take effect.

This policy does not uninstall every Internet Explorer component and does not disable Edge IE mode. IE mode is the supported compatibility path for sites that still require legacy rendering. A separate policy is needed if your objective is also to block IE mode or IE-related automation.

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Redirect notification choices

  • Never: redirect without notifying the user.
  • Always: show a message on every redirect.
  • Once per user: show the message only on the first redirect.

Prerequisites and compatibility

  • Target devices must be enrolled in Intune and assigned to the profile.
  • Install Microsoft Edge Stable on every target device.
  • Use a supported Windows edition and servicing level. The Policy CSP lists support for Windows 10 version 1903 build 10.0.18362.1350 and later, Windows 10 version 2004 with KB4598291 or later, and documented supported Windows Server builds; verify the exact applicability in the Policy CSP.
  • Inventory websites and applications that still require IE behavior.
  • Create or validate an Enterprise Mode Site List when sites need automatic IE-mode handling.
  • Use a pilot device or user group before production assignment.

Configure IE mode before disabling IE11

Do this work first for any business-critical legacy application. Microsoft’s IE mode policy guidance describes the related policies.

Set the Edge integration level

Configure the Microsoft Edge policy Configure Internet Explorer integration as Internet Explorer mode. Its policy value is InternetExplorerIntegrationLevel=1; 0 means None and 2 means the obsolete Internet Explorer 11 option. Edge must be restarted after policy changes. See InternetExplorerIntegrationLevel.

Publish an Enterprise Mode Site List

Configure Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List with the location of your XML file, for example https://intranet.example.com/iemode/sitelist.xml. The corresponding policy value is SOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftEdgeInternetExplorerIntegrationSiteList. This policy is mandatory when used and also requires an Edge restart. Details are in Microsoft’s Enterprise Mode Site List documentation.

Use selective redirection only when appropriate

Redirect sites from Internet Explorer can move selected incompatible or site-list-defined traffic to Edge. It is not equivalent to disabling the standalone browser: DisableInternetExplorerApp redirects all IE11 activity, while the redirect policy is selective. See RedirectSitesFromInternetExplorerRedirectMode.

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Deploy the setting from the Intune Settings catalog

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center.
  2. Go to Devices > Manage devices > Configuration.
  3. Select Create > New policy.
  4. Choose Platform: Windows 10 and later and Profile type: Settings catalog.
  5. Name the profile, such as Windows - Disable IE11 Standalone - Pilot, and select Next.
  6. Select Add settings and search for Disable Internet Explorer or standalone browser.
  7. Open Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer.
  8. Select Disable Internet Explorer 11 as a standalone browser, set it to Enabled, and choose the notification behavior if shown.
  9. Continue through scope tags and assignments. Assign the profile to the pilot group first, then select Review + create.
  10. After testing, expand the assignment to production device or user groups.

Settings catalog is the preferred current workflow for built-in Windows ADMX-backed settings and normally requires neither downloaded ADMX files nor custom XML. Microsoft’s guidance is available in Use ADMX templates on Windows devices in Intune.

Device or user scope

The CSP exposes both scopes:

  • ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/DisableInternetExplorerApp applies to every user of a managed computer.
  • ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/DisableInternetExplorerApp follows an assigned user across devices.

Choose device scope for a computer-wide control and user scope when the requirement follows the person. Avoid conflicting device and user assignments until precedence has been tested.

OMA-URI fallback when the setting is unavailable

If the setting is not exposed in your tenant’s Settings catalog, a custom profile can target the Policy CSP. This is a fallback, not the preferred method.

Scope OMA-URI
Device ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/DisableInternetExplorerApp
User ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/DisableInternetExplorerApp

Use data type String and an ADMX-backed payload such as:

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<data id="DisableInternetExplorerApp" value="1"/>

The CSP identifies this as an ADMX-backed chr setting. Intune may require XML encoding or CDATA, and the exact custom-profile interface can change. Test the payload on a pilot device. The older Intune Templates > Administrative Templates profile is deprecated and read-only; use Settings catalog first.

Verify the deployment

Check Intune status

  • Review the profile’s assignment, device configuration status, per-setting status, and last device check-in.
  • Look for conflicts, errors, and whether the device or user version was assigned.
  • On Windows, open Settings > Accounts > Access work or school, select the work account, choose Info, and use the management sync option.

Test redirects and IE mode

  1. Restart Edge after changing Edge policies.
  2. Launch Internet Explorer from Start and run iexplore.exe.
  3. Open an old .url shortcut or application association that previously invoked IE.
  4. Confirm that Edge opens rather than a standalone IE window.
  5. Open a known legacy site and verify that it runs in IE mode.
  6. Review edge://policy for the integration and site-list policies.

For unexplained errors, review Event Viewer and Intune device-management diagnostics. Microsoft documents the redirect outcome, but the exact troubleshooting sequence depends on tenant, Windows build, and application behavior.

Troubleshoot common failures

The setting is missing

  • Confirm the profile is Windows 10 and later > Settings catalog, not the deprecated template profile.
  • Search both “Disable Internet Explorer” and “standalone browser.”
  • Check that the platform and Windows servicing level are supported.
  • Use the CSP fallback only after confirming the setting is genuinely unavailable.

IE still appears to launch

  • Confirm Edge Stable is installed and the device has checked in.
  • Check assignments and conflicting policies.
  • Restart Edge or Windows where required.
  • Determine whether an application is using COM automation rather than a normal browser launch.

The standalone-browser setting does not block IE11 COM automation. Microsoft documents a separate Disable Internet Explorer 11 Launch Via COM Automation policy; current CSP documentation lists support beginning with Windows 11 version 24H2 and KB5064081 or later. Check the Policy CSP before using it.

Legacy sites stop working

  • Verify that IE mode was configured before IE11 was disabled.
  • Check that the site is in the Enterprise Mode Site List and that its URL is reachable.
  • Validate the XML and restart Edge after site-list changes.
  • Test for unsupported ActiveX, proprietary plug-ins, COM integrations, or applications that call iexplore.exe directly.

A temporary exception is needed

Use a narrowly scoped, time-limited exclusion group. Record the application owner and remediation date, then retest after Windows and Edge servicing changes. Do not leave the entire organization unassigned because one application is unfinished.

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Group Policy equivalent

For devices managed through Active Directory, the equivalent path is:

Computer Configuration
  > Administrative Templates
    > Windows Components
      > Internet Explorer
        > Disable Internet Explorer 11 as a standalone browser

The same Never, Always, and Once per user notification choices apply. Use Intune for cloud-managed devices and domain Group Policy for fleets already governed effectively by on-premises AD.

Choose the right approach

Approach Best fit Main trade-off
Intune Settings catalog Managed Windows devices Requires Edge and supported policy servicing
Custom OMA-URI Tenants missing the catalog setting XML and encoding errors are easy to introduce
On-premises Group Policy Active Directory-managed fleets Does not directly manage cloud-only devices
Edge selective redirect Gradual migration Does not redirect all standalone IE activity
IE mode with site list Organizations retaining legacy web apps Requires inventory, XML maintenance, and testing
Application replacement Long-term modernization Can be costly and time-consuming

Important boundary: disabling IE11 is not removing all IE compatibility

If the requirement is to eliminate both standalone IE11 and Edge IE mode, configure the relevant Edge integration and site-list policies separately. Conversely, if legacy sites remain, disabling IE11 without a tested IE-mode plan can interrupt business workflows. The policy is a launch restriction and redirect, not a blanket claim that every IE component has been uninstalled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this policy uninstall Internet Explorer?

No. It prevents IE11 from launching as a standalone browser and redirects launches to Edge. It does not establish that every Internet Explorer component is removed.

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Will IE mode still work?

Yes, provided Edge IE mode is configured and the site is supported or included in the Enterprise Mode Site List.

Can I target selected users or devices?

Yes. Assign a user-scoped or device-scoped Settings catalog profile to the appropriate Intune group, and test precedence if both scopes are used.

Does this block IE COM automation?

No. Use the separate COM-automation policy where the target Windows build supports it.

Should I use Settings catalog or OMA-URI?

Use Settings catalog first. OMA-URI is a fallback when the built-in setting is unavailable and requires careful XML encoding and testing.

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