REINSTALL INTERNET EXPLORER
Finally, if none of the above options worked and you still can't get Internet Explorer to open, you need to fully reinstall Internet Explorer.
Since the web browser is included as a Windows feature, you can't uninstall it and reinstall it like a normal app. Instead, you need to disable and then reenable it as a Windows feature. To do that:
- Go into the Control Panel and select Programs and Features.
- Then select Turn Windows features on or off.
- In the Windows Features window, you'll see Internet Explorer enabled. Disable it, and select OK.
- Reboot the computer to finalize the uninstall. Once your computer reboots, repeat the above steps and reenable Internet Explorer. You'll need to restart your computer one more time to finish the reinstallation.
RESET INTERNET EXPLORER SETTINGS
- Open your computer's Control Panel and select Internet Options.
- Select the Advanced tab. Under the Reset Internet Explorer settings section, select Reset.
- Enable Delete personal settings. Select Reset to finish the IE reset process.
- Once Internet Explorer resets, restart your computer and try opening it again. If it works, then you've resolved the issue.
UPDATE INTERNET EXPLORER
If resetting Internet Explorer doesn't work, you may need to update it. You can repair your installation by visiting the Microsoft website and downloading the latest update. Once you install the latest update, restart your computer. This should replace any Internet Explorer DLL files that might have been corrupted by malicious software.
Even if resetting or updating Internet Explorer settings fixes the issue, you may still have malicious software on your computer. It's a good idea to run a full antivirus scan.
Internet Explorer Not Opening
If you've gotten this far in this article, you should find that Internet Explorer is working fine again.
To avoid the issue from happening again, make sure to install good antivirus and anti-malware scanning software. Also, ensure that Internet Explorer is still working after you run Windows updates. If it isn't, you can use the steps listed above to fix it again.