There is a bug that causes Internet Explorer 11 to crash in some versions of Windows 10/11 and Windows Server. The following is a full list of the affected versions according to Microsoft:
- Windows 10/11 Version 1809
- Windows 10/11 Enterprise LTSC 2019
- Windows 10/11 Version 1803
- Windows 10/11 Version 1709
- Windows 10/11 Version 1703
- Windows 10/11 Version 1607
- Windows 10/11 Enterprise LTSC 2016
- Server: Windows Server 2019
- Windows Server 2016
Internet Explorer crashing is not new, and most users of the browser have learned to tolerate this annoying situation. They wait for Microsoft to work its magic or remedy the situation themselves. This latest bug affecting Internet Explorer 11 falls into the last category because there are simple and proven ways to get around it. We will show you how.
How to Fix the Internet Explorer 11 Bug in Windows 10/11
The Internet Explorer 11 bug mostly happens when the browser’s default search engine is incorrectly set or not set at all. This has been confirmed by Microsoft which has since released the following official statement: “Internet Explorer 11 may fail to open if Default Search Provider is not set or is malformed.”
On June 11, the company noted on its official site that it had resolved the issue through the security update KB4503327. But this patch, having only been released a few days ago, may not be of help to most Internet Explorer users because it might take a while before everyone gets it on their computer. And that’s where we come in. The following are several solutions that will help you resolve the issue:
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1. Set a Default Search Engine
This solution comes from Microsoft’s status page. The following are the steps to take:
- Open the Command Prompt and type “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe”.
- Once Internet Explorer has opened, go to the Settings menu and select Manage add-ons.
- Click on Search Providers in the left pane and select the link Find more search providers. This link is found in the bottom left of the dialog.
- On the new Internet Explorer window that opens, select the search provider of your choice.
After this, close Internet Explorer and relaunch it to check whether the issue has been resolved.
2. Launch Internet Explorer with a URL as an Argument
Launching Internet Explorer with a URL as an argument will bypass the default search provider. This may fix the Internet Explorer 11 bug in Windows 10/11. You will, however, be required to do this every time you want to use the app, which can be tedious. The best way around this is to get the update KB4503327 or set a default search provider for the browser as described in the first solution.
3. Get the Latest Windows Updates
As noted, Microsoft has already released a patch that resolves the Internet Explorer bug. The update KB4503327 also fixes a host of other Windows 10/11 issues. Here is a list of them:
- Improves the security of Bluetooth connections by intentionally preventing connections between Windows and Bluetooth devices that are not secure or that do not use well-known keys to encrypt connections
- Addresses a bug that may prevent the Windows Mixed Reality keyboard from being rendered correctly in some applications
- Addresses an issue that may cause the Windows Deployment Services server to terminate prematurely when downloading an image.
- Adds an updated Broadcom Wi-Fi firmware to Microsoft HoloLens
- Adds security updates to the following apps and services:
- Microsoft Scripting Engine
- Internet Explorer
- Microsoft Edge
- Windows Cryptography
- Windows App Platform and Frameworks
- Windows Storage and Filesystems
- Windows Media, Windows Shell
- Windows Input and Composition
- Windows Server
- Windows Authentication
- Microsoft JET Database Engine
- Windows Datacenter Networking
- Windows SQL components
- Windows Virtualization, Windows Kernel
- Internet Information Services
To get the update and all the latest Windows updates, follow these steps:
- Type “Windows update” on the Windows search box.
- Open the Updates app and click Check for updates. Scroll through the list of available updates. If you have a stable internet connection, install all updates.
4. Consider Using Microsoft Edge or another Browser
It is a well-known secret that performance-wise, Internet Explorer does not compare well with browsers, such as Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Opera Mini. It is problematic, especially the older versions which Microsoft no longer supports. Consider surfing the internet with one of the mentioned browsers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, to solve most issues with Internet Explorer 11 in Windows 10/11, simply update your PC or set a default search engine. It is that easy.
And to improve the overall performance of your computer, browser, and other apps that you might be running, clean it with a PC repair tool, such as Outbyte PC Repair. That way, it becomes easier to install new updates, and run applications smoothly.