Windows 8: Fixing problem where Internet Explorer always opens on desktop, not in Modern UI

  • Artigo

This is a problem I have seen a couple of times. It works like this: When you’re on your Windows 8 Start Screen and click or tap the Internet Explorer tile or a shortcut to a website, the desktop version of Internet Explorer launches rather than the Modern UI version.

This is simple to fix:

First, open Internet Explorer on the desktop, then select the settings cog from the top right

Desktop IE 1

Then select “Internet options”:

Desktop IE 2

Move to the "Programs" tab, then make sure that “Let Internet Explorer decide” is selected from the dropdown box in the “Opening Internet Explorer” section, and that the “Open Internet Explorer tiles on the desktop” checkbox is unchecked.

Desktop IE 3

Press Ok. That’s it, from now on when you tap or click and Internet Explorer tile on the Start Screen it will launch the Modern UI version of Internet Explorer

Comments

  • Anonymous
    November 16, 2013
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    December 11, 2013
    Please I have my own problem with my new laptop which I bought from PC World less than two moths old.  It is an Acer model with windows 8. Despite the fact that I am connected to the wireless connection it is always difficult to stay connected.  The connection is always on and off intermittently.  The problem is not with the internet provider because I have tried it with different internet providers and is still the same. Please I need help.

  • Anonymous
    December 11, 2013
    Hi Joseph, this isn't the best forum to ask, but I would suggest (this is a personal suggestion, not a Microsoft-official suggestion):

  1. Try http://support.microsoft.com/
  2. Make sure you have downloaded and installed all Windows updates. Continue to search for updates until no more are found (settings, change PC settings, update & recovery)
  3. If this doesn't help it may be a hardware fault, take it back to where you purchased it to see if you have a warranty claim

  • Anonymous
    December 17, 2013
    This started happening right after Conduit search hijacked IE.  I fixed the first problem but didn't know MS added the new option.  I have noticed this happen before.  MS adds all kinds of new options to screens I thought I knew well for years.  I just don't think to go back and recheck dialog screens for new stuff.  Thanks for knowing it was there and how the symptom would look.

  • Anonymous
    January 10, 2014
    Thank you SOOOOOO much! This problem was starting to get on my last nervous! It took me less then two minutes to fix the problem and I love quick and easy.

  • Anonymous
    February 22, 2014
    Thank you so much! You're a saint. It worked.

  • Anonymous
    March 10, 2014
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    April 23, 2014
    The above has not worked for me. Any other ideas?

  • Anonymous
    May 07, 2014
    You need to have Internet Explorer as your default browser to be able to use this option. If you don't, the option will be greyed-out

  • Anonymous
    June 04, 2014
    I have this problem at the moment, but when you go into the option shown here, it is locked and cannot be changed.  How do I fix that?

  • Anonymous
    June 04, 2014
    Further on this, I am unable to set IE as the default brower, it is missing.  Yet if I try to reinstall it, it says I already have it.  I'm using it right now in fact, but it's simply gone as a program to set to default :(

  • Anonymous
    June 29, 2014
    Thanks for sharing this post .step to step solution  really worked . thanks . www.smtechservice.com/

  • Anonymous
    July 05, 2014
    what if the problem is persisting in the IE for windows itself? It opens but immediately disappear! and remain just an icon on the start bar with no content!

  • Anonymous
    August 11, 2014
    Thanks for the suggestions but it did not work. When I open a link from my outlook express email it opens in modern UI but when I click on the start pin it opens in desktop. Any other suggestions?

  • Anonymous
    August 11, 2014
    NOW THE INTERNET EXPLORER START TILE IS MISSING. I tried searching for it but it doesn't come up on searches for the computer but it is still loaded on the computer because it is in desktop mode.

  • Anonymous
    October 13, 2014
    I'm in tech support and this solution saved my customer. thank you!!!!

  • Anonymous
    February 02, 2015
    my windows internet wont let me press let internet explorer decide it is just faded

  • Anonymous
    February 02, 2015
    Max - you need to make sure that Internet Explorer is set to be your default browser, otherwise this option will be greyed out

  • Anonymous
    June 19, 2015
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    July 25, 2015
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    August 12, 2015
    The comment has been removed