How to detect if Internet Explorer is available

Question

Hi,
I'm developing a desktop application that needs to run Internet Explorer to open particular addresses. So I have to detect if IE is available correctly. By code I can detect the os version: on Windows 11, I know that IE is not available but on Windows 10 or earlier, IE may be uninstalled. So to verify this I'm reading the key: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\IEXPLORE.EXE"
Is the right way? Is there a smarted method? What about rights? Can any user access that registry path?
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

As mentioned above, Windows 11 has stopped using the IE explorer.
The easiest way to do this is to check if there are folders C:\ProgramFiles(x86)\InternetExplorer or ProgramFiles\InternetExplorer.
And the registry can only be accessed and obtained with native administrator privileges. If IE exists, you can open it using the way you get Pid.

Answer 2

Microsoft has removed Internet Explorer from Windows 11

If you wish to actually open and use the Internet Explorer browser in Windows 11, do the following:

Using Search, Open Internet Options
Click open the Program tab
Click on Manage Addons button
In the next Manage Addons window, click on Learn more about toolbars and extensions
Internet Explorer browser will launch.

Answer 3

Hi,

This registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer contains the attribute Version with the IE version.

Any user should be able to interrogate the registry path, they just wouldn't be able to edit it if they are a standard user.

I hope this answers your question.

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