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

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

Then select “Internet options”:

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.

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