Although the all-new Edge browser has replaced the good old Internet Explorer, there are many Windows users that still use Internet Explorer for browsing.
If you’re using Internet Explorer, chances are high that you might have already encountered with an error message “Internet Explorer has stopped working”, at some point.
Internet Explorer has had a lot of speed and performance issues. This classic browser was first introduced in 1995 by Microsoft. It seems that Microsoft has already stopped providing support for IE.
Now, if you’re using IE for your daily browsing, and your IE has just crashed saying “Internet Explorer has stopped working”, then this guide is for you. Read on to know what causes IE to stop working and how to fix this issue.
What Causes “Internet Explorer has stopped working” Error?
One of the main reasons Internet Explorer stops working on your PC is errors in the specific DLL files (Dynamic-link libraries).
For those who don’t know, DLLs allows individual programs to share data or communicate properly. If these DLLs catch infections, your application doesn’t work correctly.
Internet Explorer won’t work properly if you have unsupported input plugins or have corrupt cache files in your browser. Let’s get started to fix these problems.
How to Fix “Internet Explorer has Stopped Working’’ Error?
Now that you have an idea why your IE is not working correctly, we have listed some methods below to fix your IE issue.
1. Restart the Internet Explorer
Oftentimes a simple restart can fix the issue. When IE crashes or stops working, you need to close the error message window and restart the application. You can then restore the websites you were accessing from history.
2. Reset Internet Explorer
Most of the issues of your browser get solved if you reset your personal settings from the browser. Let’s do it-
1) Launch Internet Explorer
2) Go the small gear icon (to the upper right-hand corner of the page) it is the Tool icon. Now, click on it
3) Choose Internet Options from the list
4) Now, select the Advanced icon in the window
5) Hit the Reset icon (at the bottom of the window)
6) Make sure that the ‘Delete Personal Settings’ box is checked and then tap on the Reset button
Note: Before you reset your browser, make sure that you keep a note of all your saved passwords as it clears all the saved passwords. It also disables any toolbars, clears all history and even resets your browser’s homepage. You’ll have to log in again to open all the websites.
Done! You have successfully reset your personal settings and browser. You can now restart your browser and check if it is working correctly.
3. Disable all the Third-party Add-ons
If resetting Internet Explorer doesn’t fix the issue, it can be possible that one of the third party add-ons is affecting your browser. You can manually disable these add-ons. Here’s how-
1) Launch InternetExplorer
2) Click Tools (small gear icon to the upper right-hand corner)
3) Now, select Manage add-ons from the menu
4) Click on All add-ons to see all the active add-ons
5) Right-click on each add-on’s icon and tap on the disable option from the list
6) Once it is done, reset Internet Explorer by ending all the windows
Open Internet Explorer and check if it works correctly. If it does, the problem isn’t with your browser but the third-party add-on.
4. Reset Security Zones
Internet Explorer has a rigid set of security rules when it comes to accessing the browser. These security rules might crash and affect your software. So, let’s reset them to fix the issues with your browser.
1) Launch Internet Explorer
2) Click the Tools button (small gear icon to the upper-right corner)
3) Select Internet Options from the Tools menu
4) From the Internet Options Window, click on the Security tab
5) Scroll down and select Reset all Zones to default level
Now that you’ve reset your security settings close the Internet browser application and restart it. Check if your browser works correctly now.
5. Disable Software Acceleration
Well, software rendering is designed to enhance your browsing experience. However, it might cause some issues if your system has any graphical issues or not configured correctly.
Let’s try to disable software rendering and check if Internet Explorer is working regularly.
1) Open InternetExplorer
2) Go to the Tools option (small gear icon) and click on it
3) Choose Internet Options from the menu bar
4) Hit the Advanced tab, in the Internet Options window
5) Now under the Accelerated Graphics, uncheck the Use Software rendering instead of GPU rendering icon
6) Hit the Apply button and click on Ok to save the changes
Re-launch your browser and check if its issues are fixed.
6. Using Windows Troubleshooter
You can also fix the issues with Internet Explorer with the Windows Troubleshooter application. Here’s how to use it:
Steps for Using Windows Troubleshooter on Windows 10:
- Go to the Start menu and select Settings (the gear icon)
- Select Update & Security, and then Troubleshoot
- Go through the list to see if you find any issues with the IE
Steps for Using Windows Troubleshooter on Windows 8.1:
- Go to Start and search for Settings
- In Settings, search for troubleshooting, and choose troubleshooting in the search results
- Go through the list to see if you find any issues with the IE
Steps for Using Windows Troubleshooter on Windows 7:
- Go to Start and click on Control Panel
- Select Troubleshooting
- Go through the list to see if you find any issues with the IE
There you go! Although no one prefers using Internet Explorer, there are times when you might need to work through it. If you still have any issues with your IE, we suggest you try using a different browser.
Have some other issues with Internet Explorer? Let us know in the comments section below.
See Also:
- Easy Steps to Fix “Google Chrome Has Stopped Working” Error
- How to Fix Unresponsive Script Error on Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Internet Explorer?
- How to Enable Full Screen in Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge and Opera?