Outlook - can't click on hyperlinks?

Windows 10 home, laptop.

In Outlook things have always worked FINE... Open mail, read mail, delete mail, normal mail stuff.

When necessary, click Unsubscribe link in an email and follow it. This afternoon, suddenly, can't follow links. Outlook throws up a popup that says:

The operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator...

Unfortunately, the system administrator is me....................

SOMEWHERE, in all my rummaging around I found some reference to Internet Explorer 11. So, I looked at the default apps and the optional apps and wherever I could find apps, and there is NO Internet Explorer 11. When I look in the Apps, there's NOTHING that uses Internet Explorer 11. When I select "Manage Optional Features), which is where all the other conversations say I should go to enable/install/whatever Internet Explorer 11, it's NOT in the list. I could take a picture of the list, but Internet Explorer 11 isn't there.

SO, I have no idea if IE 11 has ANYTHING to do with what's going on with Outlook, but if it IS, it appears I need to get it back and MS seems to say you can't download it and install it.

Anybody have any idea what's going on with this message in Outlook and how to fix it?

It's Outlook 7 because I haven't needed anything newer. Still don't. The problem is it worked one day, is doing this stupidity now. I'm also getting hoards of spam I've never gotten before in the email.

Something happened to something, and the only pointer I've found so far is Internet Explorer 11. And it appears to be completely gone. There's an internet explorer folder, and there's an ieinstal.exe file, but even as an Administrator it doesn't install anything.

So, first thing, I think, would be to do whatever Windows 10 wants to get Internet Explorer 11 back on the box and hope it fixes all this... How?

GracieAllen, what is ur Windows 10 version? U can find it in here: Start -> Settings -> System -> About -> Windows specifications -> Version and OS build. If u try to use Cortana search or just Search if u'r on latest 1903 and look for "ie" does Internet Explorer App appears for u there to open? Can u successfully open it? Did u try to use some kind of utilities or programs to uninstall Internet Explorer? If u search for "turn windows features on or off" and run it do u see Internet Explorer 11 in showed Windows Features list? Is it turned on or off? I suspect IE was removed or turned off somehow.. by u? But ur old version of Outlook 7 I guess may still be tied with IE so when it tries to open link it can't coz there's no IE?

This is Windows 10 Home so as far as I know there is no Group Policy Editor. I keep hitting discussions that says that but as far as I know it only works for Windows 10 Pro.

As for the Windows Features:


I don't see anything for Internet Explorer in the list.

BUT, in any case, the registry key above DID work and Outlook is back to opening the default browser as needed.. But there's still no Internet Explorer anywhere - don't care as long as everything works 'cause I never user it anyway!

Thanks for the help y'all!