Windows Update installed Edge. Can I safely Uninstall it?

Note that from 20H2 new Edge is built in to the O/S and delivered with it.
The new Microsoft Edge is now mandatory in Windows 10 20H2

So when you upgrade to that build, for example, you will get Edge.

MS effectively regards it as part of the O/S. You can expect some updates and certainly upgrades to include it.

Don't expect to be asked whether you want Edge or not. It's part of the package. If you remove it, in a way that's a hack.

I wonder what happens if you remove Edge then click to get information on what's shown on the lock screen by Spotlight?

@spaceman5

Browser wars - Wikipedia

spaceman5 said:

...Microsoft installed the Edge browser on this computer, without asking me, without me choosing anything. And that was despite the fact that I already installed a nice browser, which I like and use. (Firefox)

If I goto the Apps and Features setting page, Edge has its Uninstall button Enabled...

As dalchina explained, in 20H2 the new Chromium Edge is installed as part of the OS and cannot be uninstalled.



This is no different from the Legacy Edge that you had before the upgrade to the new Edge, that couldn't be uninstalled either.

But having Edge (new or old) installed is of no consequence, it doesn't stop you using your favourite Firefox (and mine) as your default browser.

spaceman5 said:

Remember the days where the EU sued (and fined) Microsoft for embedding products and being a monopoly?
Those were good days.
Microsoft was more careful.....

The 'browser wars' were something of a non-event, browsers being a non-commercial product now (if they ever were). Where the EU dug their heels in was in relation to Media Applications. MS still has to produce the N version of Windows specifically to meet EU regulations.

N editions of Windows include the same functionality as other editions of Windows, except for media-related technologies, Windows Media Player, and certain preinstalled media apps (Groove, Movies & TV, Voice Recorder, and Skype). The Media Feature Pack provides a way for a customer to restore these excluded technologies.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...9-a4bb980a700a

spaceman5 said:

So why when going to Windows 10 ISO Download page, one cannot see N being offered there?
There's a special page for it?

No, the ISO for Windows 10 includes many different editions. You chose which to use at install time, or rather it is chosen for you if you install on a machine with an embedded key in its bios firmware. All machines built and supplied by the OEM with Windows 8 or later pre-installed have their key in the firmware, machines built exclusively for distribution in the EU market will have a key for an N version.

My Windows 10 20H2 ISO made by the Media Creation Tool from that download page contains: Home, Home N, Home Single Language, Education, Education N, Pro, and Pro N.

See Full Details about a Windows 10 ISO file or USB

Code:

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19042.870]
(c) 2020 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /get-wiminfo /wimfile:F:\x64\sources\install.esd

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.19041.844

Details for image : F:\x64\sources\install.esd

Index : 1
Name : Windows 10 Home
Description : Windows 10 Home
Size : 15,457,361,088 bytes

Index : 2
Name : Windows 10 Home N
Description : Windows 10 Home N
Size : 14,677,181,560 bytes

Index : 3
Name : Windows 10 Home Single Language
Description : Windows 10 Home Single Language
Size : 15,438,459,233 bytes

Index : 4
Name : Windows 10 Education
Description : Windows 10 Education
Size : 15,688,021,290 bytes

Index : 5
Name : Windows 10 Education N
Description : Windows 10 Education N
Size : 14,917,277,821 bytes

Index : 6
Name : Windows 10 Pro
Description : Windows 10 Pro
Size : 15,686,380,629 bytes

Index : 7
Name : Windows 10 Pro N
Description : Windows 10 Pro N
Size : 14,913,970,225 bytes

The operation completed successfully.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>

spaceman5 said:

But it is a 1GB of waste of my SSD..

With your 66GB C: partition I can see why that may be a concern.

Your EdgeWebView is an Office Add-in, required as part of Office 365. https://developer.microsoft.com/en-u...ffice-add-ins/

I don't have EdgeWebView, but I do have your other folders. They can be set as Compressed for a 30% saving in occupied disk space.

Compress or Uncompress Files and Folders in Windows 10