Windows 10 Operating System _ Why it looks like Internet Explorer is opening when you already have Microsoft Edge _ This happens when you open up your favorite website or a link which you have created a shortcut on the Desktop

 

Hi Copilot , when i create a shorcut on my Desktop to my favorite website , and when I Click that shorcut on my Desktop , i can see the logo of the old Internet Explorer on my shortcut , so , my question is ............ Why is this happening ? Furthermore , when I click that shortcut on my Desktop in order to open my favorite website , it seems to me that Windows 10 is still using the old Internet browser , that is , Internet Explorer , in order to open up my favorite website ........ Copilot , why is this happening because I have already installed and upgrade the new Internet browser to MICROSOFT EDGE ? THANKS Copilot . I guess you owe me an explanation to this matter and your answer to this problem is deeply appreciated ! THANKS Copilot .

MICROSOFT  Copilot Answer

Great question — and I can definitely clear this up for you. What you’re seeing is a mix of old Windows defaults and how shortcuts are created in Windows 10. Let’s break it down:

🔎 Why you see the Internet Explorer logo

• Shortcut icons are tied to the program that created them. When you right‑click a website and “Create shortcut,” Windows often uses the legacy Internet Explorer icon because that’s how shortcuts were historically handled.
• Edge didn’t replace IE’s icon system. Even though Microsoft Edge is your modern browser, the shortcut creation process sometimes still pulls the old IE logo.

🌐 Why it looks like Internet Explorer is opening

• Default browser setting: If Edge is set as your default browser, the shortcut should open in Edge. But if the shortcut was created by Internet Explorer, it may still point directly to IE instead of the system default.
• Compatibility mode: Windows 10 still includes Internet Explorer for legacy apps. Some shortcuts force IE to open, especially if they were created inside IE itself.

✅ How to fix this

Here’s how you can make sure your shortcuts open in Edge with the right icon:

• Check your default browser:
  1. Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps.
  2. Under “Web browser,” make sure Microsoft Edge is selected.
• Recreate the shortcut using Edge:
  1. Open your favorite site in Edge.
  2. Click the three dots (…) menu > More tools > Pin to taskbar or Pin to Start.
     • This creates a shortcut tied directly to Edge, with the Edge logo.
• Manually change the icon:
  1. Right‑click the shortcut > Properties.
  2. Under Web Document tab, click Change Icon.
  3. Browse to Edge’s icon (usually in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe).
  4. Select the Edge logo.

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So in short: you’re not really browsing in Internet Explorer unless the shortcut explicitly points to it. Most likely, it’s just the old icon and shortcut behavior. Once you recreate or adjust the shortcut, you’ll see the Edge logo and it will always open in Edge.

Would you like me to walk you step‑by‑step through changing the icon manually or would you prefer the quicker method of recreating the shortcut directly in Edge?