Edge and EdgeWebView huge size (5GB) And I don't even use it! Help please!

I contacted Edge support and sent a feedback in the feedback app, that Edge and EdgeWebView are duplicated in 3 locations 4 times and they are the same files

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge About 700MB
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeCore About 1400MB (it will contain a copy of Edge and another copy of EdgeWebView as they are different version most of the time)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeWebView About 700 MB and the same files as first folder

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate Will contain the installers and it is about 300MB

And told them there are always 4 copies and keeps updated almost each week. Microsoft replied they are are planning to merge Edge and EdgeWebView as they are the same files.

I waited and I was hopping they will fix this duplicated files soon, but instead they added another 2 versions of EdgeWebView in these 2 folders:
C:\Windows\System32\Microsoft-Edge-WebView
C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-edge-webview_xxxxxxxxxxx_10.0.22621.xxxx_none_webview_xxxxxxxxxxx (xxxxx depends on the version)

And if you didn't clean WinSXS folder there will be older versions of EdgeWebView in the WinSXS folder.

Now there are at least 6 Copies of Edge in these folders:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeCore
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeWebView
C:\Windows\System32\Microsoft-Edge-WebView
C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-edge-webview_*****

And they will be updated each week, it is useless of at least 5GB used space and keeps written to the disk each week which will reduce the age of SSD drives for all users.

Anyone can help me? I will not contact Microsft anymore because I am afraid they will add more copies in more folders if I contect them.

And I don't even use Edge, I use Firefox!

Edge is a major part of the OS and the different functions of the OS depend on it. It is integrated into Windows. We all have the folders you refer to. Whether you use Edge or not is up to you since you have the option of installing another browser, but the operating system belongs to MS. You and I do not own it. They can change, update, or remove features and add files or folders to your system drive at their digression.

Any time you mess with Edge or it's files, you risk severely hobbling your system. No one at MS is going to help you get rid of Edge.
IMO, anyone here or elsewhere who advises you of any method to do so is irresponsible. If you choose to try to get rid of Edge's folders, you do so at your own risk.

This is MS official statement:
Microsoft Edge is the web browser recommended by Microsoft and is the default web browser for Windows. Because Windows supports applications that rely on the web platform, our default web browser is an essential component of our operating system and can’t be uninstalled. To provide our users with compatibility, compliance, accessibility, and performance, we'll continue updating Microsoft Edge through the browser installer or Windows updates.

Files writes to your drive should not be of concern. Each cell of data on a drive can be written many thousands of times.
Regarding the amount of used drive space for an app you choose not to use, I suggest you accept it. We all have to.

glasskuter said:

I suggest you accept it. We all have to.

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You missed the whole point! I don't mind Microsoft forcing edge on me, and no, I will not use it.

The whole point is to duplicate this useless browser at least 6 times in at least 6 different locations!

And what is worse, Microsoft claims to be environment friendly in its products. Can you imagine how many resources are wasted because of this useless duplication.

It is just sad!

jen1 said:

You missed the whole point! I don't mind Microsoft forcing edge on me, and no, I will not use it.

The whole point is to duplicate this useless browser at least 6 times in at least 6 different locations!

And what is worse, Microsoft claims to be environment friendly in its products. Can you imagine how many resources are wasted because of this useless duplication.

It is just sad!

Click to expand...

Hi, jen.
Out of interest, have you tried messing with it? Moving, removing, deleting? Registry changes, tweaks, anything at all?

antspants said:

Hi, jen.
Out of interest, have you tried messing with it? Moving, removing, deleting? Registry changes, tweaks, anything at all?

Click to expand...

I tried to uninstalled it and the edgeupdate, but out of the blue, and without my consent it will be installed again, I tried to disable edgeupdate, but it will be enabled again without my consent. So I am ignoring it now. Cause it will be installed again no matter what.

As I am operatiing lots of VMs, this browser is occupying hundreds of GBs.

jen1 said:

You missed the whole point!

Click to expand...

No, I didn't. I get it. You are upset with MS. You don't like something MS has done. Been there, done that, got a closet full of t-shirts.

You asked if anyone could help you get rid of all the Edge files as you wouldn't contact MS again. I was just explaining that, like it or not, with Windows there are some things we have to accept if we want Windows to function correctly. Edge and its dependencies is one of them.

One can not go willy-nilly force deleting operating system files simply because the user thinks he doesn't need them. If files are duplicated in multiple system folders, there is a reason for it. Are we able to tell you how to force remove these files? Yes, there are ways. I'm just pointing out that I or anyone else would be irresponsible to advise you to use those ways and it would be irresponsible of the part of you or any other user to do it.

glasskuter said:

No, I didn't. I get it.

Click to expand...

Yes you did, you didn't get it!

glasskuter said:

Yes, there are ways. I'm just pointing out that I or anyone else would be irresponsible to advise you to use those ways and it would be irresponsible of the part of you or any other user to do it.

Click to expand...

For all other users, don't try this! Windows will fail to update if you use these so called "ways"! And you will have to install Windows from scratch.

jen1 said:

I tried to uninstalled it and the edgeupdate, but out of the blue, and without my consent it will be installed again

Click to expand...

Possibly the reason for multiple instances, I don’t know enough about it though

P.S. @glasskuter is just trying to help. I appreciate glasskuter’s input.

I do have a script I can point you to at github, it will remove edge and you will never see it again. The thing is, it is un-reversible as far as I can figure. Anything related to edge will not work, copilot for instance.

antspants said:

I do have a script I can point you to at github, it will remove edge and you will never see it again. The thing is, it is un-reversible as far as I can figure. Anything related to edge will not work, copilot for instance.

Click to expand...

You can't remove files from WinSxS. Windows will fail to update. and when you uinstall edge, it will removed from all the duplicated locations. And when it is installed again, it will be downloaded from the internet. So still useless duplicated files.

But yes, I am interested to see this script, if you can link it. Though, Windows update will force it again no matter what.

I don't mind edge on my browser, I just mind those useless duplicated files. Although it would be nice to remove it once and for all.

jen1 said:

But yes, I am interested to see this script, if you can link it. Though, Windows update will force it again no matter what.

Click to expand...

I am almost 100% certain it will not come back. Here is my thread, the link is in the topmost post.

P.S. Read the very last post by @OAT which is extremely helpful.

jen1 said:

I tried to uninstalled it and the edgeupdate, but out of the blue, and without my consent it will be installed again, I tried to disable edgeupdate, but it will be enabled again without my consent. So I am ignoring it now. Cause it will be installed again no matter what.

Click to expand...

Sorry you are upset with me as I am just the messenger stating facts as I know them. It's not my fault that MS does not need your consent to do anything with windows and they couldn't care less whether or not you(or me) like what they do. Edge will get reinstalled if you have attempted to uninstall it. It's a fact as you discovered. It is what it is.

antspants said:

I am almost 100% certain it will not come back. Here is my thread, the link is in the topmost post.

Big favour to ask regarding an Edge removal script reversal.

Hi 🙏 I successfully used a script from Github to remove Edge, it certainly worked, even with Windows updates it remains gone. Near the top of the script there are ## Helper references for reversing the script, but I don’t understand it, not even in the slightest. There seems to be no othe way...

www.elevenforum.com

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I will be testing and return later, thanks

jen1 said:

I will be testing and return later, thanks

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You’re welcome, Jen. I hope you achieve your objective.

@antspants My friend, I am surprised in you for doing that. I would have thought you would just disable Edge from startup. It won't run until you select co-pilot which activates an Edge background process..

glasskuter said:

@antspants My friend, I am surprised in you for doing that. I would have thought you would just disable Edge from startup. It won't run until you select co-pilot which activates an Edge background process..

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Ha, yes, I am known for my bad decisions and often ooze noob in many of my processes & posts. I just had to try it. I ended up reinstalling Eleven

@glasskuter, in hindsight, I should of just let it be, as you said above, it’s there, live with it. I have a 1TB SSD for my operating system, I have 32GB of ram running, it really isn’t noticeable until as you said, you start something that relies on Edge. I wont be running that script again.

BTW. there is also a script to remove Edge at this site and it is all very user friendly:


It is under the category of Remove Bloatware. I did it and it worked perfectly. No side effects for what I use. Windows update worked fine.

However, I decided not to stay with it because I don't know what might happen down the road. I am now considering using the new program over here:


It will allow you to uninstall Edge natively because it changes the system language to conform with the new EU edict.

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jen1 said:

The whole point is to duplicate this useless browser at least 6 times in at least 6 different locations!

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They aren't duplicated, they're hardlinked from the WinSxS folder, which is where the "original" file is kept.