Fix : Cannot change Internet Explorer Start page | Home Page

This post is intended to help those users, who are unable to :

  • Change their IE home page | Start Page
  • Change the Search page
  • Change the Default Search Provider

In many situations today, add-on programs get installed in our computers. This could be due to installing software through some Internet agency’s download manager or a free software that had some add-on program clipped on to it & that installed without your permission. Recently, I faced a similar issue & I tried everything to reset my Internet Explorer’s start page or homepage. Nothing seemed to work, I even uninstalled & reinstalled the Internet Explorer, cleared the Temp folder & all offline files etc. etc.

Below is the procedure that worked for me to Fix : Cannot change Internet Explorer Homepage | Start Page :

Method 1 :

  • On your taskbar or Desktop
  • Right Click the Internet Explorer Icon
  • Go to it’s properties

IE_homepage_startpage0

  • Now,
  • In the Target Window, check the whole target link
  • Check if there is a link at the end of the line ( refer the screenshot below )
  • Remove the link from the end
  • & make sure that you put double quotes at the end i.e. right after iexplore.exe
  • Click Apply
  • Click Ok

IE_homepage_startpage4

  • Now,
  • Open Internet Explorer
  • Press ALT + X
  • Click on Internet Options
  • Click on Advanced
  • Click on Reset
  • After the resetting process completes
  • Restart your computer
  • Check to see if this solved your problem

If you still cannot reset Homepage , try the method below

Method 2

  • Open Regedit ( Windows Logo key + R & type regedit in the box & press Enter )
  • Press yes
  • Now, the first thing you should do is to backup your Registry
  • Right Click on Computer
  • Click on Export
  • Give a file name & Click on Save
  • Now,
  • Locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

IE_homepage_startpage

  • Refer the screenshot above & Change the Default_Page_URL , Default_Search_URL, Search Page & Start Page to about:blank or anything you like
  • Now, repeat the above said steps with HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\MAIN
  • Now,
  • Locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScope
  • Here, Delete the entry any secondary entry, other than Bing or Google ( refer Screenshot )
  • IE_homepage_startpage3
  • Repeat the steps with  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes
  • Now,
  • Locate : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Clients\StartMenuInternet\IExplore.exe\shell\open\command
  • IE_homepage_startpage1
  • here, double click  Default
  • IE_homepage_startpage2
  • Either Remove any link that appears after iexplore.exe or add the name of your favourite website ( Refer Screenshot above )
  • Click ok
  • Exit Regedit
  • Restart your computer
  • Check if your problem is solved

Hope this helps you. If not , or if you have any query, use the comment section to notify me & i will try to help.