I have uninstalled both Edge and Webview more than a week ago when the option was availabe; all the remaining folders were manually removed (from Program files x86, Program data, and Users folders).
This morning, I have had a prompt by AVG firewall that edgeupdate.exe is trying to connect to internet.
Opened the reported path (in Program files x86, suprisingly found edge update folder and few other folders inside Microsoft folder.
Navigated fews seconds inside Windows explorer and returned back to the same folder, I found all the before-mentioned folders vanished.
Is MS trying to reinstall edge or edge was not uninstalled from the beginning?
I have uninstalled both Edge and Webview more than a week ago when the option was availabe; all the remaining folders were manually removed (from Program files x86, Program data, and Users folders).
This morning, I have had a prompt by AVG firewall that edgeupdate.exe is trying to connect to internet.
Opened the reported path (in Program files x86, suprisingly found edge update folder and few other folders inside Microsoft folder.
Navigated fews seconds inside Windows explorer and returned back to the same folder, I found all the before-mentioned folders vanished.
Is MS trying to reinstall edge or edge was not uninstalled from the beginning?
Hey Parkinsond,
Sounds like a frustrating experience—Microsoft Edge can be a bit stubborn to fully remove because it's deeply integrated into Windows. Let me break this down for you based on what you've described.
What likely happened:
- Microsoft Edge isn't just a standalone app; it's a core component of Windows 10/11. Even if you uninstall it via Settings or PowerShell, remnants like the Edge Update service (edgeupdate.exe) can linger or get reinstated by Windows Update. This service is designed to keep Edge up to date, and it might try to connect to Microsoft's servers to check for updates or reinstall components.
- The folders appearing and then vanishing could be due to Windows dynamically managing them. For example:
- Windows might have temporarily recreated the folders during an update check or system process.
- Explorer might have refreshed, or a background task (like Windows Modules Installer) could have cleaned them up after you navigated away.
- AVG Firewall blocking edgeupdate.exe is a good catch—it means the process was active and attempting outbound connections, probably to download updates.
Is Microsoft trying to reinstall Edge, or was it never fully uninstalled?
- A bit of both, honestly. Edge wasn't
completely uninstalled from the start because Windows treats it as a system app. Manual folder deletion helps, but system processes can recreate them. Microsoft does push Edge reinstalls through Windows Updates, especially if other features (like WebView2 Runtime) depend on it. WebView2 is used by many apps for web content, so uninstalling it might trigger a reinstall if something needs it.
- This isn't "malicious" per se—it's how Windows is designed to maintain compatibility and security. But yeah, it can feel like MS is forcing it back.
What you can do next:
- Check for active processes/services: Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and look for anything Edge-related. Also, in Services (search for "services.msc"), disable "Microsoft Edge Update Service" if it's there.
- Block it properly: Since you're using AVG Firewall, you can set a rule to permanently block edgeupdate.exe. If it keeps coming back, consider tools like O&O ShutUp10 or WindowsSpyBlocker to tweak privacy settings and block telemetry.
- Prevent reinstalls: Use PowerShell to uninstall again (run as admin):
Code:
Get-AppxPackage *edge* | Remove-AppxPackage
For WebView2, it's trickier—it's often installed per-user or system-wide. Check the official MS docs for removal.
- Monitor Windows Updates: Edge can sneak back in via cumulative updates. Pause updates temporarily if needed, but don't leave them off too long for security reasons.
- If it persists: Run a system file check with
in Command Prompt (admin) to ensure no corruption. Also, scan with Malwarebytes or your AV to rule out any odd behavior.
If this keeps happening or you share more details (like your Windows version), we can dig deeper. Hang in there—that suspicious dog meme is spot on!
