How to Launch Internet Explorer from Command Prompt
Have you ever found yourself needing to launch Internet Explorer from the command prompt but weren’t sure how to go about it? Whether you’re a system administrator, a power user, or simply someone who needs to execute commands from the command line, knowing how to launch Internet Explorer from the command prompt can be quite useful. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process step by step.
First, it’s important to note that Internet Explorer is not the default web browser on many modern operating systems, especially on Windows 10 and later versions. However, it can still be accessed from the command prompt. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open the Command Prompt. You can do this by typing “cmd” in the Windows search bar and pressing Enter, or by pressing the Windows key + R, typing “cmd” in the Run dialog, and pressing Enter.
- Once the Command Prompt is open, you can use the “start” command to launch Internet Explorer. The syntax for this command is as follows:
start iexplore [URL]
- Replace “[URL]” with the website you want to open. For example, if you want to open Google, you would use:
start iexplore http://www.google.com
- Press Enter, and Internet Explorer will open with the specified URL.
Additionally, if you want to open a specific file with Internet Explorer, you can do so by using the “start” command along with the file path. For instance:
start iexplore "C:\path\to\your\file.html"
This will open the specified HTML file in Internet Explorer.
It’s worth mentioning that if you’re running a 64-bit version of Windows, you may need to use the “iexplore64.exe” executable instead of “iexplore.exe” in the command. To do this, simply replace “iexplore” with “iexplore64” in the command.
By following these steps, you should now be able to launch Internet Explorer from the command prompt with ease. This can be particularly useful for automating tasks, executing commands in batch files, or simply for those who prefer the command line over graphical interfaces.
Remember that while Internet Explorer is still available on Windows, Microsoft has been encouraging users to switch to their new browser, Microsoft Edge. However, for those who still rely on Internet Explorer for certain tasks, knowing how to launch it from the command prompt is a valuable skill.
