How to fix Internet explorer has stopped working

Question

How to fix ‘Internet explorer has stopped working’  error, Freezing issues, Crashing issues?

Solved Answer

As Windows 10 has already launched with a new Microsoft Edge Browser. But still if you are a fan of internet explorer and getting these errors like Internet Explorer has stopped working , Freezing, Crashing etc. It can be due to a 3rd party “.dll” file is conflicting with iexplore.exe.

Another reason can be that Internet Explorer is getting lots of load of unwanted toolbars, BHO’s, addons, extensions.  Some internet explorer security settings can also cause this.

Anyway, we have the proper solution to fix this error message ‘Internet explorer has stopped working’ in. We are give you 9 methods to get rid of these issues. These methods will work for Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP and mostly for all IE version, IE 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 etc. Please follow below methods one by one.

1. Reset Internet Explorer
2. Update Graphics Driver
3. Disable software rendering
4. Uninstall unwanted toolbars
5. Disable unwanted add-ons
6. Reinstall Java, Flash, Silverlight
7. Reset Security Zone
8. Run Microsoft Fixit utility
9. Find the the conflicting .DLL file
10. Reinstall Internet Explorer

Fix 1 : Reset Internet Explorer

Resetting internet explorer is the first method you should should use as most of the time it fox the issue immediately.

Reset Method 1:

• Open Internet Explorer.
• Click on Tools menu (Press “alt” key to active menu bar).
• Click on “Internet Options“. A configuration window you will appear
• Click on advanced tab.
• Click on “Reset” Button. You’ll get an another box, here check a box named as “Delete Personal Settings“, then
• Click on Reset button on it.

Reset Method 2:

If you couldn’t open IE or you couldn’t reset Internet Explorer through above method, so here is another method which is very effective to reset Internet Explorer through control panel. Follow the following steps:

• Click on Start Button
• Click on Control panel
• Click on Network and Internet
  
• Click on “Internet Options“. (You will get a configuration window)
• Click on advanced tab.
• Click on “Reset” Button. You’ll get an another box, here check the box named as “Delete Personal Settings“, then click on Reset button on it.

Here is the fix suggested by Microsoft to fix the Internet explorer has stopped, freezes, open up and then suddenly closes type of issues. It also suggests to reset the internet explorer.

If the above method doesn’t fix,  then follow the next method.

Fix 2 : Update Graphics Driver or Disable Software Rendering

Some times graphics rendering cause this issue, So either try to update your graphics card driver  or try to disable Hardware Acceleration option in IE 9 & IE 10.

Also Read: How to update drivers in Windows

• Open Internet Explorer.
• Click on Tools menu (Press “alt” key to active menu bar).
• Click on “Internet Options”. a configuration window you will appear
• Click on advanced tab.
• Un-check a option named as “use software rendering instead of GPU rendering”. it is located under “accelerated graphics”.

If doesn’t fix, follow next method.

Fix 3 : Disable 3D in “NVIDIA Graphics driver”

(Only if you have one, otherwise skip it)

Disable “stereoscopic 3D” option into “NVIDIA Graphic driver” application. (If you have Nvidia Graphics Drivers & Software, If you don’t have the you can leave this step)

• Open Nvidia software from system tray.
• Disable the option named as “stereoscopic 3D” from NVIDIA Drivers (NVIDIA driver is a computer Graphics drivers their software runs on system tray. )

If doesn’t fix, follow next method.

Fix 4 : Uninstall Unwanted Toolbars

Sometimes a 3rd party toolbar can cause the issue. So it is better to avoid installing any third party toolbar. If you have installed one and you don’t know how to remove, then see the below  steps to remove unwanted toolbar from the IE.

• Remove unwanted toolbars using Control Panel.
  
• Go to add / remove programs and uninstall any toolbar available in the list.

If doesn’t fix, so please follow next method.

Fix 5 : Disable Unwanted Add-ons

You can disable the extra add-ons from internet explorer some times a add-ons create issue and are main cause of the error.

• Go to settings -> Manage Add-ons.
• Select and right click to disable the add-ons.

If doesn’t fix, so please follow next method.

Fix 6 : Re-install Java, Flash player, Silverlight.

Uninstall and then Re-install Add-ons program Like: Java, Flash player, Silverlight from control panel.

Fix 7 : Reset Security Zone.

• Reset Internet Explorer Security Settings zone.

If doesn’t fix, so please follow next method.

Fix 8 : Run Microsoft Fixit

• Download and run these Microsoft fixit to resolve the problem.
  • http://support.microsoft.com/mats/ie_freezes_or_crashes/
  • http://support.microsoft.com/mats/ie_performance_and_safety/
• Restart the computer.

If doesn’t fix, so please follow next method.

Fix 9:  Find the .DLL file which is conflicting with IE

If the above method does not fix the issue then this method is to find out the exact .dll file which is causing the conflict.  This is a manual method and is time consuming so we keep it as the last step. We can find the faulty dll with the help of system logs.  Follow the below steps.

• Right click on My Computer and then click on Manage. You’ll get an another window.
• Click on arrow of the “Event Viewer” (Expand it).
• Click on arrow of the “Windows Logs” (Expand it).
• Click on “Application” under windows Logs.
• Now look on the right side pane, it have listed all the system LOGS.
• Now scroll down and find a error(Red Cross Error) related to iexplore.exe, and double click on it get the details (this log was created when you get error message on internet Explorer, so please find by the “Time”).
• Now you have the Error Message details. Find the name of  of the “.dll” file on that detail.
• As now you have the particular dll file name which is creating conflict with iexplore.exe.  Stop the conflicting by repairing, renaming, deleting that file. you have to do research on it, what to do with that file (We can mention a fixed action on this file as you have to find out that which other program is using that problematic file and how important is that program), so please take action on it carefully.
• If you are unable to delete the file then reboot the computer in the safe mode and then delete the file.

Hopefully you will be able to solve the crashing, freezing or stopped working issues of the internet explorer  in Windows 7, 8, 10 with the above methods. If not then try to reinstall the internet explorer.  Post your comment  / questions below or tell us which fix worked for you.