This article describes the process of disabling Protected Mode in Internet Explorer, both through the browser interface and via the Windows Registry. The instructions are applicable to Internet Explorer versions 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 installed on Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista.

How to Use Internet Explorer to Disable Protected Mode

Internet Options provides one method for disabling Protected Mode.

1. Launch Internet Explorer.

   

2. Click the settings/gear icon and navigate to Tools > Internet options.

   

3. Navigate to the Security tab.

4. In the lower half of the window, directly above the buttons displayed, deselect Enable Protected Mode, then click OK.

   

5. If a Warning! dialog appears indicating that your system may be at risk, click OK.

6. Close and reopen Internet Explorer to ensure the changes take effect. You can confirm that Protected Mode is disabled by revisiting this setting, or you might see a message briefly displayed at the bottom of the browser stating it’s turned off.

Attempt to access previously problematic websites again to determine whether resetting Internet Explorer's security settings resolved the issue.

How to Use the Registry to Disable Protected Mode

An alternative advanced method to disable Protected Mode involves modifying the Windows Registry.

1. Open the Registry Editor.

   

2. Using the folders on the left side, navigate to the following key within the HKEY_CURRENT_USER section:

   <code> \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet?Settings\</code>

3. Inside the Internet Settings key, open the Zones subkey, and then select the numbered folder corresponding to the zone where you want to disable Protected Mode.

   • 0: Local computer
   • 1: Intranet
   • 2: Trusted sites
   • 3: Internet
   • 4: Restricted sites

4. Create a new REG_DWORD value named 2500 within the selected zone.

   

5. Edit the new value and set its data to 3 to turn off Protected Mode (setting it to 0 enables the feature).

   

For more details, refer to this Super User thread discussing how to manage Protected Mode settings using the registry.

Should I Disable IE Protected Mode?

Protected Mode helps protect your system from malicious software exploiting vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer, reducing the risk of unauthorized access to your computer.

While Protected Mode plays a crucial role in securing your system, it can occasionally cause issues in specific scenarios. Disabling it may help resolve certain problems, but only do so if you suspect it's causing significant issues with Internet Explorer. If the browser functions normally, it's best to leave Protected Mode enabled.

More Information About IE Protected Mode

1. Internet Explorer on Windows XP does not support Protected Mode. It was first introduced in Windows Vista.

2. There are multiple ways to access Internet Options. One way is through Control Panel, but a faster option is to use the inetcpl.cpl command in either Command Prompt or the Run dialog box.

   Another method is through Internet Explorer's menu button located in the top right corner of the browser window (accessible via the Alt X keyboard shortcut).

3. Always ensure that applications like Internet Explorer are kept up-to-date. Refer to How to Update Internet Explorer if assistance is needed.

4. By default, Protected Mode is disabled only in the Trusted sites and Local intranet zones. This is why you must manually uncheck the Enable Protected Mode checkbox in the Internet and Restricted sites zones.

5. Enhanced Protected Mode is available in some versions of Internet Explorer on certain Windows systems. This option is found under the Advanced tab in the Internet Options window. Activating Enhanced Protected Mode requires restarting your computer for the change to apply.

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