How to Fix for Internet Explorer Causing Defaults in .Exe Files

Internet Explorer (IE) is the default Web browser for Microsoft Windows operating systems. Occasionally, you may find IE causing defaults in .exe files. In other words, when you click on a download link on a website, you may notice that Internet Explorer opens ".exe" files instead of downloading them. This is a common problem in earlier versions of IE. It occurs when you accidentally clear the check mark next to "Always ask before opening this type of file" on a download dialog box.

Instructions

1. Launch Internet Explorer from the Start menu.

2. Navigate to the website that has the download link you want to use to download a file.

3. Right-click on the link for the file you want to download. Select "Save Target As." Browse to navigate to a secured location where you want to save the file. Hit "Save." Re-launch the browser and you should not see this problem anymore.

References

• Microsoft: Internet Explorer Opens .exe Files Instead of Downloading Them