Internet Explorer Opens .exe Files Instead of Downloading Them

When you try to download an executable (.exe) file in Microsoft Internet Explorer, the file may be opened instead of downloaded.

In versions of Internet Explorer earlier than Internet Explorer 4.0, when you first choose to download a file in Internet Explorer, you receive a Confirm File Open dialog box. The Always ask before opening this type of file check box in this dialog box is selected.

If you clear the "Always ask before opening this type of file" check box, the registry entry for this setting is changed and you do not see the Confirm File Open dialog box in subsequent download sessions. Instead, Internet Explorer automatically opens files instead of downloading them.

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
To work around this behavior, use the appropriate method.

Method 1

Right-click the link for the file you want to download, and then click Save Target As.

Method 2

Enable the Always ask before opening this type of file option. To do so, use Registry Editor to modify the third octet for the EditFlags value in the Hkey_Classes_Root\exefile key from 01 to 00.

NOTE: This method does not work if you are using Internet Explorer version 4.0 or later.

For example, change the EditFlags value from d8 07 01 00 to d8 07 00 00.

NOTE: The edit flag for Word documents is in the following location:

Change 01 in the third octet to 00.

The first time you click a link to download an .exe file in versions of Internet Explorer earlier than Internet Explorer 4.0, you receive a Confirm File Open dialog box. The Always ask before opening this type of file check box in this dialog box is selected. If you are sure it is safe to open the file, click Open. To save the file to disk, click Save As.

If you clear the Always ask before opening this type of file check box, you are no longer prompted whether or not to open a file. Instead, the file is opened automatically.

If you disable the prompt for ActiveMovie files (this includes any file type that uses ActiveMovie such as .wav, .mov, and .avi files), the registry key that needs to be modified is:


Change the EditFlags value from 00 00 01 00 to 00 00 00 00.

If you are running Internet Explorer 4.0 later, the registry key that needs to be modified is:


Change the EditFlags value from 00 00 01 00 to 00 00 00 00.

If you are running Windows Media Player version 5.2, the registry key that needs to be modified is:


Change the EditFlags value so that it is all zeros or a zero value.

The Always ask before opening this type of file check box is not displayed in Internet Explorer 4.0 and later.

For Windows Millennium

1. Click My Computer, click Tools, and then click Folder Options.
2. Click File types, and then highlight a file type.
3. Click Advanced, and then click to select Confirm open after download.

For more information about downloading other types of files, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: