Internet Explorer is retiring shortly before its 27th anniversary. As revealed last May, Microsoft will no longer support the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application for the regular Windows 10 semi-annual channel from June 15. You will still receive IE11 support if you are using Windows Server 2022 or an earlier version of the operating system with a long-term service extension, but this marks the effective end of software updates for most people. Windows 11 does not include an IE desktop application.
Edge browser IE mode will still be supported until 2029 or later, so you won’t be stuck if you only need support from the previous web engine. However, Microsoft will not be subtle in pushing you towards your newest browser. The company will “progressively” redirect IE users to Edge in the coming months and permanently disable old software through a Windows upgrade.
The deadline marks the end of a bittersweet chapter in Microsoft’s history. Internet Explorer was launched alongside Windows 95 and offered a first taste of the web to many people who had not yet used early browsers such as Netscape Navigator. It played a key role in popularizing the Internet, and for some, it became synonymous with connecting to the Internet: it had a 95 percent share of usage in 2003 and was not overshadowed by Edge until to 2019.
However, Internet Explorer was also closely related to some of Microsoft’s best practices. While the grouping of IE with Windows helped newcomers to the web, it also stifled competition. The 2001 U.S. antitrust case against Microsoft revolved around allegations that the company abused IE restrictions to maintain dominance of the Windows market. The browser also developed a reputation for insecurity (especially through ActiveX controls) and a non-standard rendering that often forced website creators to optimize for IE. Microsoft finally addressed some of IE’s most glaring flaws, but the slow pace of that change helped browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox take center stage: there’s a reason why the current Edge browser is based on Chromium instead of internal technology.
You probably won’t miss a single IE as a result. It is still difficult to ignore the impact of the program, however, and its shortcomings eventually led to more browser options and a shift to true web standards. IE’s legacy may persist for years to come.
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