Internet Explorer is dead. Microsoft is retiring from IE today after almost 27 years. Web browser aging is coming to an end in favor of Microsoft Edge, and support for IE 11 has been officially withdrawn today. Internet Explorer brand with the release of Windows 10 in 2015.
For consumers, there aren’t many changes. Internet Explorer usage has plummeted in recent years, and StatCounter shows that IE has less than half a percent of the browser’s global market share. Microsoft has been trying for years to stop people from using Internet Explorer, and the company has previously labeled it a “compatibility solution” instead of a browser that companies should actively use.
Goodbye, Internet Explorer.
Microsoft will begin launching a new message in the coming months that redirects those who still use Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge. Finally, Internet Explorer will be permanently disabled as part of a future Windows update. You can read more about how Microsoft handles the removal of Internet Explorer on Windows right here.
Although Microsoft has moved to its Edge with Chromium as its default browser in Windows 11, the MSHTML engine that drives Internet Explorer is still part of Windows 11. It exists exclusively for IE mode in Microsoft Edge and Microsoft says it will support IE mode. at Edge at least until 2029.
Businesses have largely switched to Edge IE mode for web applications and sites so old that they still need Internet Explorer. Microsoft created this IE mode for Edge in 2019 and supports old ActiveX controls that are still used by many legacy sites. Spiritually, Internet Explorer will live through this mode, but there will be no more Internet Explorer cakes.
A new redirect for Internet Explorer users. Image: Microsoft
Some companies will still be surprised by the withdrawal of Internet Explorer, or may not be able to completely eliminate its use in time. Nikkei reported this week that some government agencies and financial institutions in Japan have been slow to respond to IE retirement. The Japan Pension Service website still needs to be viewed in Edge IE mode, for example.
There are probably thousands of similar businesses and Internet Explorer use cases around the world. Microsoft has been warning about the withdrawal of today’s Internet Explorer for years, and is still paying close attention to directions and redirects until the browser is completely removed in the coming months.
Windows 11 users won’t have to worry about Internet Explorer, as it doesn’t even ship with an accessible version of IE. This is the first time in 20 years that Microsoft has not included IE with a new version of Windows. This grouping decision sparked the infamous US antitrust battle against Microsoft and the European Commission’s action against Microsoft that resulted in a browser vote within certain versions of Windows.