Microsoft is finally retiring Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) for certain versions of Windows 10 in favor of its new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge.
โWe are announcing that the future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge,โ wrote Sean Lyndersay, Microsoft Edge Partner Group Program Manager in a blog postย on Wednesday.
โNot only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications.โ
According to Microsoft, Edge has Internet Explorer mode (โIE modeโ) built-in, which allows users to access those legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and applications directly from Microsoft Edge.
Since Microsoft Edge is capable of assuming the above responsibility and more, the IE11 desktop application is set to retire and go out of support on June 15, 2022.
After this date, the IE11 desktop application will be disabled and will redirect to Microsoft Edge if a user tries to access it.
“Change was necessary, but we didn’t want to leave reliable, still-functioning websites and applications behind,” the company said.
The retirement announcement affects the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application delivered via the Semi-Annual Channel (SAC), Windows 10 client SKUs (version 20H2 and later), and Windows 10 IoT (version 20H2 and later).
However, it does not affect Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer platform (MSHTML/Trident), including WebOC, and Internet Explorer 11 desktop application on Windows 8.1, Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU), Windows 10 Server SAC (all versions), Windows 10 IoT Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) (all versions), Windows 10 Server LTSC (all versions), Windows 10 client LTSC (all versions).
“If youโre an organization using Internet Explorer, you may have a surprisingly large set of legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and apps, built up over many years,” Lyndersayย added.
“In fact, we found that enterprises have 1,678 legacy apps on average.
By moving to Microsoft Edge, you get everything described above plus youโll be able to extend the life of your legacy websites and apps well beyond the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application retirement date using IE mode.”
To prepare organizations and enterprises for June 15, 2022, Microsoft has recommended three steps to begin setting up Microsoft Edge with Internet Explorer mode. Click here for more assistance and information.
How Long Will IE Mode Be Supported?
IE mode support follows the lifecycle of Windows client, Server, and IoT releasesย at leastย through 2029.ย Additionally, Microsoft will give one year of notice before retiring the IE mode experience when the time comes.
Windows support dates are documented on theย Product Lifecycleย page. Some editions of Windows may require an ESU license, if available, to receive operating system security updates beyond the end of support dates.
End of service dates for currently supported versions of Windows are as follows:
Platform | Windows release | End ofย service |
Windows clientย | Windows 10 Enterprise, version 20H2 | 5/9/2023 |
Windows 10 Enterprise, version 2004 | 12/14/2021 | |
Windows 10 2019 LTSC | 1/9/2029 | |
Windows 8.1 | 1/10/2023 | |
Windows 7ย (ESU required) | 1/10/2023 | |
Windows Serverย | Windows Server, version 20H2 (SAC) | 5/10/2022 |
Windows Server, version 2004 (SAC) | 12/14/2021 | |
Windows Server 2019 (LTSC) | 1/9/2029 | |
Windows IoTย | Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, version 20H2 | 5/9/2023 |
Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, version 2004 | 12/14/2021 | |
Windows 10 IoT 2019 LTSC | 1/9/2029 | |
Windows Server IoT 2019 | 1/9/2029 |
Effective November 30, 2020, Microsoft Teams is no longer supporting IE11. Meanwhile, the Redmond giant will also be ending support for Internet Explorer across Microsoft 365 and other apps on August 17, 2021.
โWe canโt thank everyone enough for supporting Internet Explorer over the years. Many people and organizations around the world have depended on IE to support them as theyโve learned, grown and conducted business online,โ Lyndersay concluded.
โMicrosoft Edge with Internet Explorer mode inherits this important responsibility, and we look forward to supporting you online with Microsoft Edge.โ
Also Read- How To Download Internet Explorer 11 On Windows 10