Microsoft announced that internet explorer will be phased out in the near future. The ancient software is, however, still available in Edge as an IE Mode–at least for now.
Last May, Microsoft announced that it will be dropping support for the Internet Explorer browser in Microsoft 365. This is not a huge surprise given that a year ago the company said it would be doing so and, more recently, started redirecting some websites to Edge.
A reminder has been posted on Microsoft’s official website in light of the upcoming deadline. The American giant warns that many websites are no longer compatible with the illustrious browser, which will hurt the user experience.
Now the Microsoft firm has published an online FAQ with information regarding IE. The desktop app will no longer be supported on June 15, 2022, on the most recent versions of Windows 10. Microsoft is releasing a Windows Update soon after that will stop the running of Internet Explorer in Windows 10. If you try to access it, it will automatically redirect you to Edge instead.
It is understood that some users still rely on IE purely for compatibility or nostalgia reasons. Microsoft is guiding this small group to the Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge, which allows users to access legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and applications directly from the Chromium-based newer browser.
It seems like Microsoft is expecting some entities to need to use a version of Internet Explorer for at least another few years. The Windows Edge browser can emulate the IE experience, which Microsoft will support until 2029. But Windows 8.1 users will see the end of Windows 8.1’s IE Mode on January 10, 2023, and Extended Security Update users with Windows 7 lose it on January 15, 2023.
In Statcounter’s data, IE has a 1.14% share of the desktop browser market, while Edge has a 9.6% share. The numbers for IE are expected to decline further this year.
Does your organisation still utilise internet explorer? Are you concerned about the upcoming phase out? Get in touch with us today. Our Microsoft-certified consultants will be happy to discuss your concerns, answer any questions you might have, and offer guidance and support.
