Microsoft Retires Internet Explorer, Shifts Legacy Support to Edge
Microsoft officially announces the retirement of the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application on June 15, 2022. The company directs users to Microsoft Edge, which features a built-in IE mode to maintain compatibility with older websites.
Microsoft announces that the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application reaches its end of life on June 15, 2022, for select versions of Windows 10. The company frames this transition as the next logical step in a broader movement away from the outdated browser, noting that Microsoft Edge serves as a faster, more secure, and more modern alternative for users.
To address concerns about older, legacy websites and applications, Microsoft Edge includes a built-in Internet Explorer mode. This dual-engine approach allows users to access outdated sites directly within Edge, ensuring that businesses and individuals do not lose access to critical web tools that still rely on the old IE infrastructure.
This retirement does not affect the Internet Explorer 11 desktop applications on in-market Windows 10 LTSC or Windows Server systems, nor does it disable the underlying MSHTML engine. By integrating IE mode into Edge, Microsoft aims to provide a path to the future of the web while still respecting and supporting the internet's past.