Internet Explorer is finally, truly dying, and Microsoft wants you ready by 2029

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Internet Explorer Matters: Internet Explorer is now an obsolete and retired browser, but IE Mode is still hanging around in the latest editions of Windows. Microsoft recently reminded everyone that the company plans to stop supporting this compatibility solution sooner rather than later. Migration efforts should begin soon, although some companies might need more time to replace the ancient technology.

Microsoft retired support for Internet Explorer 11 years ago, but the ancient browser is still lingering in modern Windows releases through the IE Mode feature. By the end of 2029, even IE Mode will finally be gone, along with IE's ancient web engine technology. Enterprise organizations should prepare for the switch-off now by upgrading or replacing applications that still require IE to run on recent operating systems.

In a recent message pushed to the Microsoft 365 admin center (MC1473151), Redmond reminded organizations about the planned retirement of IE Mode. As the company first announced in 2021, Internet Explorer (IE) mode in Microsoft Edge is going to be supported "at least" until the end of 2029.

Microsoft will share a new end-of-support notice for IE Mode at least one year in advance. However, IT admins must properly plan the migration of their company's legacy applets, apps, and applications that still require Internet Explorer/IE Mode. Some modernization efforts might take years to complete, which is why Microsoft is routinely sending out deprecation reminders such as MC1473151.

IE Mode is a special compatibility mode available in modern Edge releases. It is based on Google's Chromium browser engine, and can display web pages using Internet Explorer 11's Trident engine. Also known as MSHTML, the proprietary layout engine has gone through many changes since its introduction with Internet Explorer 4.0.

Internet Explorer 11 uses MSHTML 7.0, which supports WebGL applets and the now-retired SPDY web communication protocol. If an organization does not use any IE-based applets, no action is required after Microsoft publishes the MC1473151 alert.

IE Mode will likely continue working with few issues even after 2029. However, organizations are asked to properly assess their IT infrastructure to identify the business- and mission-critical elements that still require IE Mode. These applications and websites should be updated, rehosted, replaced, or rebuilt using modern web technologies, Microsoft warned.

The company is even offering to lend a hand through its App Assure service, which should help eligible customers check and improve compatibility of custom applications with modern Windows platforms.

Either way, Microsoft warns that "planning early can help your organization identify migration risks and reduce the likelihood of disruption as you move away from IE mode dependencies."

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Internet Explorer is finally, truly dying, and Microsoft wants you ready by 2029

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Why not just separate IE mode into its own web browser, like say, IE, that can be configured for internal use of these applications?

Especially now, these legacy systems are not going to disappear. Not everyone has tens of millions sitting around to do destructive system replacement. Which means there will just be more windows 10 systems laying around for IE mode instead of people changing infrastructure.

Hell, banking infrastructure still relies on COBOL FFS. IE mode aint going anywhere.

 

[NumberNine]

I treat Edge like malware on my servers.

 

[GeoffreyA]

Why not just separate IE mode into its own web browser, like say, IE, that can be configured for internal use of these applications?

Especially now, these legacy systems are not going to disappear. Not everyone has tens of millions sitting around to do destructive system replacement. Which means there will just be more windows 10 systems laying around for IE mode instead of people changing infrastructure.

Hell, banking infrastructure still relies on COBOL FFS. IE mode aint going anywhere.

Microsoft's abandoning of Internet Explorer and Trident for Edge and Chromium was a mistake. IE had brand recognition; Redmond should have carried on developing it. Switching to the enemy's layout engine was an admitting of defeat. IE11 was a fantastic browser in the early '10s.

 

[trgz]

They can take Edge with it too - awful browsers, the pair of them.

 

[Win7user]

There should never be a browser installed in any operating system, period!

 

[Gars]

IE is the undead in the world wide web

 

[Taroo]

Or use Firefox, or one of its forks.

 

[AnilD]

If your company still has an application that absolutely requires Internet Explorer in 2029, the browser probably isn't your biggest technical debt problem.

 

[lostinlodos]

Wondering how this will affect Office apps. Microsoft still defaults to their proprietary coding when saving to html.
If they kill off the old format, will the apps now save clean modern html stripped of the office and ie stuff?

 

[lostinlodos]

There should never be a browser installed in any operating system, period!

While I get your meaning, you need a browser to get a different browser. Just saying

 

[Xelions]

As an ex-web developer

 

[Tyler Dur Den]

IE had brand recognition

Sure, in the late 90's and 2000's. Today web browsers are a commodity item. Most people don't know or care. One exception would be people who care about privacy and security and choose a specific browser, but those people aren't using IE. If MS *had* worked to foster the IE brand name, it would have been enshittified like the rest of Microsoft's consumer-level products.

 

[GeoffreyA]

Sure, in the late 90's and 2000's. Today web browsers are a commodity item. Most people don't know or care. One exception would be people who care about privacy and security and choose a specific browser, but those people aren't using IE. If MS *had* worked to foster the IE brand name, it would have been enshittified like the rest of Microsoft's consumer-level products.

If Microsoft had continued, it would have been popular today. In the old days, many associated the internet with IE, but Microsoft tossed that away with Edge.

 

[Win7user]

Or use Firefox, or one of its forks.

I've been using Firefox for almost 15 yrs now. I use it because it's the only browser that does what I want it to do. And if it doesn't you can change things in about:config. I've tried many browsers over the years. I don't even bother with other browsers anymore.

 

[Win7user]

While I get your meaning, you need a browser to get a different browser. Just saying

Now that's where Firefox portable comes in play. All you have to do, copy the Firefox browser portable and paste it in an external hard drive every (deleting the older one of course) once in a while. I've been doing that for years. Although I do back up the profile at the same time, I've never needed it.