Microsoft: More than 25 years later, it’s finally retiring Internet Explorer next year. The veteran internet browser has not been used by most consumers for years, anyway. But Microsoft is putting the final nail in the Internet Explorer coffin by retiring in favor of Microsoft Edge on June 15, 2022.
“We are announcing that the future of Internet Explorer in Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge,” said Sean Lyndersay, program manager at Microsoft Edge. says. “The Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be retired and out of support for certain versions of Windows 10 on June 15, 2022.”
While Windows 10’s Long Term Service Channel (LTSC) will still include Internet Explorer next year, all consumer versions will end browser support. Microsoft hasn’t clarified this, but we’ll eventually see the end of Internet Explorer cease completely in Windows either in June 2022 or shortly thereafter.
For most businesses, the alternative would be Microsoft Edge with IE mode. Microsoft created IE mode for Edge a few years ago, allowing businesses to use the new Chromium-based browser for legacy websites. Surprisingly, IE mode supports legacy ActiveX controls and legacy sites still used by many businesses. Microsoft promises to support this IE mode in Edge by at least 2029.
The end of Internet Explorer is a long awaited thing. Microsoft ended support for Internet Explorer 11 for the Microsoft Teams web app last year and plans to cut its access to Microsoft 365 services later this year. Internet Explorer 11 will no longer be supported for Microsoft’s online services such as Office 365, OneDrive, Outlook and more, starting August 17.
Moreover, Microsoft has been trying to prevent people from using Internet Explorer for more than five years. Microsoft Edge came out in 2015 and launched the end of the Internet Explorer brand. Microsoft has since characterized Internet Explorer as a “compatibility solution” rather than a browser. It encourages businesses to stop using the aging browser in favor of Edge and IE mode.
