Current Status and Retirement Timeline
Microsoft retired Internet Explorer 11 for most Windows 10 and Windows 11 editions on June 15, 2022, redirecting users to Microsoft Edge. The browser is no longer receiving security updates, feature improvements, or technical support for general consumer use. Microsoft has moved its web platform investments to the Chromium-based Edge browser, which shares rendering engine components with Google Chrome and supports modern web standards more consistently than Internet Explorer. According to global web analytics, Internet Explorer now holds a negligible share of browser usage, with most sites actively blocking or warning users who attempt to use it. For enterprises that still require legacy compatibility, Microsoft offers IE Mode in Edge, which preserves rendering for older business applications while keeping the rest of the browser modern and secure Microsoft Edge official page.
The retirement of Internet Explorer follows a long decline in market share and developer support. By the late 2010s, major websites, cloud services, and enterprise platforms had shifted to standards that Internet Explorer could not fully support. Microsoft itself accelerated the transition by making Edge the default browser in Windows 10 and later versions, and by phasing out Internet Explorer features in its own products. The company now focuses its browser development on Edge, which receives regular updates through the Microsoft Update channel and integrates with Windows security features. This shift reflects broader industry movement away from legacy browsers toward faster, more secure, and standards-compliant alternatives.
Enterprise Support and Compatibility Mode
Microsoft provides IE Mode in Edge for organizations that rely on older web applications built for Internet Explorer. IE Mode uses a separate rendering engine to display legacy pages correctly while keeping the rest of the browsing session on modern Edge. Enterprises can configure IE Mode through Microsoft Endpoint Manager or Group Policy, specifying which sites open in compatibility mode and how long support continues. Microsoft has stated that IE Mode will remain available as long as customers need it, but the underlying Internet Explorer executable is no longer updated or patched for new vulnerabilities.
For IT departments, the recommended path is to migrate legacy web apps to modern standards or use virtualization and remote desktop solutions instead of relying on Internet Explorer. Microsoft offers guidance and tools to help organizations inventory sites that require IE Mode and plan migration timelines. Third-party compatibility layers and enterprise browsers also exist, but they add complexity and may introduce additional security risks. The safest approach is to treat Internet Explorer as a legacy component that should be isolated from internet-facing workflows and replaced wherever possible.
Market Position and Modern Alternatives
Global browser market data shows that Internet Explorer has less than one percent of desktop browser usage, with the vast majority of users on Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox. Search engines, analytics platforms, and advertising networks now treat Internet Explorer traffic as a small, declining segment, and many have stopped optimizing for its older rendering engine. Web developers prioritize support for modern browsers that implement current HTML, CSS, and JavaScript standards, which Internet Explorer does not fully support.
The primary modern alternatives to Internet Explorer are Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Brave. Edge is the direct successor for Windows users and integrates with Microsoft services, while Chrome dominates on both desktop and mobile. Firefox and Safari offer strong privacy features and open-source or ecosystem-specific advantages. Users and organizations looking to replace Internet Explorer should choose a browser based on security update speed, enterprise management features, and compatibility with the websites and tools they use daily Forbes technology coverage.
Key Browser Market Data
Desktop Browser Share
Recent analytics indicate that Google Chrome holds the largest desktop browser share worldwide, followed by Apple Safari on macOS devices and Microsoft Edge on Windows. Internet Explorer and legacy Edge versions account for a very small fraction of usage, and most web platforms no longer test or