Internet Explorer is no longer usable and has replaced by Microsoft Edge browser.

Internet Explorer (IE) was Microsoft’s long-running web browser for Windows. It was first released in 1995 and became one of the most widely used browsers during the early years of the web. Internet Explorer was eventually replaced by Microsoft Edge as Microsoft’s modern web browser.

Internet Explorer is now legacy software. Microsoft retired Internet Explorer 11 on many versions of Windows, and Internet Explorer 11 desktop application support ended on supported Windows 10 editions in 2022. Some Windows environments can still use Internet Explorer-related compatibility technology through Microsoft Edge’s IE mode, but this is different from using Internet Explorer as a normal standalone browser.

Because Internet Explorer is no longer a modern, actively supported general-purpose browser, it should not be used for normal everyday web browsing, banking, shopping, or other sensitive activities. Modern websites may also fail to work correctly because they are designed for current browser engines and web standards.

Internet Explorer Review

Internet Explorer, also known as IE or Microsoft Internet Explorer, was deeply integrated into Windows for many years. Different versions of Windows shipped with different versions of Internet Explorer, and later Windows releases could receive updated versions through Microsoft updates.

Internet Explorer played an important role in the development of the modern web and introduced or popularized many browser features that later became common across other browsers. Its historical features included tabbed browsing, Favorites, pop-up blocking, security zones, privacy controls, add-ons, and developer tools.

Internet Explorer Features

Accelerators

Accelerators were a feature introduced in Internet Explorer that allowed users to perform actions such as searching, translating, mapping, or sharing selected text through the context menu. These services could be configured through Internet Explorer’s available providers.

Web Slices

Web Slices allowed compatible websites to provide small sections of frequently updated information directly through Internet Explorer. The feature was intended as a way to monitor updates without repeatedly opening the full webpage.

Suggested Sites

Suggested Sites was an Internet Explorer feature that could recommend websites based on browsing activity and Microsoft’s recommendation services. It is a legacy feature and is no longer relevant to modern web browsing.

Tabbed Browsing

Tabbed browsing allowed users to open multiple webpages within the same browser window and switch between them. This became a standard feature of modern web browsers.

Security

Internet Explorer included several security mechanisms, including security zones, Protected Mode on supported Windows versions, ActiveX controls management, pop-up blocking, SmartScreen in later releases, and controls for restricting website behavior.

These features were important for their time, but they should not be interpreted as evidence that Internet Explorer is safe for modern browsing today. Its retirement means users should generally move to a currently supported browser.

Privacy

Internet Explorer provided controls for deleting browsing history, temporary internet files, cookies, saved form information, and other locally stored browser data. It also included InPrivate Browsing, which was designed to reduce the amount of browsing information retained locally during a private session.

InPrivate Browsing did not make users anonymous. Websites, network providers, employers, and other parties could still observe or associate online activity depending on the network and services involved.

Toolbar Search

Internet Explorer supported searching from the browser interface. Bing was Microsoft’s default search provider in many versions, while users could add or select other supported search providers.

Manage Favorite Sites

Internet Explorer allowed users to save and organize favorite websites. Favorites could be arranged into folders and, depending on the version, imported or exported for moving between browser installations.

Popup Blocker

Internet Explorer included a pop-up blocker that could prevent many unwanted pop-up windows from appearing automatically. Users could configure exceptions for websites that required pop-ups.

Add-ons

Internet Explorer supported browser add-ons such as toolbars, extensions, browser helper objects, and other components. Microsoft provided an add-on ecosystem through its Internet Explorer Gallery and related services.

Content Control

Internet Explorer included parental-control and content-filtering options on supported Windows versions. These features could be used to restrict access to certain websites or types of online content.

Summary

Internet Explorer is an important part of web-browser history and was closely integrated with Windows for many years. It introduced and popularized features that are now standard in modern browsers.

However, Internet Explorer is no longer Microsoft’s recommended general-purpose browser. Microsoft Edge is its modern successor, and Microsoft’s IE mode in Edge is intended for organizations that still need compatibility with older Internet Explorer-based websites and applications.

If you only need Internet Explorer for an old website or business application, check whether it can be used through IE mode in Microsoft Edge instead of installing or relying on an obsolete standalone browser.

Download Internet Explorer for Windows

Internet Explorer is no longer a current browser download for modern Windows. The old Microsoft download page may still contain historical information or installers, but an archived Internet Explorer installer should not be presented as the latest browser release.

Internet Explorer download information from Microsoft

For modern Windows PCs, use Microsoft Edge or another currently supported browser instead. If an older website specifically requires Internet Explorer compatibility, Microsoft Edge’s IE mode may provide a more appropriate solution.

Internet Explorer Compatibility

• Internet Explorer is legacy software and is no longer a recommended everyday browser.
• Internet Explorer 11 was the final major version of the browser.
• Internet Explorer desktop application support ended on many supported Windows versions.
• Modern Windows users should generally use Microsoft Edge or another supported browser.
• Older websites and enterprise applications may still require IE-specific compatibility.
• Microsoft Edge’s IE mode can provide compatibility for certain legacy websites and applications.
• Do not rely on old Internet Explorer installers for secure modern web browsing.

Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge

Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge are different browsers. Edge replaced Internet Explorer as Microsoft’s modern browser and uses a modern Chromium-based browser engine. IE mode in Edge uses Internet Explorer technology for websites that specifically require legacy compatibility.

This makes IE mode useful for organizations maintaining older internal websites and applications without requiring users to use Internet Explorer as their primary browser.

For current Windows browsing, download and use Microsoft Edge instead of Internet Explorer.