Microsoft is disabling Internet Explorer on Valentine's day

The new Microsoft Edge update disables Internet Explorer 11

In 2020, Microsoft first announced that it would end support for the infamous Internet Explorer, saying that Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams apps would no longer work with it.^[1] More recently, in December 2022, Microsoft announced that it would permanently disable Internet Explorer via the shipment of Windows updates.

On Valentine's Day, February 14, the tech giant finally rolled out a Microsoft Edge update that should disable Internet Explorer for some Windows versions, as mentioned in the official Message center:

As previously announced, the out-of-support Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) desktop application will be permanently disabled on certain versions of Windows 10 starting today, February 14, 2023.

It also claimed that this process would not affect organizations that have already transitioned from Internet Explorer 11 to Microsoft Edge with IE mode. Unfortunately, those who did not transition on time might face some serious business disruptions.

Getting rid of leftovers

From the disablement of IE11 on Feb 14, all the attempts to access it would be in vain, as users would be automatically redirected to Microsoft Edge instead. The redirects to the Edge browser already started in October 2020, when users would attempt to access websites that are incompatible with IE11.

The list of incompatible websites is present on the official Edge website,^[2] which consists of thousands of high-profile and official websites from all types of industries, including Bloomberg, Google Drive, Expedia, Twitch, Twitter, and many more. There are as many as 7,562 domains on the list, which would make usage of the internet on Internet Explorer particularly problematic.

Starting on May 23 with the May non-security preview release, Microsoft is planning to eliminate all visual cues associated with Internet Explorer 11 (IE11). This includes removing its icons from the taskbar and the Start Menu, in addition to other graphical elements that may reference IE11.

Part of Microsoft's effort to encourage users to switch to Microsoft Edge

For several years now, Microsoft has been encouraging its users to switch over to Microsoft Edge with IE mode, which provides backward compatibility and will continue to receive support until at least 2029. By enabling IE mode in Microsoft Edge, users can access legacy sites and applications that are not supported by modern web browsers, providing a more seamless and convenient browsing experience.

To enable IE mode in Microsoft Edge, users need to go to the “default browser” section in the browser's settings, toggle on the 'Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer' option and restart the browser. Further details on how to make the switch to IE mode can be found in the “getting started guide” published by Microsoft.

While Microsoft announced in August 2020 that it would be discontinuing support for IE11 in Windows 10 and Microsoft 365, it was not until May 2021 that an official retirement announcement was published. However, IE11 will still be available on various Windows versions, including Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU), Windows 8.1, and all versions of Windows 10 client LTSC, Windows Server SAC, Windows Server LTSC, and Windows 10 IoT LTSC.

Users of IE11 on these Windows versions will continue to receive technical support and security updates for the entire lifecycle of the Windows version on which it runs. This decision will provide ongoing support for users of legacy applications and ensure they remain secure and up-to-date.