Internet Explorer is retired and unsupported for ordinary browsing. On supported Windows environments, Microsoft Edge provides Internet Explorer mode for legacy business websites that still require older Internet Explorer technologies. You should use IE mode only for sites your organization has identified as needing it.
Use Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Open Settings and find the Default browser settings.
- Review the option that allows sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode, if your organization and Edge version permit it.
- Restart Edge if prompted.
- Open the approved legacy site and use Edge’s current menu option to reload it in Internet Explorer mode.
Managed organizations should use an Enterprise Mode site list
Businesses with legacy web applications can configure IE mode centrally so only designated sites use the compatibility engine. This is safer and easier to maintain than asking employees to switch arbitrary websites manually.
Do not use IE mode for normal web browsing
Modern websites should run in Edge’s normal Chromium-based mode. IE mode exists for compatibility with specific legacy applications, not as a preference for older browser behavior.
If a legacy site still fails
Contact the site’s administrator or your IT department. The application may depend on obsolete ActiveX controls, document modes, authentication methods, or Java components that require additional managed configuration or application modernization.
Do not download “Internet Explorer installers” from third-party sites to restore the old browser. Microsoft has retired the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application on supported Windows versions, while Edge IE mode remains the intended compatibility solution for eligible legacy scenarios.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.