When Is Internet Explorer End of Life?

It's finally time to make the move to Microsoft Edge

By
S.E. Slack
S. E. Slack
S.E. Slack
Associate General Manager, Lifewire.com
  • California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo
S.E. Slack has 30+ years' experience writing about technology. She has authored 12 books, thousands of articles, and worked for IBM and Microsoft.
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Updated on June 16, 2022
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
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Reviewed by Jon Fisher
  • Wichita Technical Institute

Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA-certified technologist with more than 10 years of experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.

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Internet Explorer (IE) fans take note: Microsoft announced the end of life dates for the beloved browser on certain operating systems. It will discontinue all support, including paid support and all updates, including security updates.

Microsoft recommends that you update to the newer Edge browser. Head to their site to download the newest version.

What Does 'End of Life' Mean?

"End of life" refers to the moment when an application is no longer supported by the company making it. In this case, Microsoft's end of life for Internet Explorer means continued use of the browser after the EOL date is allowed, but Microsoft won't support it if something goes wrong.

Because new computer viruses, malware, and ransomware attacks are developed daily, users should upgrade to Microsoft Edge since they will lose the regular security updates Microsoft has always provided for IE.

When Will Internet Explorer End of Life Occur?

The apps and operating system you're running will determine the final date of support for IE 11.

Microsoft no longer supports IE 10 and earlier versions. IE 11 support for Microsoft 365 apps and services, Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Power Platform, and the My suite of products ended on August 17, 2021.

Support for the Internet Explorer 11 Windows 10 desktop application will end for other specific operating systems starting June 15, 2022; many other versions of the app have already lost support, including Microsoft Teams and Azure.

What to Use Instead

Microsoft is encouraging customers to move to Microsoft Edge with Internet Explorer (IE) mode. IE mode provides built-in legacy browser support for sites requiring Internet Explorer. Microsoft will continue to support Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge through at least 2029 on supported operating systems.

Edge supports Windows 10, 8, and 7, Android, iOS, and Mac platforms.

Why Is Internet Explorer 11 Support Ending?

Internet Explorer launched in 1995. Every software product has a lifecycle; at some point, most companies determine old versions of software can no longer be updated to meet current customer needs. IE 11 falls into that category; its replacement, Microsoft Edge, was released in 2015 and was upgraded in 2019 to include Chromium open-source code.

As new apps and software products are released onto the market by other companies, old software versions can't keep up. Microsoft Edge Chromium-based browser can now support a wider variety of platforms, which makes it more useful for the modern era. IE 11, in comparison, held limitations preventing it from updating alongside newer technologies.

Only a fraction of Americans have used Internet Explorer in the past year, and it ranks well behind Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and other browsers. It seems clear the browser has lost its allure for most users.

Microsoft says the Edge browser offers improved compatibility, streamlined productivity, and added better browser security. Explorer users can easily transition their passwords, favorite websites, and other browsing data from Explorer to Edge. 

FAQ
  • How do you uninstall Internet Explorer?

    Using Windows 10, go into Settings, then select Apps > Apps & Features > Programs and Features. In the left-hand pane, select Turn Windows Features On or Off. Then, uncheck the Internet Explorer 11 box and press OK. Confirm the change and restart your computer. This should remove the web browser from your system.

  • How do you clear the cache in Internet Explorer?

    Go to Tools > Safety > Deleting Browsing History. Choose which types of files you want to remove from your computer, then select Delete. You can remove your browsing history, cached images and temporary internet files, cookies, and more.

  • How can you find saved passwords in Internet Explorer?

    Go to Tools > Internet Options > Content and click on the Settings button in the Auto-Complete section. Then select the Manage Passwords button. Click on Web Credentials. You can view all of your saved passwords here, but you'll need to enter your Windows 10 PIN first.

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