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.
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.
