Microsoft Edge Update Disabled Internet Explorer In February

(CTN News) – In February, Microsoft Edge will permanently disable Internet Explorer 11 on some Windows 10 systems.

Internet Explorer was previously slated to be disabled via a Windows update on June 15, the day it reached the end of its support cycle.

The out-of-support Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) desktop application will be permanently disabled on certain Windows 10 devices on February 14, 2023, via a Microsoft Edge update, not a Windows update.

Microsoft Edge update scheduled for February 14, 2023 will redirect all remaining IE11 devices to Microsoft Edge.

Admins are advised to switch from IE11 to Microsoft Edge with IE mode and remove IE visual references from the Start Menu and Windows taskbar with the Disable IE policy by February 14 to prevent “business disruption at scale when IE11-dependent applications are no longer accessible.”

Windows monthly security updates and next year’s non-security preview release are also designed to remove them if admins do not act before IE11 is permanently disabled.

When launching the Internet Explorer 11 desktop applications, users would be redirected to the upcoming Chromium-based Microsoft Edge.

When IE11 visits an incompatible site, it automatically launches Microsoft Edge. A list of incompatible sites (managed by Microsoft) includes 7,562 domains belonging to a long list of high-profile online platforms and services, such as Facebook, Instagram, Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, Twitter, and more.

Users’ data (including settings, passwords, and favorites) will be imported into Microsoft Edge during the redirection process.

There is still some life left in Internet Explorer

Although officially retired from multiple Windows 10 versions on the semi-annual channel (SAC) servicing channel and not shipping with Windows 11, IE11 will remain available on Windows 7 ESU, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 LTSC client, IoT, and server versions.

Technical support and security updates will continue to be provided for these Windows versions for the lifecycle of the web browser.

In this getting started guide, you can learn about IE mode and how to make the switch to Microsoft Edge with IE mode. This is because it enables backward compatibility and will be supported until at least 2029.

In Microsoft Edge, you can enable IE mode by navigating to edge://settings/defaultbrowser, checking the option ‘Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer’, and restarting the browser.

Microsoft announced its intention to retire IE11 support in August 2020, but the retirement was only officially announced in May 2021, two months after the first announcement.

It is anticipated that Microsoft will end support for IE in Teams in November 2020, as well as across all Microsoft 365 apps and services in August 2021.

Additionally, a number of other Microsoft services and apps have also ceased supporting Internet Explorer over the last few years – a complete list can be found here.

Is Microsoft Edge or Chrome better?

Both browsers have a decent enough set of privacy and security features, but Edge is easier to navigate and provides more control for its users. However, Chrome has a more consistent update schedule, meaning that malware or exploits will get patched faster than Edge.

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