Microsoft prepares to retire Internet Explorer on June 15: What it means for end-users

Microsoft will retire its antiquated Internet Explorer (IE) on June 15, that is, 27 years after the web browser was introduced. The decision was announced last year, and the Redmond, Washington-based tech giant is slowly pushing its Chromium-based Edge as the primary browser for Windows PCs. Microsoft claims that its current-gen Edge browser is a "faster, more secure, and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer".

Though some details for developers remain unclear, it is certain that many end-users will fail to run the app on their desktops following June 15. In a blog post last year, Microsoft announced that the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application would be retired and go out of support on June 15, 2022 for certain versions of Windows 10. The same information flashes on IE when users open the browser to access websites. Microsoft recommends users Microsoft Edge for a "more" secure web browsing experience.

A separate FAQ page highlights that the IE desktop application will be "progressively redirected to Microsoft Edge over the following months". More users will notice the automatic redirect to Edge from IE near the official retirement date. Microsoft has said that the IE11 desktop application will be disabled through a future Windows 10 cumulative monthly update. The FAQ page also notes that the IE 11 browser is not available with the latest Windows 11.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has clarified that this retirement does not affect the in-market "Windows 10 LTSC or Server Internet Explorer 11 desktop applications". It also does not affect the MSHTML (Trident) engine either. The company has already started pulling off Microsoft 365 and other apps and support for Internet Explorer.

To put it simply, Microsoft is pushing its Chromium-based browser Edge to rival Google Chrome, which dominates the desktop and app web browser market. Microsoft Edge also aims to offer a friendlier interface for touch-supporting PCs and workstations. If users have set their default browser as IE, a software update will change it to Edge. Microsoft adds that the IE icon will remain in the Start Menu, and on the taskbar and desktop (if present), but clicking on any will redirect to Microsoft Edge.

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