Editing Internet Explorer (section)

===End of life===
[[Microsoft Edge Legacy|Microsoft Edge [Legacy]]] was officially unveiled on January 21, 2015, as "Project Spartan".<ref name="ieblog-spartan">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2015/01/22/project-spartan-and-the-windows-10-january-preview-build.aspx|title=Spartan and the Windows 10 January Preview Build|date=January 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122190033/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2015/01/22/project-spartan-and-the-windows-10-january-preview-build.aspx|archive-date=January 22, 2015|website=IEBlog|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|first1=Jason|last1=Weber}}</ref><ref name="verge-spartanextensions">{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/1/27/7925007/microsoft-project-spartan-browser-extensions|title=Microsoft reveals its Internet Explorer successor will support extensions|date=January 27, 2015|website=[[The Verge]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|first1=Tom|last1=Warren}}</ref> On April 29, 2015, Microsoft announced that Microsoft Edge would replace Internet Explorer as the default browser in Windows 10.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/04/29/technology/microsoft-edge-windows-build/index.html|title='Microsoft Edge' will replace Internet Explorer|date=April 29, 2015|last=Goldman|first=David|publisher=CNN|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref> However, Internet Explorer remained the default web browser on the Windows 10 Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) and on Windows Server until 2021, primarily for enterprise purposes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/3/17/8230631/microsoft-is-killing-off-the-internet-explorer-brand |title=Microsoft is killing off the Internet Explorer brand |work=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |date=March 17, 2015 |access-date=March 18, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/at-work/whats-new-wip-at-work-1809|title=What's new in the Windows Server 2019 Insider Preview Builds|website=docs.microsoft.com|access-date=February 12, 2019|archive-date=December 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210085938/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/at-work/whats-new-wip-at-work-1809|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/ltsc/whats-new-windows-10-2021|title=What's new in Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021|date=December 9, 2022|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/whats-new-in-windows-server-2022|title=What's new in Windows Server 2022|date=December 14, 2022|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref>

Internet Explorer is still installed in Windows 10 to maintain compatibility with older websites and [[intranet]] sites that require [[ActiveX]] and other legacy web technologies.<ref name="ieblog-spartan"/><ref name="verge-spartanextensions"/> The browser's MSHTML rendering engine also remains for compatibility reasons.

Additionally, [[Microsoft Edge (Chromium)]] shipped with the "Internet Explorer mode" feature, which enables support for legacy internet applications. This is possible through use of the [[MSHTML|Trident MSHTML]] engine, the [[web rendering|rendering]] code of Internet Explorer.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What is Internet Explorer mode?|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/edge-ie-mode|access-date=2021-10-12|website=docs.microsoft.com|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Blog|first=Windows Experience|date=2021-05-19|title=The future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge|url=https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2021/05/19/the-future-of-internet-explorer-on-windows-10-is-in-microsoft-edge/|access-date=2021-05-20|website=Windows Experience Blog|language=en-US}}</ref> Microsoft has committed to supporting Internet Explorer mode at least through 2029, with a one-year notice before it is discontinued.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lifecycle FAQ - Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/faq/internet-explorer-microsoft-edge|access-date=2021-10-12|website=docs.microsoft.com|language=en-us}}</ref> 

With the release of Microsoft Edge [Legacy], the development of new features for Internet Explorer ceased. [[Internet Explorer 11]] was the final release, and Microsoft began the process of deprecating Internet Explorer. During this process, it will still be [[Software maintenance|maintained]] as part of Microsoft's support policies.<ref name="is-ie-discontinued" />

Since January 12, 2016, only the latest version of Internet Explorer available for each version of Windows has been supported.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2014/08/07/stay-up-to-date-with-internet-explorer.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808014410/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2014/08/07/stay-up-to-date-with-internet-explorer.aspx |title=Stay up-to-date with Internet Explorer |publisher=Microsofts's MSDN blog |date=August 7, 2014|archive-date=August 8, 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref><ref name="IELifecycle">{{cite web|url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle#gp/Microsoft-Internet-Explorer |title=Internet Explorer Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ |access-date=March 18, 2015}}<!-- Ref'd document title says "Lifecycle" not "Life cycle", please do not change --></ref> At the time, nearly half of Internet Explorer users were using an unsupported version.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3010555/nearly-370m-ie-users-have-just-6-weeks-to-upgrade.html|title=Nearly 370M IE users have just 6 weeks to upgrade|date=December 1, 2015|last=Keizer|first=Gregg|publisher=Computerworld|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref>

In February 2019, Microsoft Chief of Security Chris Jackson recommended that users stop using Internet Explorer as their default browser.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=Chris |title=The perils of using Internet Explorer as your default browser |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/the-perils-of-using-internet-explorer-as-your-default-browser/ba-p/331732# |website=Windows IT Pro Blog |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=May 14, 2020 |language=en |date=February 6, 2019}}</ref>

Various websites have dropped support for Internet Explorer. On June 1, 2020, the [[Internet Archive]] removed Internet Explorer from its list of supported browsers, due to the browser's dated nature.<ref>{{cite web |title=Farewell to IE11 |url=https://blog.archive.org/2020/05/01/farewell-to-ie11/ |website=Internet Archive Blogs |publisher=Internet Archive |access-date=May 14, 2020 |language=en |date=May 1, 2020}}</ref> Since November 30, 2020, the web version of [[Microsoft Teams]] can no longer be accessed using Internet Explorer 11, followed by the remaining [[Microsoft 365]] applications since August 17, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-20|title=Microsoft Internet Explorer is finally dead|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/microsoft-internet-explorer-out-use-11-edge-a9676176.html|access-date=2021-03-26|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-365-blog/microsoft-365-apps-say-farewell-to-internet-explorer-11-and/ba-p/1591666|title=Microsoft 365 apps say farewell to Internet Explorer 11 and Windows 10 sunsets Microsoft Edge Legacy|access-date=September 18, 2020}}</ref> WordPress also dropped support for the browser in July 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wordpress.org/news/2021/05/dropping-support-for-internet-explorer-11/|title=Dropping support for Internet Explorer 11|date=May 19, 2021|last=Desrosiers|first=Jonathan|publisher=WordPress|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref>

Microsoft disabled the normal means of launching Internet Explorer in [[Windows 11]] and later versions of [[Windows 10]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retirement FAQ |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/internet-explorer-11-desktop-app-retirement-faq/ba-p/2366549 |access-date=13 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref> but it is still possible for users to launch the browser from the [[Control Panel (Windows)|Control Panel]]'s [[browser toolbar]] settings or via [[PowerShell]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2022/8/3/23290171/how-to-use-internet-explorer-windows-11-why-microsoft-why |access-date=22 October 2022 |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=3 August 2022 |title=You can bring Internet Explorer back to life in Windows 11 if you're a glutton for punishment |website=theverge.com |publisher=Vox Media, LLC. |quote=It’s just a matter of searching for Internet Options in the Start menu, launching the control panel applet, selecting the programs tab, hitting “manage add-ons,” and then clicking the “Learn more about toolbars and extensions.” For some reason, this launches Internet Explorer, bypassing the commands that force you into Edge.}}</ref>

On June 15, 2022, Internet Explorer 11 support ended for the [[Windows 10]] Semi-Annual Channel (SAC). Users on these versions of Windows 10 were redirected to [[Microsoft Edge]] starting on February 14, 2023, and visual references to the browser (such as icons on the taskbar) would have been removed on June 13, 2023. However, on May 19, 2023, various organizations disapproved, leading Microsoft to withdraw the change.<ref name="IE11 and Edge Lifecycle FAQ">{{cite web |url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/faq/internet-explorer-microsoft-edge |title=Lifecycle FAQ - Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge |date=2021-11-03 |access-date=2022-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613224114/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/faq/internet-explorer-microsoft-edge |archive-date=2022-06-13 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/internet-explorer-11-desktop-app-retirement-faq/ba-p/2366549 |title=Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retirement FAQ |date=2022-06-13 |access-date=2022-06-13 |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613223618/https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/internet-explorer-11-desktop-app-retirement-faq/ba-p/2366549 |archive-date=2022-06-13 |url-status=live}}</ref>
Other versions of Windows that were still supported at the time were unaffected. Specifically, [[Windows 7]] ESU, [[Windows 8.x]], [[Windows RT]]; [[Windows Server 2008]]/[[Windows Server 2008 R2|R2]] ESU, [[Windows Server 2012]]/[[Windows Server 2012 R2|R2]] and later; and [[Windows 10 editions#Organizational editions|Windows 10 LTSB/LTSC]] continued to receive updates until their respective end of life dates.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-19 |title=Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retirement FAQ |website=TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COM |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/internet-explorer-11-desktop-app-retirement-faq/ba-p/2366549 |access-date=2022-06-15 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2022-06-15 |first=Josh |last=Taylor |title=Microsoft to retire Internet Explorer browser and redirect users to Edge |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jun/15/microsoft-to-retire-internet-explorer-browser-and-redirect-users-to-edge |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lifecycle FAQ - Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/faq/internet-explorer-microsoft-edge|access-date=2021-07-10|website=docs.microsoft.com|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/20/tech/microsoft-internet-explorer-end-of-life/index.html| publisher=CNN |title=Microsoft is finally getting rid of its most-hated product |date=May 20, 2021 |access-date=May 20, 2021}}</ref> 

On other versions of Windows, Internet Explorer will still be supported until their own end of support dates. [[Internet Explorer 7|IE7]] was supported until October 10, 2023, alongside the end of support for [[Windows Embedded Compact 2013]], while [[Internet Explorer 9|IE9]] is supported until January 13, 2026, alongside the end of [paid and [[grandfathered]]] Premium Assurance support for customers on [[Windows Server 2008]].<ref name="IELifecycle" /> Barring additional changes to the support policy, Internet Explorer 11 will be supported until January 13, 2032, concurrent with the end of support for Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-10-iot-enterprise-ltsc-2021 |title=Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref><ref name="IELifecycle" />