HISTORY OF DEV

June 15, 2022

Internet Explorer 11 retired

MicrosoftThe software giant behind Windows, Office, Azure, and Xbox — founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. retired the Internet ExplorerMicrosoft's long-running web browser — bundled with Windows for decades before Edge replaced it. 11 desktop app on June 15, 2022 — ending 27 years of the browser that once held over 90% market share.

What it was for

Internet ExplorerOpening IEInternet Explorer — Microsoft's browser that dominated the web in the 1990s and 2000s. on Windows 10 redirected users to MicrosoftThe software giant behind Windows, Office, Azure, and Xbox — founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. EdgeMicrosoft's Chromium-based web browser — the default on Windows, replacing Internet Explorer.; IEInternet Explorer — Microsoft's browser that dominated the web in the 1990s and 2000s. mode in EdgeMicrosoft's Chromium-based web browser — the default on Windows, replacing Internet Explorer. kept legacy intranet apps running. The retirement applied to the IE11 desktop app on consumer Windows 10 — Windows 10 LTSC, Windows Server, and Windows 7 ESU editions retained IE11 support. For developers, it was the final break from ActiveX-only sites, `-ms-` hacks, and the IE6–IE11 compatibility matrix.

Companies

  • Microsoft

Why it's here

IEInternet Explorer — Microsoft's browser that dominated the web in the 1990s and 2000s.'s retirement closed the longest chapter in browser history and the era of building for one dominant engine.

Why it mattered

It forced the last holdouts off a browser with no security updates and shrinking web compatibility.

What it solved

MicrosoftThe software giant behind Windows, Office, Azure, and Xbox — founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. could not maintain a separate legacy browser alongside ChromiumGoogle's open-source browser project — the foundation for Chrome, Edge, and other modern browsers.-based EdgeMicrosoft's Chromium-based web browser — the default on Windows, replacing Internet Explorer. indefinitely.

Media

  • Internet Explorer
    ImageInternet Explorer

    Microsoft, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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