Internet Explorer Faces Final Shutdown by 2029

Microsoft reminds companies that Internet Explorer mode (IE mode) in Edge will be retired by late 2029 at the latest and is advising early migration.

Microsoft has once again reminded organizations via a notice in the Microsoft 365 Message Center that the so-called IE mode in Microsoft Edge will be discontinued by late 2029 at the latest. The actual Internet Explorer desktop application was retired years ago, but continues to live on in current Windows versions via this compatibility mode.

What IE Mode Is

IE mode is a special compatibility feature in the modern, Chromium-based Edge browser. It can render web pages using the Trident rendering engine, also known as MSHTML, which was originally introduced with Internet Explorer 4.0. Internet Explorer 11 uses version MSHTML 7.0, thereby supporting features such as WebGL applets and the now-deprecated SPDY communication protocol, among others. According to Microsoft, organizations that no longer use applications reliant on Internet Explorer do not need to take any further action.

In the notice with ID MC1473151 published on September 16, Microsoft reaffirms its commitment, originally announced in 2021, to support IE mode until at least late 2029. According to Microsoft, any retirement would be announced at least one year in advance. Companies that still operate applications dependent on IE mode are advised to identify and modernize them early, as such projects can take several years depending on their scope. The notice states:

“Early planning can help your organization identify migration risks and reduce the likelihood of disruption as you reduce dependence on IE mode.”

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Support from Microsoft

Affected companies should audit their IT infrastructure to determine which business- or mission-critical applications and websites still rely on IE mode, in order to subsequently update, migrate to other systems, replace, or rebuild them using modern web technologies. To assess the compatibility of proprietary applications with current Windows platforms, Microsoft offers eligible customers assistance through its free App Assure service.

(Editorial Team)