Time to say goodbye: 27-year-old Internet Explorer will retire on June 15

Internet Explorer

With the desktop app becoming disabled in three days, users will be redirected to Microsoft Edge, which has an Internet Explorer ('IE mode') built in, the company said.

It's time to bid adieu to Microsoft's oldest browser, Internet Explorer (IE). After 27 years of service, the app will finally retire on June 15, 2022.

In May last year, an announcement on Microsoft's website stated that Internet Explorer will be rendered inoperable from June 15, 2022 on certain versions of Windows 10. It then urged customers to switch to Microsoft Edge, stating it "provides support for legacy and modern websites and apps."

Now, as of June 15, the IE desktop app will be disabled, and users will be redirected to Microsoft Edge. Don't worry if this is news to you: Microsoft has an FAQ section explaining how guiding IE users through the transition. From guides to video tutorials, the company looks like it is going all out in promoting its cross-platform browser Edge.

A long service

Internet Explorer was first released in 1995 as an add-on package for Windows 95. Later, the company began providing the browser for free as part of the package. In 2003, the browser reached a peak of 95 per cent usage, but it was unable to maintain its position, and the user base began to decline dramatically.

Many competitors entered the browser market and began offering better user interfaces, faster internet speeds, and smoother performance. It appears that Internet Explorer was unable to keep up with the competition, and it has gradually devolved into nothing more than a default explorer used to install other browsers.

Microsoft halted new browser feature development in 2016, and this may be the first time the tech giant has decided to phase out Internet Explorer.

Welcoming the new

Sean Lyndersay, the Microsoft Edge program manager was quoted as saying by Mashable, that "the future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 lies in Microsoft Edge". In a Microsoft blog on May 2021, Lyndersay says, "Microsoft Edge has Internet Explorer mode (“IE mode”) built in, so you can access those legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and applications straight from Microsoft Edge."

"Not only is Microsoft Edge a quicker, more secure, and more contemporary browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it also addresses a crucial concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications," he added further.

The company's blog release also suggests how one can find the Edge browser. "The good news: you probably already have it (Edge) on your device. Search for 'Microsoft Edge' using the Windows 10 search box or look for the icon. If you don’t have it, you can easily download it here." It added that once a user moves to Edge, "it’s easy to bring over your passwords, favorites and other browsing data from Internet Explorer in a few clicks."

Twitter reacts to news:

Nostalgia-ridden netizens, as usual, took to Twitter to share their reactions to the news. Here are a few of them:

After 27 years of service, Microsoft is going to retire Internet Explorer for good on June 15th. pic.twitter.com/rIpcHFWoU3

— Product Hunt ?? (@ProductHunt) June 12, 2022

Internet Explorer is shutting down in three days. I haven't used IE in a decades but it was the browser I had used for the majority if my childhood.

Whether you loved or hated Internet Explorer, it'll be the end if an era ??

— Caesár (@CnaVD) June 11, 2022

thank you Internet Explorer for helping us download Chrome and Firefox over the years

— ScoopWhoop (@ScoopWhoop) June 13, 2022