Microsoft has moved to fully retire the Internet Explorer browser, a transition it began rolling out months earlier. The company plans to complete the shutdown with an update to Microsoft Edge.
The firm announced that support for Internet Explorer would end, with IE11 reaching end of support on May 2020 and, for some devices, as of June 15, 2022. After this point, Microsoft Edge would be the primary web browser backed by Microsoft.
In the ongoing rollout, a desktop browser deprecation will occur on certain systems, while Windows 10 will continue to receive support for the time being.
Importantly, the transition schedule indicates that the final removal of IE11 will occur after February 14, 2023, and the change will be delivered through a future Edge update rather than a Windows update as previously suggested.
Microsoft stated the motive behind the move is to provide a smoother user experience and to help organizations migrate remaining IE11 users to Edge, according to the manufacturer. (Microsoft)
Organizations that have already completed the shift from Explorer mode to Edge will not see operational changes starting February 14. For those seeking to remove visible Explorer references from Edge, such as in the taskbar or Start menu, the option to disable these references must be exercised before February 14.
Those visual references are slated for removal from Edge with the June 2023 monthly security update. (Microsoft)
Finally, Microsoft emphasizes that businesses should not rely on any IE11 services. They are urged to finish the transition to Edge by the specified date, otherwise employees or users may lose access to applications that depend on Internet Explorer 11. (Microsoft)