Internet Explorer Support Has Ended. Now What?

What’s more Melbourne than a green and gold W-class tram heading up St Kilda Road past the Arts Centre?

The W-class trams were like a long-lost friend. They greeted you while strolling along Melbourne’s tree-lined streets and boulevards for decades. 

They carried Melburnians from the footy at the ‘G…

…down to Acland Street and out to Coburg. 

As the years wore on, the trams showed their age with braking problems.

Finally, in 1992 the W-class trams started to be retired from service. 

Of course, we look back now with our modern, sleek and accessible trams and wonder what all the fuss was about.

But most Melbournians see the W-class tram as one of the city’s treasures. Retiring them was part of modernising Melbourne and transforming access to the city. 

I mean, who could forget The Met?

Or M>Trams. 

I bet you forgot that.

Improving and transforming a service was as important to Microsoft as replacing the W-class trams was to Melbourne. So, in June 2022, Microsoft announced it would retire its legacy support for Internet Explorer (IE).

Relegating Internet Explorer to the history books. 

Internet Explorer was the web’s most popular browser for over twenty years. 

Microsoft had significant success by bundling Internet Explorer with Windows, preloading it on billions of computers worldwide for decades. 

But its domination ended in 2012 when Google Chrome toppled Internet Explorer for the first time. Google recognised that Internet Explorer had performance issues. And it focused on building a web browser that delivered speed, stability and security.

The Victorian government said the same of Melbourne’s W-class trams, replacing them with modern, faster and safer trams designed for the future. 

Now the W-class trams were still famous when they retired. 

As for Internet Explorer, its popularity was shattered by the rise of smartphones. Chrome and Apple’s Safari delivered a better, more reliable user experience. 

Internet Explorer couldn’t compete.

So, Microsoft launched a new browser, Edge, as the browser installed on Windows in 2015.

And whilst many businesses have moved away from Internet Explorer, some are not ready to move on. 

In most cases, due to familiarity with Internet Explorer, here’s what you need to know:

What happens now for Internet Explorer?

Hello to IE Mode in Edge

With support ending for Internet Explorer, Microsoft has created a new experience. To ensure a seamless transition from Internet Explorer to Edge, users will land in Edge with IE mode when they open the browser. 

IE mode allows using older ActiveX and legacy sites optimised for Internet Explorer. Microsoft has achieved this using the Trident MSHTML engine from Internet Explorer 11. 

When in IE mode, you’ll still see the Internet Explorer icon on your device. But when you open it, you’ll be in Microsoft Edge. Microsoft has committed support for IE mode until at least 2029. 

They are allowing developers plenty of time to fix legacy sites and apps. 

Goodbye to the Internet Explorer icon 

Microsoft will remove the IE icon in the taskbar and start the menu on Windows.

What about my favourites, passwords or preferences?

Edge imports your favourites, passwords and other saved data from Internet Explorer. You’ll then be able to access these settings in Microsoft Edge to make changes, update or delete. 

 

Here’s what you need to do now

Uninstall Internet Explorer from your computer and devices

It’s essential to update your software when it is no longer supported. Failing to do so exposes you to cyber threats when using outdated software or technology. 

It’s well known that online crooks love to exploit obsolete software and tech that no longer receives security updates. 

In fact, outdated technology costs businesses approximately 47% more when they suffer a data breach. 

That’s why it’s crucial to transition your stored information. 

And confirm that your data has been transferred to Edge (or another trusted browser). 

Upskill your employees on how to use IE Mode in Edge

Even though Microsoft announced IE’s retirement in 2021, many businesses did not prepare. 

Many companies and government agencies in Japan underestimated the change it would bring.

IT service providers were flooded with calls for help as many legacy sites need Internet Explorer to operate. 

Many critical systems no longer worked by failing to prepare for the transition. As a result, Japanese businesses had to scramble to resolve access issues.

Many critical systems no longer worked by failing to prepare for the transition. Japanese businesses had to scramble to resolve access issues. 

Here’s the thing, it didn’t have to be this way. 

But without clear communication or training, more than 20% of users did not know what to do. 

Simple tasks they could do yesterday no longer worked. 

Don’t let your business be in that position. 

Be sure to communicate to your team how to make the transition simple. 

Make it as simple as the free tram zone. 

You jump on a tram, don’t need a Myki and don’t need to think.

It’s effortless. One minute you are outside Parliament Station, next you’re in the Bourke Street mall. 

So, automating IE mode when launching a browser makes the transition easier.

 

Tram…whoops…train employees on Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge is now immensely faster than Internet Explorer when it was rebuilt in 2019. 

By rebuilding Edge, Microsoft developed a browser that delivers a more immediate, responsive page load time. 

And Edge integrates with Windows 10 and 11. 

Microsoft simplified privacy controls whilst offering comprehensive security (including password breach monitoring). 

To ensure you take advantage of Edge, it’s essential to tram (whoops again) train your team. That way, your employees learn how to increase their productivity. 

 

Do you need help with Microsoft Edge?

Let us help you sort out your retired software and get you moving again. 

Contact us to help you upgrade your technology and plan for the future.