After being the main entrance to the internet in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Internet Explorer (IE) is gone. As of June 15, 2022, Microsoft dropped the web browser from support. So, now that IE has reached its end of life (EOL), what happens next?

Microsoft Will Redirect Users to IE Mode in Edge

According to Microsoft, now that IE is officially out of support, it will redirect users. Over the next few months, a new experience will happen. Those opening this outdated browser will land in Microsoft Edge with IE mode instead.

Microsoft added IE Mode to Edge to ease the transition from Internet Explorer. This mode allows organisations to use legacy sites that may have worked best in IE. It uses the Trident MSHTML engine from IE11 to do this.

When in IE mode, you'll still see the Internet Explorer icon on your device. But if you open it, you'll be in Microsoft Edge.

Microsoft Will Be Removing Internet Explorer Icons in the Future

Microsoft isn't yet getting rid of the IE icons that appear in places like the taskbar and Start menu on Windows. But it will be in a future update. Users can expect to see those removed at some point. 

Edge Will Import Browser Data from IE

What about your favourites, saved passwords, and other settings that you have in IE? Microsoft Edge will import these from Internet Explorer for you, so they're not lost as well as your browsing history and other data stored in the browser. You'll then be able to access these in Microsoft Edge's settings area.

With IE Retired, What Do You Need to Do Now?

Uninstall the Browser

It's risky to keep unsupported older technology on your system. Cybercriminals love to exploit older tools that are not receiving any security updates; it's an open invitation to breach your network. Unfortunately, manufacturers will never address these because they retired the software.

Outdated technology costs enterprises approximately 47% more when they suffer a data breach compared to those with updated tools.

You should transition your stored information to Microsoft Edge (or another trusted browser). Then uninstall IE from your device or devices.

Ensure Employees Know How to Use IE Mode in Edge

A scenario that businesses want to avoid is what happened to many organisations in Japan, where some Government and corporate users were not ready for the retirement of IE.  

It was reported that IT and engineering departments received many calls for help, likely due to unpreparedness for the browser's demise. Although it came with warnings, it was a shock to many that used legacy sites that needed IE to work, including the customers of government agencies, financial institutions, and other organisations. Many were left scrambling to figure out what to do at the last minute as they still needed access to employee attendance management and other online tools. 

Of course, with IE mode in Edge, this transition didn't need to be so chaotic. But without communication or training, more than 20% of affected users hadn't figured out what to do.

Make sure you communicate with your team what to do. Companies can automate IE mode for their users so that it launches automatically.

Train Employees on Microsoft Edge Features

Microsoft Edge has a lot of benefits over IE and other browsers. It's faster and more responsive than Internet Explorer. It also has comprehensive security controls (including password breach monitoring). And has unique features such as "collections."

But with all new tools, if you want employees to use them proficiently, they need to have a chance to learn them. So take the time to transition, and have your employees trained on Edge.

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This article is used with permission from The Technology Press.