Over the summer, Microsoft confirmed that it will remove outdated Internet Explorer and Edge Legacy web browsers as phase-out plans are finalized. However, a significant number of users have stuck with Internet Explorer, forcing Microsoft to take additional steps to push the switch to the new Chromium-based Edge. Now, when an Internet Explorer user visits an incompatible site, of which there are currently over 1000, the page will automatically launch in Microsoft Edge, along with a message saying, "This website doesn't work in Internet Explorer.". The list of websites that are not compatible with Internet Explorer is constantly growing and currently includes the popular services Twitter, Instagram, Google Drive, Yahoo Mail, and more.
Internet Explorer end of life
Internet Explorer has long been the butt of jokes in the tech community, ridiculed for its speed issues and clunky user interface. The decline in the web browser's reputation is very significant in its market share, which currently sits at just 1,19% according to StatCounter data (versus 95% at its peak). The decision to kill the browser, which first appeared in 1995, can be seen as an admission of its growing irrelevance to modern users. “Customers have been using IE 11 since 2013, when the online environment was much less sophisticated than it is today. Since then, open web standards and newer browsers, like the new Microsoft Edge, have enabled better and more innovative online experiences,” Microsoft said. "We believe that Microsoft 365 subscribers, in both consumer and business contexts, will be well served with this change through faster and more responsive web access." However, even as Microsoft ditched Internet Explorer in favor of a new flagship browser, tens of millions of people continue to use this outdated service, prompting the company to take further action. Not only will some web pages now be automatically redirected to Edge, but Microsoft will also continue to remove support for Internet Explorer from its suite of products. Starting November 13, users will no longer be able to sign in to their Microsoft accounts through Internet Explorer, Microsoft Teams will stop supporting them at the end of the same month, and by August 17, 2021, no Microsoft apps 365 will be compatible with Browser. . After these times have elapsed, users of the unsupported web browser will experience a "degraded experience"; New Microsoft 365 features will not be available to latecomers, and existing web apps will be disabled.