It’s time to let go of Internet Explorer 11.
Starting on November 30, 2020, Teams will no longer work in Internet Explorer. Then in a little under a year, on August 17, 2021, none of the Microsoft 365 apps will work in Internet Explorer.
The old version of Edge is also getting the axe. On March 9, 2021 the old solid blue icon Edge will stop getting security updates. So if you’re using that as your default browser and for some reason haven’t upgraded to the new Edge, now is the time.
Microsoft posted a blog this week announcing that their own apps and services are phasing out support for Internet Explorer (and the legacy, Trident-based Edge, in favor of the new Chromium browser).
And I’m sure some of you are wondering, “Hey, it’s 2020. Who the heck is still using Internet Explorer?” And I have to admit, I had the same question. What surprised me about this announcement is that Microsoft 365 supported Internet Explorer in the first place.
Turns out, a lot of people don’t change just because a better option is available. I know, weird. But it’s true. I’ve seen several of my clients using Internet Explorer as though that’s a practical choice and not like commuting to work on a velocipede. So Microsoft is forcing the issue.
And for good reason, because let me tell you, friends don’t let friends use Internet Explorer. I know, people say they have their reasons. Like maybe they were deep into reading news via Google Reader and they can’t bring themselves to trust their heart to a Google product again. Or maybe they have been told that they have to use Internet Explorer for some intranet app that was written back in the late 1990s, in a different century. (It’s probably the latter.)
Well, rejoice, Internet Explorer users! You don’t have to put up with an old and busted browser anymore. The new Chromium-based Edge has special code that makes it 100% compatible with sites that require Internet Explorer, so long as those sites don’t do something like check the browser string and flat out refuse to open if they don’t get back “Internet Explorer.” I’ve seen sites that do this, and it’s a low down dirty shame. Don’t stand for lazy web development.
For more information, view this blog post, and download Chromium Edge directly from Microsoft.
Jeff | PEI
