In the last couple of years, I've been to an insurance broker and an ophthalmologist who both used web-based systems that could only function in Internet Explorer. Companies, large organizations, and even government agencies have spent millions of dollars creating complex web applications that run in IE, but that was years ago when the browser had a more than 90% market share. Many of these same organizations haven't had the time or budget to rewrite their systems for today's browsers. But now, Microsoft has permanently disabled Internet Explorer. If you need to use IE in Windows 10 or Windows 11, the way to get it is through Internet Explorer mode in the Microsoft Edge browser.
Here we show anyone who needs that good old IE special sauce how to get it without using the old browser. Getting IE functionality isn't terribly obvious, but it’s not at all hard either.
How to Get Internet Explorer Mode in Windows 11
1. Open Edge, Go to Settings
To get sites that require IE to work inside Edge in Windows 11, the first step is to open Edge and go to the three-dot menu all the way on the right side of the top menu bar. Choose Settings, which is nearly at the bottom:
2. Navigate to Default Browser to Use IE Mode
Now head to the Default Browser section of Edge’s Settings page. Since this section is mostly about making Edge your default browser, it’s not the most obvious place for enabling IE mode, but that’s where you need to go. A helpful panel explains how to get legacy IE sites working in Edge. But what it suggests—setting particular sites to run in IE mode—is not the only option.
3. Allow Sites to Reload in IE
You now have two choices for getting sites that require IE to work in Edge. First, you can set Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode to either Default or Allow (the only other option is "Don’t allow" and that clearly isn’t what you want):
4. Select How and When Sites Will Load in IE Mode
The Default setting presents an option to open Edge in IE mode if you’ve opened a page in that mode before. (This doesn’t mean that IE mode will be the default; this is just the default setting in Edge.) If you choose Allow, you’ll be able to choose Reload in Internet Explorer mode from the Settings and more menu, or by right-clicking on the tab and then choosing Open link in new Internet Explorer mode tab. If you choose Allow, you need to restart your browser.
Alternatively, you can add specific web pages to the Internet Explorer mode list. Note that you need to include "https://" and not just the address and domain. In my testing, allowing a specific site only would be in effect for one month, so that may not be the best way to go if you anticipate needing a site in IE mode for an extended period.
5. Open Any Pages Requiring IE
Navigate to the page you want to open in IE, right-click on its tab, and choose Reload tab in Internet Explorer Mode.
The first time you do this, you see a notification about the mode, with a switch for making the site always use IE mode. You also see a bar across the top of the page saying you’d be better off using the more modern and secure Edge, with a button to switch to it once you’re done browsing the site that requires IE. You’ll also see the good old “e” logo just to the left of the web address bar:
Also note the button showing a web tab with the Edge swirl logo in the toolbar just to the left of the Share button. This switches to a blue IE logo when you're in Edge mode and lets you switch between modes:
Move Forward With Windows 11
For more on Windows 11, read The Best Windows 11 Tips and Tricks. And keep track of all the latest developments on our Windows 11 news page.