End of an Era: Internet Explorer Shuts Down After 27 Years

After 27 years, Microsoft’s beloved Internet Explorer closes its doors for good, leaving nostalgic users devastated.

Before browsers like Safari, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox, there was Internet Explorer. An icon in its own right, Internet Explorer was developed by Microsoft and was even included in the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995.

However, all good things come to an end as Microsoft has officially shut down Internet Explorer on Wednesday, following an announcement that they made last year. According to The Wall Street Journal, the decision came about 27 years after the company first debuted the browser.

With that being said, when people try to open the application, they will be directed to Microsoft Edge—the company’s newer browser—according to The Telegraph.

Sad to See It Go

In a blog post on May 2021, Microsoft explained that they began moving away from Internet Explorer—leaning more towards Microsoft Edge. In that post, the company announced that the older browser will be retired on June 15 and that it would “go out of support” for certain versions of Windows 10.

After its debut in 1995, Internet Explorer became one of the most popular ways of accessing the internet, according to The Telegraph. But by 2016, Microsoft Edge became the company’s preferred browser.

“Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure, and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications,” the company wrote in their 2021 blog post.

Although Internet Explorer isn’t as popular as it used to be, many businesses continue to use Internet Explorer to run internal applications. To remedy this, Microsoft added an Internet Explorer mode on Microsoft Edge that allows said applications to continue running. “Microsoft Edge has Internet Explorer mode (“IE mode”) built in, so you can access those legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and applications straight from Microsoft Edge,” the company added.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, as of last month, 0.28% still use Internal Explorer, citing web traffic website StatCounter. On the other hand, about 66.67% use Google Chrome, while 18% use Apple’s Safari.