How to ie mode in edge

What is Internet Explorer Mode in Microsoft Edge?

Internet Explorer (IE) mode is a compatibility feature built into Microsoft Edge. It allows users to view and interact with websites and web applications that were originally designed for the older Internet Explorer browser. Many organizations, especially those with internal business applications or government sites, rely on legacy web technologies that are no longer supported by modern browsers like Edge or Chrome. IE mode bridges this gap by rendering these older sites using the Trident (MSHTML) engine that powered Internet Explorer, while still allowing Edge to handle modern web content.

Why is IE Mode Necessary?

The primary reason for IE mode's existence is the discontinuation of Internet Explorer. Microsoft officially retired Internet Explorer 11 on June 15, 2022, encouraging users to migrate to Microsoft Edge. However, a complete migration away from IE-dependent applications is often a complex and time-consuming process. Many businesses and institutions have critical internal tools, content management systems, or custom-built applications that were developed years ago and still function correctly only in IE. Replacing or updating these systems can involve significant costs, retraining, and potential disruption. IE mode provides a temporary or long-term solution to ensure these essential legacy resources remain accessible without requiring users to maintain a separate, outdated browser.

How Does IE Mode Work?

When you enable IE mode for a specific website, Microsoft Edge essentially embeds an instance of the Internet Explorer rendering engine. This means that Edge will load and display the content of that particular site using the older technology it was built for. For all other websites, Edge continues to use its modern rendering engine (Chromium-based), providing a seamless browsing experience. This dual-engine approach allows users to benefit from the security, speed, and features of Edge while still accessing legacy sites as if they were using Internet Explorer.

Configuring IE Mode

IE mode can be configured in several ways, primarily managed by IT administrators for enterprise environments, but also accessible for individual users.

For Enterprise Users (Managed by IT):

IT administrators can use Group Policy or Microsoft Edge policies to define which websites should automatically open in IE mode. This is typically done through an Enterprise Site List. The administrator creates an XML file that lists the URLs and specifies whether they should open in IE mode. This list can be deployed to all company devices, ensuring consistent access to required legacy applications.

For Individual Users (Less Common Configuration):

While most individual users won't need to manually configure IE mode, it's possible to do so through the Edge settings:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Go to Settings (click the three dots in the top-right corner and select 'Settings').
3. Navigate to 'Default browser' in the left-hand menu.
4. Under 'Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode', select 'Allow'.
5. You will then see an option to 'Add' specific pages to the IE mode list. Enter the URL of the website you need to open in IE mode and click 'Add'.
6. You can also choose to have Edge ask you before reloading sites in IE mode.
7. Restart Edge for the changes to take effect.

When you visit a site added to this list, Edge will prompt you to reload it in IE mode, or it will do so automatically depending on your settings.

Key Benefits of Using IE Mode

• Compatibility: Ensures access to critical legacy websites and applications.
• Productivity: Reduces disruption by allowing continued use of essential older tools.
• Security: By keeping legacy sites within Edge, users benefit from Edge's modern security features and updates, rather than using the unsupported and vulnerable Internet Explorer browser directly.
• Unified Browsing: Users can access both modern and legacy sites within a single browser (Edge).

Limitations and Considerations

While IE mode is a powerful tool, it's important to understand its limitations. It's primarily a transitional solution. Microsoft strongly encourages organizations to migrate away from Internet Explorer dependencies over time. IE mode is not a permanent replacement for modern web standards. Some complex JavaScript or newer web technologies might still not function perfectly within the IE engine emulation. Furthermore, IE mode is not available on macOS, Linux, or mobile versions of Edge, as it relies on components specific to Windows.

The Future of IE Mode

As of June 15, 2022, Internet Explorer 11 has been retired. Microsoft Edge is the recommended browser for all Windows users. IE mode in Edge will continue to be supported until at least 2029, providing a crucial window for organizations to modernize their applications. Eventually, all web applications should be updated to support modern browsers, phasing out the need for IE mode entirely.