3 Facts of IE End of Life and the Transition to Edge
The term “end of life” is often perceived as being abrupt and permanent. Fortunately, Microsoft gave customers the needed time to process and adjust before pulling the plug on the Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) browser. The announcement that Microsoft 365 apps would stop supporting IE11 was to end came on August 17, 2020.
In the past year, users were able to switch to the “legacy” browser offered by Microsoft Edge. Understanding that IE 11 may have been “your thing” and you were never #TeamGoogle, you could be finding yourself feeling nervous and/or are struggling with the change now and wondering what’s next. Let me lead you into a happier-ever-after of this “end of life” situation.
How to Survive the Switch:
Step 1- Know the timeline to be prepared for change.
Beginning November 30, 2020, Microsoft Teams stopped supporting IE11, giving users the nudge to begin using Microsoft Edge. Hopefully users took this time to adjust to alternative means of access.
August 17, 2021 has come and gone, which brought along with it a degradation of MS365 apps and services via IE11. Users will notice that the features are not working normally when they attempt to access via IE11.
And coming in June 15, 2022, IE11 desktop application will also be retired and go out of support for certain versions of Windows 10. With that deadline less than 10 months away, there’s no time like the present to begin getting acclimated to Microsoft Edge — Edge in IE mode, to be more exact.
Step 2- Acceptance, Reincarnation or Rejuvenation (However you are choosing to look at this transition)?
If you are still not a fan of switching over to Edge, consider the advantages you can see when you open your Edge browser. There’s a pretty great chance that it is already loaded on your device. If not, you can download it here. Saving Edge as your new default browsing window is your first step toward what should be more efficient, secure and (work) life changing.
Considering that Microsoft Edge is powered by the Chromium project, the underlying technology of many current browsers, it allows compatibility to older coded websites with built-in legacy browser support. Chromium supports sites that require IE, while also supporting the newer interactive websites. Effectively, this “dual engine” advantage allows a more efficient approach to accessing websites, removing the tedious task of using one browser for this and another for that. The backward compatibility of Edge will remain as a supported function until 2029, with a one year notice before IE mode becomes unavailable.
Edge comes along with heightened security against malware and phishing. Microsoft’s Password Monitor is able to run a scan over the dark web, creating alerts to inform if a password has been compromised. When necessary, the alert suggests creating a new, stronger password. Edge also offers security patches that protect against immediate risks within days or hours, instead of what was more commonly being pushed out on a monthly schedule.
Microsoft Edge has simplified transferring passwords, favorites, and browsing data such as cookies from Internet Explorer. Click the link for more information and steps. Ease of access and speed were also given a boost in the new Edge browser.
If leaving open multiple tabs as you power through your work day is a common issue, you will be pleased to know that Microsoft Edge offers the use of sleep tabs to help with the problem. This relates to another issue that Edge is tackling — so many tabs open that you can no longer tell what they are. Edge offers the option to have tabs listed in a vertical view and placed off to the side. Another great option to go with is separating your work and personal browser usage by creating different profiles in Edge.
Step 3- Don’t look back!
This last step is merely an observation from most horror movies, major life changing moments, last words before someone turns into dust, or when you are upfront “winning.” Microsoft Edge has introduced many “forward thinking” and beneficial features to make the transition more seamless, which should flow nicely into a more productive work process.
If you are interested in more details on backward compatibility, increased security, and ease of use with Edge check here. Microsoft details how Edge is even more secure than Chrome for businesses when using Windows 10. With all the new changes in technology and even the coming of Windows 11, we should only be looking forward.
If you have questions about how you can better use Edge and other Microsoft products or about your company’s technology infrastructure, don’t hesitate to contact the support specialists at Revolution Group at 614-212-1101 or [email protected].
