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{{Short description|Web browser series by Microsoft}}
{{For-multi|variants|Internet Explorer for Mac|and|Internet Explorer for UNIX|and|Internet Explorer Mobile}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Internet Explorer
| logo alt = Small blue "e" letter with a blue aureola
| logo size = 70px
| logo caption = Logo used since 2011
| screenshot = Internet Explorer 11 screenshot.png
| caption = Screenshot of [[Internet Explorer 11]] running on [[Windows 10]], showing the [[Main Page]] of the [[English Wikipedia]]
| other_names = Microsoft Internet Explorer (versions 1–6)<br>Windows Internet Explorer (versions 7–9)<br>IE
| author = [[Thomas Reardon]]
| developer = [[Microsoft]]
| released = {{Start date and age|1995|8|24}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/columns/historyofie.mspx |title=The History of Internet Explorer |date=August 25, 2005 |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |work=News Center |archive-date=October 1, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051001113951/http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/columns/historyofie.mspx |url-status=live }}</ref> (included with Plus! for Windows 95)
| discontinued = no
| ver layout = stacked
| latest release version = {{Multiple releases
| branch1 = Windows
| version1 = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q1575|P348|P400=Q1406|P548=Q2804309}}
| date1 = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q1575|P348|P400=Q1406|P548=Q2804309|P577}}
| branch2 = macOS
| version2 = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q1575|P348|P400=Q14116|P548=Q2804309}}
| date2 = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q1575|P348|P400=Q14116|P548=Q2804309|P577}}
| branch3 = Unix
| version3 = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q1575|P348|P400=Q11368|P548=Q2804309}}
| date3 = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q1575|P348|P400=Q11368|P548=Q2804309|P577}}
}}
| latest preview version = {{Multiple releases
| branch1 = Windows
| version1 = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q1575|P348|P400=Q1406|P548=Q51930650}}
| date1 = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q1575|P348|P400=Q1406|P548=Q51930650|P577}}
| branch2 = macOS
| version2 = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q1575|P348|P400=Q14116|P548=Q51930650}}
| date2 = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q1575|P348|P400=Q14116|P548=Q51930650|P577}}
| branch3 = Unix
| version3 = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q1575|P348|P400=Q11368|P548=Q51930650}}
| date3 = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q1575|P348|P400=Q11368|P548=Q51930650|P577}}
}}
| operating system = [[Windows]] <small>(previously supported: [[macOS|Mac OS X]], [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]], [[HP-UX]])</small>
| included with = {{plainlist|
* [[Microsoft Plus!]] for [[Windows 95]]
* Windows 95 OSR1 or later
* [[Windows NT 4.0]] through [[Windows 10, version 21H2|Windows 10 version 21H2]]<!-- [[Windows 11]], but only as "[[MSHTML]] (Trident) browser engine." List that here qualified, or too confusing to list for Windows 11 as not the full application? -->
* [[Windows Phone 7]] through [[Windows Phone 8.1]]
* [[Mac OS 8.1]] through [[Mac OS X 10.2]]
* [[Zune HD]]
* [[Xbox 360]]
* [[Xbox One]]
}}
| engines = [[MSHTML]] (Trident), [[Chakra (JScript engine)|Chakra]]
| platform = [[IA-32]], [[x86-64]], [[ARMv7]] <small> (previously supported: [[MIPS architecture|MIPS]], [[DEC Alpha|Alpha]], [[PowerPC]], [[68k]], [[SPARC]], [[PA-RISC]], [[Itanium]])</small>
| replaced_by = [[Microsoft Edge (series of web browsers)|Microsoft Edge]]
| size = <!--Varies; really, really varies. Please include your source.-->
| language count = 95
| language footnote = <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/terminology/2013/02/27/internet-explorer-10-for-windows-7-released-in-95-languages/|title=Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 released in 95 languages – Microsoft Language Portal Blog|website=blogs.technet.microsoft.com|date=August 28, 2023 }}</ref>
| genre = {{plainlist|
* [[Web browser]]
* [[Feed reader]]}}
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]], [[end-user license agreement|requires]] a Windows license<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Pre-Release Software License Terms: Internet Explorer 11 Developer Preview|url=http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/internet-explorer/ie11-win7-preview-software-license|work=microsoft.com|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=July 27, 2013}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://microsoft.com/ie}}<!--Redirect; see [[MOS:COMPUTING#Website addresses]]-->
| standard = [[HTML5]], [[CSS3]], [[WOFF]], [[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]], [[RSS]], [[Atom (standard)|Atom]], [[JPEG XR]]
}}
'''Internet Explorer'''{{efn|Since versions 10–11}} (formerly '''Microsoft Internet Explorer'''{{efn|In versions 1–6}} and '''Windows Internet Explorer''',{{efn|In versions 7–9}} commonly abbreviated as '''IE''' or '''MSIE''') is <!-- Don't change to "was", as it still is software, and will be forever, not just while still supported until 2031 on LTSC. --> a [[deprecation|retired]] series of [[graphical user interface|graphical]] [[web browser]]s developed by [[Microsoft]] that were used in the [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] line of [[operating system]]s. While IE has been discontinued on most Windows editions, it remains supported on certain editions of Windows, such as [[Windows 10 editions#Organizational editions|Windows 10 LTSB/LTSC]].<ref name="discontinued">{{Cite web |date=2021-05-19 |title=Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retirement FAQ |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/internet-explorer-11-desktop-app-retirement-faq/ba-p/2366549 |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COM |language=en}}</ref> Starting in 1995, it was first released as part of the add-on package [[Microsoft Plus!|Plus! for Windows 95]] that year. Later versions were available as free downloads or in-[[service pack]]s and included in the [[original equipment manufacturer]] (OEM) service releases of Windows 95 and later versions of Windows. Microsoft spent over {{USD|100 million}} per year on Internet Explorer in the late 1990s,<ref name="victor">{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com/2009-1032-995681.html?tag=toc|title=Victor: Software empire pays high price|publisher=[[CNET News]]|access-date=October 17, 2008|archive-date=February 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221021334/https://www.cnet.com/news/|url-status=dead}}</ref> with over 1,000 people involved in the project by 1999.<ref name="citeworld-ie-rise-fall">{{cite web|url=http://www.citeworld.com/article/2147006/consumerization/internet-explorer-rise-fall-rehabilitation.html|title=The rise, fall, and rehabilitation of Internet Explorer|publisher=citeworld.com|access-date=February 6, 2015|archive-date=June 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626112836/http://www.citeworld.com/article/2147006/consumerization/internet-explorer-rise-fall-rehabilitation.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="justice-gov-98-1232">{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f2600/2613-1.htm|title=U.S. Antitrust Case 98-1232 |publisher=justice.gov |access-date=February 6, 2015|author=Paul Maritz|quote=There is talk about how we get more $'s from the 1000+ people we have working on browser related stuff...}}</ref> In 2016, [[Microsoft Edge (series of web browsers)|Microsoft Edge]] was released to succeed Internet Explorer 11 as Microsoft's primary web browser. New feature development for Internet Explorer was discontinued that same year,<ref name="is-ie-discontinued">{{cite web|url=https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/platform/faq/|title=Frequently Asked Questions|website=Microsoft Edge Development|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716113141/https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/platform/faq/|archive-date=July 16, 2016|url-status=dead|quote=The latest features and platform updates will only be available in Microsoft Edge. We will continue to deliver security updates to Internet Explorer 11 through its supported lifespan. To ensure consistent behavior across Windows versions, we will evaluate Internet Explorer 11 bugs for servicing on a case by case basis.}}</ref> and support for the browser officially ended on June 15, 2022, for Windows 10 Semi-Annual Channel (SAC) editions.
Internet Explorer was once the most widely used web browser, attaining a peak of 95% [[usage share of web browsers|usage share]] by 2003.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10095730|work=BBC News|title=Microsoft's Internet Explorer losing browser share}}</ref> It has since fallen out of general use after retirement. This came after Microsoft used [[product bundling|bundling]] to win the [[first browser war]] against [[Netscape]], which was the dominant browser in the 1990s. Its usage share has since declined with the launches of [[Firefox]] (2004) and [[Google Chrome]] (2008) and with the growing popularity of mobile operating systems such as [[Android (operating system)|Android]] and [[iOS]] that do not support Internet Explorer. Microsoft Edge, IE's successor, first overtook Internet Explorer in terms of market share in November 2019. Versions of Internet Explorer for other operating systems have also been produced, including an [[Xbox 360]] version called Internet Explorer for Xbox and for platforms Microsoft no longer supports: [[Internet Explorer for Mac]] and [[Internet Explorer for UNIX]] ([[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]] and [[HP-UX]]), and an embedded OEM version called Pocket Internet Explorer, later rebranded [[Internet Explorer Mobile]], made for [[Windows CE]], [[Windows Phone]], and, previously, based on Internet Explorer 7, for [[Windows Mobile|Windows Phone 7]].
The browser has been scrutinized throughout its development for its use of third-party technology (such as the [[source code]] of [[Spyglass Mosaic]], used without royalty in early versions) and security and privacy [[Vulnerability (computing)|vulnerabilities]], and [[United States v. Microsoft|the United States]] and [[European Union Microsoft competition case#Related investigations|the European Union have determined]] that the integration of Internet Explorer with Windows has been to the detriment of fair browser competition.
The core of Internet Explorer 11 will continue being shipped and supported until at least 2029 as ''IE Mode'', a feature of [[Microsoft Edge]], enabling Edge to display web pages using Internet Explorer 11's [[Trident (software)|Trident]] layout engine and other components.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/edge-ie-mode |title=What is Internet Explorer (IE) mode? |date=2022-03-02 |access-date=2022-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613233617/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/edge-ie-mode |archive-date=2022-06-13 |url-status=live}}</ref> Through IE Mode, the underlying technology of Internet Explorer 11 partially exists on versions of Windows that do not support IE11 as a proper application, including newer versions of [[Windows 10]], as well as [[Windows 11]], [[Windows Server 2022]] and [[Windows Server 2025]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/25/22550714/microsoft-windows-11-internet-explorer-disabled|title=Windows 11 is deleting Internet Explorer|author=Tom Warren|website=[[The Verge]]|date=2021-06-25|access-date=2021-08-12}}</ref> <!--Microsoft has announced support for IE Mode through at least 2029, with a one year advance notice prior to retiring this variant of IE11.<ref name="IE11 and Edge Lifecycle FAQ"/> -->
==
{{Main|History of Internet Explorer|Internet Explorer version history}}
===Internet Explorer 1===
[[File:Internet Explorer 2 logo.png|thumb|Logo for [[Internet Explorer 2]] ]]
The Internet Explorer project was started in the summer of 1994 by [[Thomas Reardon]],<ref name="tr35">{{cite web|title=Thomas Reardon, 34|url=http://www2.technologyreview.com/tr35/profile.aspx?trid=301|work=MIT Technology Review|access-date=January 18, 2015|archive-date=February 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225080855/http://www2.technologyreview.com/tr35/profile.aspx?trid=301|url-status=dead}}</ref> who, according to former project lead Ben Slivka,<ref name="slivka">{{cite web|title=Internet Explorer: A Brief History [6/2022 update]|date=May 28, 2021 |url=https://benslivka.com/2021/05/27/internet-explorer-a-brief-history/|publisher=Ben Slivka|access-date=August 7, 2023|archive-date=June 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220622193153/https://benslivka.com/2021/05/27/internet-explorer-a-brief-history/}}</ref> used source code from [[Spyglass, Inc.]] Mosaic, which was an early commercial web browser with formal ties to the pioneering [[National Center for Supercomputing Applications]] (NCSA) [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]] browser.<ref name="bw">{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/january/new0122d.htm |title=Microsoft's $8 Million Goodbye to Spyglass |access-date=February 9, 2011 |first=Peter |last=Elstrom |date=January 22, 1997 |website=[[Businessweek]] |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970629174318/http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/january/new0122d.htm |archive-date=June 29, 1997}}</ref><ref name="win">{{cite web |url=https://www.itprotoday.com/windows-78/microsoft-and-spyglass-kiss-and-make |title=Microsoft and Spyglass kiss and make up |website=[[IT Pro]] |publisher=[[Penton (company)|Penton]] |last=Thurrott |first=Paul |date=January 22, 1997 |access-date=February 9, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120919002551/http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/news2/microsoft-and-spyglass-kiss-and-make-up.aspx |archive-date=September 19, 2012}}</ref> In late 1994, [[Microsoft]] licensed Spyglass Mosaic for a quarterly fee plus a percentage of Microsoft's non-Windows revenues for the software.<ref name="win" /> Although bearing a name similar to NCSA Mosaic, Spyglass Mosaic had used the NCSA Mosaic source code sparingly.<ref name="ericsink1">{{cite web|url=http://www.ericsink.com/Browser_Wars.html|title=Memoirs From the Browser Wars|publisher= Ericsink.com|access-date=October 17, 2008}}</ref>
The first version, dubbed Microsoft Internet Explorer, was installed as part of the ''Internet Jumpstart Kit'' in the [[Microsoft Plus!]] pack for [[Windows 95]].<ref name="mshistory">{{Cite web |url=https://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/columns/historyofie.mspx |title=The History of Internet Explorer |website=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=February 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051001113951/http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/columns/historyofie.mspx |archive-date=October 1, 2005 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Internet Explorer team began with about six people in early development.<ref name="ericsink1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/2009-1032-995681.html|title=Software empire pays high price|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|work=[[CNET News]]|date=April 15, 2003|first=John|last=Borland|access-date=February 9, 2011}}</ref> Internet Explorer 1.5 was released several months later for [[Windows NT]] and added support for basic table rendering. By including it free of charge with their [[operating system]], they did not have to pay royalties to Spyglass Inc, resulting in a lawsuit and a [[United States dollar|US$]]8 million settlement on January 22, 1997.<ref name="bw" /><ref name="win" />
Microsoft was sued by SyNet Inc. in 1996, for [[trademark infringement]], claiming it owned the rights to the name "Internet Explorer".<ref name="Zdnet.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-sued-by-minnow-over-internet-explorer-name/|title=Microsoft sued by minnow over Internet Explorer name|last=Goodwins|first=Rupert|date=August 15, 1996|website=[[ZDNet]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101041746/https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-sued-by-minnow-over-internet-explorer-name/|archive-date=January 1, 2016|access-date=May 30, 2022|url-status=dead}}</ref> It ended with Microsoft paying $5 million to settle the lawsuit.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Microsoft Settles 'IE' Suit For $5M|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/microsoft-settles-ie-suit-for-5m/|access-date=2022-02-05|website=www.cbsnews.com|date=July 2, 1998 |language=en-US}}</ref>
===
{{Main|Internet Explorer 2}}
Internet Explorer 2 is the second major version of Internet Explorer, released on November 28, 1995, for [[Windows 95]] and [[Windows NT]], and on April 23, 1996, for [[Apple Macintosh]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chronology of Personal Computers (1996)|url=http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/comphist/comp1995oct.htm|access-date=2024-11-27|website=www.islandnet.com}}</ref> and [[Windows 3.1]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=1996-04-30|title=Microsoft Internet Explorer Web Browser Available on All Major Platforms, Offers Broadest International Support|url=https://news.microsoft.com/1996/04/30/microsoft-internet-explorer-web-browser-available-on-all-major-platforms-offers-broadest-international-support/|access-date=2022-02-05|website=Stories|language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Internet Explorer 3 ===
{{Main|Internet Explorer 3}}
Internet Explorer 3 is the third major version of Internet Explorer, released on August 13, 1996, for Microsoft Windows and on January 8, 1997, for Apple Mac OS.
=== Internet Explorer 4 ===
{{Main|Internet Explorer 4}}
Internet Explorer 4 is the fourth major version of Internet Explorer, released in September 1997 for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]], and [[HP-UX]]. It was the first version of Internet Explorer to use the [[Trident (software)|Trident]] web engine.
=== Internet Explorer 5 ===
{{Main|Internet Explorer 5}}
Internet Explorer 5 is the fifth major version of Internet Explorer, released on March 18, 1999, for [[Windows 3.1]], [[Windows NT 3.x|Windows NT 3]], Windows 95, [[Windows NT 4.0]] SP3, [[Windows 98]], [[MacOS|Mac OS X]] (up to v5.2.3), [[Classic Mac OS]] (up to v5.1.7), Solaris and HP-UX (up to 5.01 SP1).
=== Internet Explorer 6 ===
{{Main|Internet Explorer 6}}
Internet Explorer 6 is the sixth major version of Internet Explorer, released on August 24, 2001, for Windows NT 4.0 SP6a, Windows 98, [[Windows 2000]], [[Windows ME]] and as the default web browser for [[Windows XP]] and [[Windows Server 2003]].
=== Internet Explorer 7 ===
{{Main|Internet Explorer 7}}
Internet Explorer 7 is the seventh major version of Internet Explorer, released on October 18, 2006, for [[Windows XP#Service Pack 2|Windows XP SP2]], [[Windows Server 2003#Service Pack 1|Windows Server 2003 SP1]] and as the default web browser for [[Windows Vista]], [[Windows Server 2008]] and [[Windows Embedded Industry#Windows Embedded POSReady 2009|Windows Embedded POSReady 2009]]. IE7 introduces tabbed browsing.
=== Internet Explorer 8 ===
{{Main|Internet Explorer 8}}
Internet Explorer 8 is the eighth major version of Internet Explorer, released on March 19, 2009, for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and as the default web browser for [[Windows 7]] (later default was Internet Explorer 11) and Windows Server 2008 R2.
=== Internet Explorer 9 ===
{{Main|Internet Explorer 9}}
Internet Explorer 9 is the ninth major version of Internet Explorer, released on March 14, 2011, for Windows 7, [[Windows Server 2008 R2]], Windows Vista Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 with the [[Windows Vista Platform Update|Platform Update]].
=== Internet Explorer 10 ===
{{Main|Internet Explorer 10}}
Internet Explorer 10 is the tenth major version of Internet Explorer, released on October 26, 2012, and is the default web browser for [[Windows 8]] and [[Windows Server 2012]]. It became available for [[Windows 7]] SP1 and [[Windows Server 2008 R2]] SP1 in February 2013.
===Internet Explorer 11===
{{Main|Internet Explorer 11}}
Internet Explorer 11 is featured in [[Windows 8.1]], [[Windows Server 2012 R2]] and [[Windows RT|Windows RT 8.1]], which was released on October 17, 2013. It includes an incomplete mechanism for syncing tabs. It is a major update to its [[Internet Explorer Developer Tools|developer tools]],<ref name="ie11-7-preview">{{cite web|last=Thurrott|first=Paul|title=Internet Explorer 11 Developer Preview for Windows 7|url=http://winsupersite.com/windows-7/internet-explorer-11-developer-preview-windows-7|work=Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows|publisher=[[Penton (company)|Penton]]|access-date=July 26, 2013|date=July 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726114752/http://winsupersite.com/windows-7/internet-explorer-11-developer-preview-windows-7|archive-date=July 26, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/library/ie/bg182632(v=vs.85) |title=What's new in F12 Tools (Preliminary) |work=[[MSDN]] |publisher=Microsoft |date=June 26, 2013 |access-date=July 13, 2013}}</ref> enhanced scaling for high DPI screens,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/library/ie/dn265030(v=vs.85) |title=High DPI support (Preliminary) |work=[[MSDN]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=July 25, 2013 |access-date=July 26, 2013}}</ref> [[HTML5]] prerender and prefetch,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/library/ie/dn265039(v=vs.85) |title=Prerender and prefetch support (Preliminary) |work=[[MSDN]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=July 25, 2013 |access-date=July 26, 2013}}</ref> [[hardware-accelerated]] [[JPEG]] decoding,<ref name="PCWord Bradley Business">{{cite web|last=Bradley|first=Tony|title=Why Internet Explorer 11 is the right browser for business|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2045355/why-internet-explorer-11-is-the-right-browser-for-business.html|work=[[PC World]]|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|access-date=July 27, 2013|date=July 26, 2013}}</ref> [[closed captioning]], HTML5 full screen,<ref name="ghack Brinkmann Preview">{{cite web|last=Brinkmann|first=Martin|title=The Internet Explorer 11 Preview for Windows 7 is now available|url=http://www.ghacks.net/2013/07/25/the-internet-explorer-11-preview-for-windows-7-is-now-available/|work=Ghacks.net|publisher=ghacks Technology News|access-date=July 27, 2013|date=July 25, 2013|archive-date=July 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727193814/http://www.ghacks.net/2013/07/25/the-internet-explorer-11-preview-for-windows-7-is-now-available/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and is the first Internet Explorer to support [[WebGL]]<ref name="cnet-ie11dev">{{cite web|title=Latest Windows 8.1 build beefs up IE developer tools|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57582508-75/latest-windows-8.1-build-beefs-up-ie-developer-tools/ |work=[[CNET]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=May 29, 2013}}</ref><ref name="verge-ie11webgl">{{cite web|title=Microsoft teases Internet Explorer 11 WebGL support on Vine|url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/5/22/4355942/internet-explorer-11-webgl-support-teased-on-vine|work=The Verge|date=May 22, 2013|access-date=May 29, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/library/ie/bg182648(v=vs.85) |title=WebGL (Preliminary) |work=[[MSDN]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=July 25, 2013 |access-date=July 26, 2013}}</ref> and Google's protocol [[SPDY]] (starting at v3).<ref name="techcrunch-spdy">{{cite web|last=Lardinois|first=Frederic|title=Microsoft Confirms IE11 Will Support Google's SPDY Protocol|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/06/26/microsoft-confirms-ie11-will-support-googles-spdy-protocol/|work=[[TechCrunch]]|publisher=[[Aol]]|access-date=September 10, 2013|date=June 26, 2013}}</ref> This version of IE has features dedicated to Windows 8.1, including cryptography (WebCrypto),<ref name="ie11-7-preview" /> [[adaptive bitrate streaming]] ([[Media Source Extensions]])<ref name="BetaNews Williams DevPreview">{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Mike|title=Internet Explorer 11 Developer Preview now available for Windows 7|url=http://betanews.com/2013/07/26/internet-explorer-11-developer-preview-now-available-for-windows-7/|work=BetaNews|publisher=BetaNews, Inc|access-date=July 27, 2013|date=July 26, 2013}}</ref> and [[Encrypted Media Extensions]].<ref name="ghack Brinkmann Preview" />
Internet Explorer 11 was made available for [[Windows 7]] users to download on November 7, 2013, with [[Windows Update#Automatic Updates|Automatic Updates]] in the following weeks.<ref name="ieblog-ie11-w7">{{cite web|title=IE11 for Windows 7 Globally Available for Consumers and Businesses |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2013/11/07/ie11-for-windows-7-globally-available-for-consumers-and-businesses.aspx |access-date=November 8, 2013}}</ref>
Internet Explorer 11's [[user agent]] string now identifies the agent as "[[MSHTML|Trident]]" (the underlying browser engine) instead of "MSIE". It also announces compatibility with [[Gecko (software)|Gecko]] (the browser engine of [[Firefox]]).
Microsoft claimed that Internet Explorer 11, running the [[WebKit]] SunSpider [[JavaScript]] Benchmark, was the fastest browser as of October 15, 2013.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/benchmarks/SunSpider/SunSpiderResultsIE11GA.png | title=WebKit SunSpider JavaScript Benchmark Results | publisher=ie.microsoft.com | access-date=October 23, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023061619/http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/benchmarks/SunSpider/SunSpiderResultsIE11GA.png | archive-date=October 23, 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
Internet Explorer 11 was made available for [[Windows Server 2012]] and [[Windows Embedded 8 Standard]] in April 2019.<ref name="Win8IE11">{{cite web|title=Bringing Internet Explorer 11 to Windows Server 2012 and Windows Embedded 8 Standard |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Bringing-Internet-Explorer-11-to-Windows-Server-2012-and-Windows/ba-p/325297 |date=January 28, 2019|access-date=March 26, 2019}}</ref>
===End of life===
[[Microsoft Edge Legacy|Microsoft Edge [Legacy]]] was officially unveiled on January 21, 2015, as "Project Spartan".<ref name="ieblog-spartan">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2015/01/22/project-spartan-and-the-windows-10-january-preview-build.aspx|title=Spartan and the Windows 10 January Preview Build|date=January 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122190033/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2015/01/22/project-spartan-and-the-windows-10-january-preview-build.aspx|archive-date=January 22, 2015|website=IEBlog|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|first1=Jason|last1=Weber}}</ref><ref name="verge-spartanextensions">{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/1/27/7925007/microsoft-project-spartan-browser-extensions|title=Microsoft reveals its Internet Explorer successor will support extensions|date=January 27, 2015|website=[[The Verge]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|first1=Tom|last1=Warren}}</ref> On April 29, 2015, Microsoft announced that Microsoft Edge would replace Internet Explorer as the default browser in Windows 10.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/04/29/technology/microsoft-edge-windows-build/index.html|title='Microsoft Edge' will replace Internet Explorer|date=April 29, 2015|last=Goldman|first=David|publisher=CNN|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref> However, Internet Explorer remained the default web browser on the Windows 10 Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) and on Windows Server until 2021, primarily for enterprise purposes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/3/17/8230631/microsoft-is-killing-off-the-internet-explorer-brand |title=Microsoft is killing off the Internet Explorer brand |work=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |date=March 17, 2015 |access-date=March 18, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/at-work/whats-new-wip-at-work-1809|title=What's new in the Windows Server 2019 Insider Preview Builds|website=docs.microsoft.com|access-date=February 12, 2019|archive-date=December 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210085938/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/at-work/whats-new-wip-at-work-1809|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/ltsc/whats-new-windows-10-2021|title=What's new in Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021|date=December 9, 2022|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/whats-new-in-windows-server-2022|title=What's new in Windows Server 2022|date=December 14, 2022|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref>
Internet Explorer is still installed in Windows 10 to maintain compatibility with older websites and [[intranet]] sites that require [[ActiveX]] and other legacy web technologies.<ref name="ieblog-spartan"/><ref name="verge-spartanextensions"/> The browser's MSHTML rendering engine also remains for compatibility reasons.
Additionally, [[Microsoft Edge (Chromium)]] shipped with the "Internet Explorer mode" feature, which enables support for legacy internet applications. This is possible through use of the [[MSHTML|Trident MSHTML]] engine, the [[web rendering|rendering]] code of Internet Explorer.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What is Internet Explorer mode?|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/edge-ie-mode|access-date=2021-10-12|website=docs.microsoft.com|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Blog|first=Windows Experience|date=2021-05-19|title=The future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge|url=https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2021/05/19/the-future-of-internet-explorer-on-windows-10-is-in-microsoft-edge/|access-date=2021-05-20|website=Windows Experience Blog|language=en-US}}</ref> Microsoft has committed to supporting Internet Explorer mode at least through 2029, with a one-year notice before it is discontinued.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lifecycle FAQ - Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/faq/internet-explorer-microsoft-edge|access-date=2021-10-12|website=docs.microsoft.com|language=en-us}}</ref>
With the release of Microsoft Edge [Legacy], the development of new features for Internet Explorer ceased. [[Internet Explorer 11]] was the final release, and Microsoft began the process of deprecating Internet Explorer. During this process, it will still be [[Software maintenance|maintained]] as part of Microsoft's support policies.<ref name="is-ie-discontinued" />
Since January 12, 2016, only the latest version of Internet Explorer available for each version of Windows has been supported.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2014/08/07/stay-up-to-date-with-internet-explorer.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808014410/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2014/08/07/stay-up-to-date-with-internet-explorer.aspx |title=Stay up-to-date with Internet Explorer |publisher=Microsofts's MSDN blog |date=August 7, 2014|archive-date=August 8, 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref><ref name="IELifecycle">{{cite web|url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle#gp/Microsoft-Internet-Explorer |title=Internet Explorer Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ |access-date=March 18, 2015}}<!-- Ref'd document title says "Lifecycle" not "Life cycle", please do not change --></ref> At the time, nearly half of Internet Explorer users were using an unsupported version.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3010555/nearly-370m-ie-users-have-just-6-weeks-to-upgrade.html|title=Nearly 370M IE users have just 6 weeks to upgrade|date=December 1, 2015|last=Keizer|first=Gregg|publisher=Computerworld|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref>
In February 2019, Microsoft Chief of Security Chris Jackson recommended that users stop using Internet Explorer as their default browser.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=Chris |title=The perils of using Internet Explorer as your default browser |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/the-perils-of-using-internet-explorer-as-your-default-browser/ba-p/331732# |website=Windows IT Pro Blog |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=May 14, 2020 |language=en |date=February 6, 2019}}</ref>
Various websites have dropped support for Internet Explorer. On June 1, 2020, the [[Internet Archive]] removed Internet Explorer from its list of supported browsers, due to the browser's dated nature.<ref>{{cite web |title=Farewell to IE11 |url=https://blog.archive.org/2020/05/01/farewell-to-ie11/ |website=Internet Archive Blogs |publisher=Internet Archive |access-date=May 14, 2020 |language=en |date=May 1, 2020}}</ref> Since November 30, 2020, the web version of [[Microsoft Teams]] can no longer be accessed using Internet Explorer 11, followed by the remaining [[Microsoft 365]] applications since August 17, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-20|title=Microsoft Internet Explorer is finally dead|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/microsoft-internet-explorer-out-use-11-edge-a9676176.html|access-date=2021-03-26|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-365-blog/microsoft-365-apps-say-farewell-to-internet-explorer-11-and/ba-p/1591666|title=Microsoft 365 apps say farewell to Internet Explorer 11 and Windows 10 sunsets Microsoft Edge Legacy|access-date=September 18, 2020}}</ref> WordPress also dropped support for the browser in July 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wordpress.org/news/2021/05/dropping-support-for-internet-explorer-11/|title=Dropping support for Internet Explorer 11|date=May 19, 2021|last=Desrosiers|first=Jonathan|publisher=WordPress|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref>
Microsoft disabled the normal means of launching Internet Explorer in [[Windows 11]] and later versions of [[Windows 10]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retirement FAQ |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/internet-explorer-11-desktop-app-retirement-faq/ba-p/2366549 |access-date=13 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref> but it is still possible for users to launch the browser from the [[Control Panel (Windows)|Control Panel]]'s [[browser toolbar]] settings or via [[PowerShell]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2022/8/3/23290171/how-to-use-internet-explorer-windows-11-why-microsoft-why |access-date=22 October 2022 |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=3 August 2022 |title=You can bring Internet Explorer back to life in Windows 11 if you're a glutton for punishment |website=theverge.com |publisher=Vox Media, LLC. |quote=It’s just a matter of searching for Internet Options in the Start menu, launching the control panel applet, selecting the programs tab, hitting “manage add-ons,” and then clicking the “Learn more about toolbars and extensions.” For some reason, this launches Internet Explorer, bypassing the commands that force you into Edge.}}</ref>
On June 15, 2022, Internet Explorer 11 support ended for the [[Windows 10]] Semi-Annual Channel (SAC). Users on these versions of Windows 10 were redirected to [[Microsoft Edge]] starting on February 14, 2023, and visual references to the browser (such as icons on the taskbar) would have been removed on June 13, 2023. However, on May 19, 2023, various organizations disapproved, leading Microsoft to withdraw the change.<ref name="IE11 and Edge Lifecycle FAQ">{{cite web |url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/faq/internet-explorer-microsoft-edge |title=Lifecycle FAQ - Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge |date=2021-11-03 |access-date=2022-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613224114/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/faq/internet-explorer-microsoft-edge |archive-date=2022-06-13 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/internet-explorer-11-desktop-app-retirement-faq/ba-p/2366549 |title=Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retirement FAQ |date=2022-06-13 |access-date=2022-06-13 |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613223618/https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/internet-explorer-11-desktop-app-retirement-faq/ba-p/2366549 |archive-date=2022-06-13 |url-status=live}}</ref>
Other versions of Windows that were still supported at the time were unaffected. Specifically, [[Windows 7]] ESU, [[Windows 8.x]], [[Windows RT]]; [[Windows Server 2008]]/[[Windows Server 2008 R2|R2]] ESU, [[Windows Server 2012]]/[[Windows Server 2012 R2|R2]] and later; and [[Windows 10 editions#Organizational editions|Windows 10 LTSB/LTSC]] continued to receive updates until their respective end of life dates.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-19 |title=Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retirement FAQ |website=TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COM |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/internet-explorer-11-desktop-app-retirement-faq/ba-p/2366549 |access-date=2022-06-15 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2022-06-15 |first=Josh |last=Taylor |title=Microsoft to retire Internet Explorer browser and redirect users to Edge |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jun/15/microsoft-to-retire-internet-explorer-browser-and-redirect-users-to-edge |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lifecycle FAQ - Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/faq/internet-explorer-microsoft-edge|access-date=2021-07-10|website=docs.microsoft.com|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/20/tech/microsoft-internet-explorer-end-of-life/index.html| publisher=CNN |title=Microsoft is finally getting rid of its most-hated product |date=May 20, 2021 |access-date=May 20, 2021}}</ref>
On other versions of Windows, Internet Explorer will still be supported until their own end of support dates. [[Internet Explorer 7|IE7]] was supported until October 10, 2023, alongside the end of support for [[Windows Embedded Compact 2013]], while [[Internet Explorer 9|IE9]] is supported until January 13, 2026, alongside the end of [paid and [[grandfathered]]] Premium Assurance support for customers on [[Windows Server 2008]].<ref name="IELifecycle" /> Barring additional changes to the support policy, Internet Explorer 11 will be supported until January 13, 2032, concurrent with the end of support for Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-10-iot-enterprise-ltsc-2021 |title=Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref><ref name="IELifecycle" />
==Features==
[[File:Internet Explorer zoom menu.png|thumb|[[Page zoom]] as seen in [[Internet Explorer 11|IE11]]. The lowest allowed manual zoom level is 10%, and the highest 1000%.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to set the zoom level in Internet Explorer 9 - Browsers |url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/browsers/how-to-set-zoom-level |website=docs.microsoft.com |date=January 25, 2022 |language=en-us |quote=You can zoom from 10% to 1,000%.}}</ref> ]]
Internet Explorer has been designed to view a broad range of web pages and provide certain features within the operating system, including [[Microsoft Update]]. During the height of the [[browser wars]], Internet Explorer superseded [[Netscape]] only when it caught up technologically to support the progressive features of the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blooberry.com/indexdot/history/netscape.htm |title=Netscape Navigator — Browser History: Netscape explains that by the fourth generations of both browsers, Internet Explorer had caught up technologically with Netscape's browser ... Netscape 6.0 was considered slow and buggy, and adoption was slow to occur |author=Brian wilson |publisher=blooberry.com |access-date=September 26, 2010}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=January 2013}}
===Standards
Internet Explorer, using the MSHTML (Trident) [[browser engine]]:
* Supports [[HTML]] 4.01, parts of [[HTML5]], [[Cascading Style Sheets|CSS]] Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, [[XML]] 1.0, and [[Document Object Model|DOM]] Level 1, with minor implementation gaps.
* Fully supports [[XSLT]] 1.0 as well as an obsolete Microsoft dialect of XSLT often referred to as ''WD-xsl'', which was loosely based on the December 1998 W3C Working Draft of [[Extensible Stylesheet Language|XSL]]. Support for [[XSLT 2.0]] lies in the future: semi-official Microsoft bloggers have indicated that development is underway, but no dates have been announced.
* Almost full conformance to CSS 2.1 has been added in the Internet Explorer 8 release.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/ie8whitepapers/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=568 | title = Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 Whitepapers | publisher = [[MSDN]] | access-date = March 11, 2008 | archive-date = March 9, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080309001142/http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/ie8whitepapers/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=568 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://idreamincode.co.uk/ie8-bugs |title=IE8 Bugs |first=James |last=Hopkins |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801120753/http://idreamincode.co.uk/ie8-bugs |archive-date=August 1, 2009}}</ref> The MSHTML browser engine in Internet Explorer 9 in 2011, scored highest in the official W3C conformance test suite for CSS 2.1 of all major browsers.
* Supports [[XHTML]] in Internet Explorer 9 (MSHTML Trident version 5.0). Prior versions can render XHTML documents authored with HTML compatibility principles and served with a <code>text/html</code> [[MIME|MIME-type]].
* Supports a subset<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.codedread.com/svg-support.php | title = Summary results of W3C test suite on multiple browsers, different versions and browser plugins. | access-date = April 15, 2011}}</ref> of [[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]] in Internet Explorer 9 (MSHTML Trident version 5.0), excluding SMIL, SVG fonts and filters.
Internet Explorer uses [[document type declaration|DOCTYPE sniffing]] to choose between standards mode and a "[[quirks mode]]" in which it deliberately mimics nonstandard behaviors of old versions of MSIE for HTML and CSS rendering on screen (Internet Explorer always uses standards mode for printing). It also provides its own dialect of [[ECMAScript]] called [[JScript]].
Internet Explorer was criticized by [[Tim Berners-Lee]] for its limited support for SVG, which is promoted by [[W3C]].<ref name="TBLcrit">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna26646919|title=Creator of Web spots a flaw in Internet Explorer|last=Svensson|first=Peter|date=September 10, 2008|website=NBC News|access-date=November 16, 2008}}</ref>
===Non-standard extensions===
Internet Explorer has introduced an array of proprietary extensions to many of the standards, including HTML, CSS, and the DOM. This has resulted in several web pages that appear broken in standards-compliant web browsers and has introduced the need for a "quirks mode" to allow for rendering improper elements meant for Internet Explorer in these other browsers.
Internet Explorer has introduced several extensions to the DOM that have been adopted by other browsers.
These include the inner HTML property, which provides access to the HTML string within an element, which was part of IE 5 and was standardized as part of HTML 5 roughly 15 years later after all other browsers implemented it for compatibility,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xul.fr/en/html5/innerhtml.php|title=innerHTML and compatibility|website=www.xul.fr}}</ref> the XMLHttpRequest object, which allows the sending of HTTP request and receiving of HTTP response, and may be used to perform [[AJAX]], and the designMode attribute of the content Document object, which enables rich text editing of HTML documents.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}} Some of these functionalities were not possible until the introduction of the W3C DOM methods. Its [[Ruby character]] extension to HTML is also accepted as a module in W3C XHTML 1.1, though it is not found in all versions of W3C HTML.
Microsoft submitted several other features of IE for consideration by the W3C for standardization. These include the 'behavior' CSS property, which connects the HTML elements with JScript behaviors (known as HTML Components, HTC), [[HTMLplusTIME|HTML+TIME]] profile, which adds timing and media synchronization support to HTML documents (similar to the W3C [[XHTMLplusSMIL|XHTML+SMIL]]), and the [[Vector Markup Language|VML]] [[vector graphics]] file format. However, all were rejected, at least in their original forms; VML was subsequently combined with [[PGML]] (proposed by [[Adobe Systems|Adobe]] and [[Sun Microsystems|Sun]]), resulting in the W3C-approved SVG format, one of the few vector image formats being used on the web, which IE did not support until version 9.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.codedread.com/svg-support.php|title=SVG Support Tables|last=Schiller|first=Jeff|work=codedread.com|access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref>
Other non-standard behaviors include: support for vertical text, but in a syntax different from W3C CSS3 candidate recommendation, support for a variety of image effects<ref>{{cite web |url=http://webfx.eae.net/tools/filtertool.html |title=Filter Tool (WebFX) |date=May 12, 2005 |publisher=webfx.eae.net |access-date=October 4, 2008 |archive-date=October 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101016072244/http://webfx.eae.net/tools/filtertool.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> and page transitions, which are not found in W3C CSS, support for [[obfuscated code|obfuscated]] script code, in particular [[JScript.Encode]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions//cbfz3598(v=vs.85)|title=Using Script Encoder|date=October 24, 2011|work=Microsoft Docs|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref> as well as support for [[font embedding|embedding]] [[Embedded OpenType|EOT]] fonts in [[Font embedding on the Web|web pages]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/typography/web/embedding/default.aspx|title=Font Embedding for the Web|date=February 26, 2001|work=Microsoft Typography|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050428064515/http://www.microsoft.com/typography/web/embedding/default.aspx|archive-date=April 28, 2005|access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref>
===Favicon===
Support for [[favicon]]s was first added in Internet Explorer 5.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms537656(VS.85).aspx|title=How to Add a Shortcut Icon to a Web Page|work=[[MSDN]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217122653/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms537656(VS.85).aspx|archive-date=December 17, 2008|access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref> Internet Explorer supports favicons in [[Portable Network Graphics|PNG]], static [[GIF]] and [[ICO (file format)|native Windows icon]] formats. In Windows Vista and later, Internet Explorer can display native Windows icons that have embedded PNG files.<ref name="jeffdavis">{{cite web|url=http://jeffcode.blogspot.com/2007/12/why-doesnt-favicon-for-my-site-appear.html|title=why doesn't the favicon for my site appear in IE7?|last=Davis|first=Jeff|date=December 27, 2007|work=jeffdav on code|access-date=March 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name="ericlaw-1">{{cite web|url=https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/ieinternals/2013/09/07/fun-with-favicons/|title=Fun with Favicons|date=September 7, 2013|website=[[Microsoft Developer Network]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref>
===Usability and accessibility===
Internet Explorer makes use of the accessibility framework provided in Windows. Internet Explorer is also a user interface for FTP, with operations similar to Windows Explorer. Internet Explorer 5 and 6 had a side bar for web searches, enabling jumps through pages from results listed in the side bar.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shultz |first1=Greg |title=Internet Explorer's Search Assistant gives you plenty of search options |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/internet-explorers-search-assistant-gives-you-plenty-of-search-options/ |website=Tech Republic |access-date=11 October 2021 |language=en |date=2002-10-09}}</ref> [[Pop-up blocking]] and [[tabbed browsing]] were added respectively in Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 7. Tabbed browsing can also be added to older versions by installing [[MSN Search Toolbar]] or [[Yahoo Toolbar]].
===Cache===
{{Main|Temporary Internet Files|Index.dat}}
Internet Explorer caches visited content in the [[Temporary Internet Files]] folder to allow quicker access (or offline access) to previously visited pages. The content is indexed in a database file, known as [[Index.dat]]. Multiple Index.dat files exist which index different content—visited content, [[web feed]]s, visited [[URL]]s, cookies, etc.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/wndp/archive/2006/08/04/WinInet_Index_dat.aspx|title=A bit about WinInet's Index.dat|author=Windows Core Networking Team|date=August 4, 2006|website=[[Microsoft Developer Network]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112205144/http://blogs.msdn.com/wndp/archive/2006/08/04/WinInet_Index_dat.aspx|archive-date=January 12, 2008|access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref>
Prior to IE7, clearing the cache used to clear the index but the files themselves were not reliably removed, posing a potential security and privacy risk. In IE7 and later, when the cache is cleared, the cache files are more reliably removed, and the index.dat file is overwritten with null bytes.
Caching has been improved in IE9.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/ie/2011/03/17/internet-explorer-9-network-performance-improvements/|title=Internet Explorer 9 Network Performance Improvements|date=March 17, 2011|website=[[Microsoft Developer Network]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref>
===Group
{{Main|Group Policy}}
Internet Explorer is fully configurable using [[Group Policy]]. Administrators of [[Windows Server ___domain]]s (for ___domain-joined computers) or the local computer can apply and enforce a variety of settings on computers that affect the user interface (such as disabling menu items and individual configuration options), as well as underlying security features such as downloading of files, zone configuration, per-site settings, ActiveX control behavior and others. Policy settings can be configured for each user and for each machine. Internet Explorer also supports [[Integrated Windows Authentication]].
==Architecture==
[[File:IExplore.svg|thumb|right|The architecture of IE8. Previous versions had a similar architecture, except that both tabs and the UI were within the same process. Consequently, each browser window could have only one "tab process".]]
Internet Explorer uses a [[software componentry|componentized]] architecture built on the [[Component Object Model]] (COM) technology. It consists of several major components, each of which is contained in a separate [[dynamic-link library]] (DLL) and exposes a set of COM [[interface (computing)|programming interfaces]] hosted by the Internet Explorer main executable, {{samp|iexplore.exe}}:<ref name="architecture">{{cite web|url = http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa741312.aspx |title = Internet Explorer Architecture | publisher = [[MSDN]] |access-date = January 10, 2007}}</ref>
* {{samp|WinInet.dll}} is the protocol handler for [[HTTP]], [[HTTPS]], and [[FTP]]. It handles all network communication over these protocols.
* {{samp|URLMon.dll}} is responsible for MIME-type handling and download of web content, and provides a thread-safe wrapper around WinInet.dll and other protocol implementations.
* {{samp|MSHTML.dll}} houses the [[MSHTML]] (Trident) [[browser engine]] introduced in Internet Explorer 4, which is responsible for displaying the pages on-screen and handling the [[Document Object Model]] (DOM) of the web pages. MSHTML.dll parses the HTML/CSS file and creates the internal DOM tree representation of it. It also exposes a set of [[API]]s for runtime inspection and modification of the DOM tree. The DOM tree is further processed by a browser engine which then renders the internal representation on screen.
* {{samp|IEFrame.dll}} contains the user interface and window of IE in Internet Explorer 7 and above.
* {{samp|ShDocVw.dll}} provides the navigation, local caching and history functionalities for the browser.
* {{samp|BrowseUI.dll}} is responsible for rendering the browser user interface such as menus and toolbars.<ref>{{cite web| first = Chris |last = Wilson | publisher = MSDN Channel9 | access-date = March 7, 2008 | url = http://channel9.msdn.com/Showpost.aspx?postid=388331 | title = Inside IE8 Beta 1 for Developers}}</ref>
[[File:Acid3 test, Firefox 124.0.1 and IE11.png|thumb|Internet Explorer compared to [[Firefox]] on the [[Acid3]] HTML rendering test]]
Internet Explorer does not include any native scripting functionality. Rather, {{samp|MSHTML.dll}} exposes an API that permits a programmer to develop a scripting environment to be plugged-in and to access the DOM tree. Internet Explorer 8 includes the bindings for the [[Active Scripting]] engine, which is a part of [[Microsoft Windows]] and allows any language implemented as an Active Scripting module to be used for client-side scripting. By default, only the JScript and [[VBScript]] modules are provided; third party implementations like [[ScreamingMonkey]] (for ECMAScript 4 support) can also be used. Microsoft also makes available the [[Microsoft Silverlight]] runtime that allows [[CLI languages]], including [[Dynamic Language Runtime|DLR]]-based dynamic languages like [[IronPython]] and [[IronRuby]], to be used for client-side scripting.
Internet Explorer 8 introduced some major architectural changes, called ''loosely coupled IE'' (LCIE). LCIE separates the main window process (frame process) from the processes hosting the different web applications in different tabs (tab processes). A frame process can create multiple tab processes, each of which can be of a different [[Mandatory Integrity Control|integrity level]], each tab process can host multiple web sites. The processes use asynchronous [[inter-process communication]] to synchronize themselves. Generally, there will be a single frame process for all web sites. In [[Windows Vista]] with protected mode turned on, however, opening privileged content (such as local HTML pages) will create a new tab process as it will not be constrained by protected mode.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/ie/2008/03/11/ie8-and-loosely-coupled-ie-lcie/|title=IE8 and Loosely Coupled IE|last=Zeigler|first=Andy|date=March 11, 2008|website=[[Microsoft Developer Network]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref>
==Extensibility==
Internet Explorer exposes a set of Component Object Model (COM) interfaces that allows [[Plug-in (computing)|add-ons]] to extend the functionality of the browser.<ref name="architecture" /> Extensibility is divided into two types: Browser extensibility and content extensibility. Browser extensibility involves adding [[context menu]] entries, toolbars, menu items or [[Browser Helper Objects]] (BHO). BHOs are used to extend the feature set of the browser, whereas the other extensibility options are used to expose that feature in the user interface. Content extensibility adds support for non-native content formats.<ref name="architecture" /> It allows Internet Explorer to handle new [[file format]]s and new [[network protocol|protocols]], e.g. [[WebM]] or SPDY.<ref name="architecture" /> In addition, web pages can integrate [[software widget|widgets]] known as ActiveX controls which run on Windows only but have vast potentials to extend the content capabilities; [[Adobe Flash Player]] and Microsoft Silverlight are examples.<ref name="architecture" /> Add-ons can be installed either locally, or directly by a web site.
Since malicious add-ons can compromise the security of a system, Internet Explorer implements several safeguards. Internet Explorer 6 with Service Pack 2 and later feature an Add-on Manager for enabling or disabling individual add-ons, complemented by a "No Add-Ons" mode. [[Security and safety features new to Windows Vista#Application isolation|Starting with Windows Vista]], Internet Explorer and its BHOs run with restricted [[Privilege (computing)|privileges]] and are isolated from the rest of the system. Internet Explorer 9 introduced a new component – Add-on Performance Advisor. Add-on Performance Advisor shows a notification when one or more of installed add-ons exceed a pre-set performance threshold. The notification appears in the Notification Bar when the user launches the browser. Windows 8 and Windows RT introduce a [[Metro-style app|Metro-style version]] of Internet Explorer that is entirely sandboxed and does not run add-ons at all.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=McSherry |first=Tony |date=January 20, 2013 |title=A look at Internet Explorer 10 on Windows RT |url=http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/australian-technology/a-look-at-internet-explorer-10-on-windows-rt/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204163922/https://www.techrepublic.com/article/a-look-at-internet-explorer-10-on-windows-rt |archive-date=4 February 2023 |website=[[TechRepublic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]}}</ref> In addition, Windows RT cannot download or install ActiveX controls at all; although existing ones bundled with Windows RT still run in the traditional version of Internet Explorer.<ref name=":0" />
Internet Explorer itself can be hosted by other applications via a set of COM interfaces. This can be used to embed the browser functionality inside a computer program or create [[Internet Explorer shell]]s.<ref name="architecture" />
==Security==
{{See also|Browser security}}
Internet Explorer uses a zone-based [[computer security|security]] framework that groups sites based on certain conditions, including whether it is an Internet- or intranet-based site as well as a user-editable whitelist. Security restrictions are applied per zone; all the sites in a zone are subject to the restrictions.
Internet Explorer 6 SP2 onwards uses the ''Attachment Execution Service'' of Microsoft Windows to mark executable files downloaded from the Internet as being potentially unsafe. Accessing files marked as such will prompt the user to make an explicit trust decision to execute the file, as executables originating from the Internet can be potentially unsafe. This helps in preventing the accidental installation of malware.
Internet Explorer 7 introduced the phishing filter, which restricts access to [[phishing]] sites unless the user overrides the decision. With version 8, it also blocks access to sites known to host [[malware]]. Downloads are also checked to see if they are known to be malware-infected.
In Windows Vista, Internet Explorer by default runs in what is called ''Protected Mode'', where the privileges of the browser itself are severely restricted—it cannot make any system-wide changes. One can optionally turn this mode off, but this is not recommended. This also effectively restricts the privileges of any add-ons. As a result, even if the browser or any add-on is compromised, the damage the security breach can cause is limited.
Patches and updates to the browser are released periodically and made available through the Windows Update service, as well as through Automatic Updates. Although security patches continue to be released for a range of platforms, most feature additions and security infrastructure improvements are only made available on operating systems that are in Microsoft's mainstream support phase.
On December 16, 2008, [[Trend Micro]] recommended users switch to rival browsers until an emergency patch was released to fix a potential security risk which "could allow outside users to take control of a person's computer and steal their passwords." Microsoft representatives countered this recommendation, claiming that "0.02% of internet sites" were affected by the flaw. A fix for the issue was released the following day with the Security Update for Internet Explorer KB960714, on Microsoft Windows Update.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 16, 2008 |title=Security risk detected in Internet Explorer software |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/world/north-america/security-risk-detected-in-internet-explorer-software-14110209.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090127055017/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/world/north-america/security-risk-detected-in-internet-explorer-software-14110209.html |archive-date=27 January 2009 |newspaper=[[Belfast Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7784908.stm |newspaper=BBC News | title=Serious security flaw found in IE | date=December 16, 2008 | access-date=May 5, 2010}}</ref>
In 2010, Germany's Federal Office for Information Security, known by its German initials, BSI, advised "temporary use of alternative browsers" because of a "critical security hole" in Microsoft's software that could allow hackers to remotely plant and run malicious code on Windows PCs.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Business Technology: Microsoft's Internet Explorer Is Under Fire in Europe|last1=Wingfield|first1=Nick|date=January 19, 2010|work=The Wall Street Journal|last2=McGroarty|first2=Patrick}}</ref>
In 2011, a report by Accuvant, funded by Google, rated the security (based on sandboxing) of Internet Explorer worse than [[Google Chrome]] but better than [[Mozilla Firefox]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/12/09/chrome_ie_firefox_security_bakeoff|title=Chrome is the most secured browser – new study|website=The Register|first=Dan|last=Goodin|date=December 9, 2011|access-date=October 15, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Accuvant Study Finds Chrome is Most Secure Browser|url=http://www.esecurityplanet.com/browser-security/accuvant-study-finds-chrome-is-most-secure-browser.html|date=December 13, 2011|publisher=eSecurity Planet|access-date=May 22, 2012}}</ref>
A 2017 browser security white paper comparing Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge [Legacy], and [[Internet Explorer 11]] by X41 D-Sec in 2017 came to similar conclusions, also based on sandboxing and support of legacy web technologies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://browser-security.x41-dsec.de/X41-Browser-Security-White-Paper.pdf|title=Browser Security White Paper|publisher=X41-Dsec GmbH|date=September 18, 2017|access-date=September 21, 2017}}</ref>
===Security vulnerabilities===
{{See also|Comparison of web browsers#Security and vulnerabilities}}
Internet Explorer has been subjected to many security vulnerabilities and concerns such that the volume of criticism for IE is unusually high. Much of the [[spyware]], [[adware]], and [[computer virus]]es across the Internet are made possible by exploitable bugs and flaws in the security architecture of Internet Explorer, sometimes requiring nothing more than viewing of a malicious web page to install themselves. This is known as a "[[drive-by download|drive-by install]]". There are also attempts to trick the user into installing malicious software by misrepresenting the software's true purpose in the description section of an ActiveX security alert.
A number of security flaws affecting IE originated not in the browser itself, but in ActiveX-based add-ons used by it. Because the add-ons have the same privilege as IE, the flaws can be as critical as browser flaws. This has led to the ActiveX-based architecture being criticized for being fault-prone. By 2005, some experts maintained that the dangers of ActiveX had been overstated and there were safeguards in place.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/The-Lame-Blame-of-ActiveX/
|title=The Lame Blame of ActiveX
|date=April 14, 2005
|access-date=April 7, 2006
|work = Security—Opinions
|publisher=eWeek
|last=Seltzer
|first=Larry
}}</ref> In 2006, new techniques using [[automated testing]] found more than a hundred vulnerabilities in standard Microsoft ActiveX components.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11403
|title=ActiveX security faces storm before calm
|date=July 31, 2006
|access-date=July 11, 2009
|publisher=Security Focus
|last=Lemos
|first=Robert
|archive-date=July 25, 2008
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725094146/http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11403
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> Security features introduced in Internet Explorer 7 mitigated some of these vulnerabilities.
In 2008, Internet Explorer had a number of published security vulnerabilities. According to research done by security research firm [[Secunia]], Microsoft did not respond as quickly as its competitors in fixing security holes and making patches available.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://secunia.com/gfx/Secunia2008Report.pdf
|title=Secunia 2008 Report
|publisher=Secunia
}}</ref> The firm also reported 366 vulnerabilities in ActiveX controls, an increase from the previous year.
According to an October 2010 report in ''[[The Register]]'', researcher Chris Evans had detected a known security vulnerability which, then dating back to 2008, had not been fixed for at least six hundred days.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/01/internet_explorer_600_day_bug/
|title=Internet Explorer info leak festers for 2 years
|website = The Register
|date = November 1, 2010
|access-date=November 2, 2010
|first = Dan
|last = Goodin
|___location = San Francisco
}}</ref> Microsoft says that it had known about this vulnerability, but it was of exceptionally low severity as the victim web site must be configured in a peculiar way for this attack to be feasible at all.<ref>{{cite web
|url = https://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/two-year-old-data-leakage-flaw-still-haunts-internet-explorer/7604
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101104042202/http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/two-year-old-data-leakage-flaw-still-haunts-internet-explorer/7604
|url-status = dead
|archive-date = November 4, 2010
|title = Two-year-old data leakage flaw still haunts Internet Explorer
|work = [[ZDNet]]
|publisher = [[CBS Interactive]]
|date = November 1, 2010
|access-date = November 2, 2010
|first = Ryan
|last = Naraine
}}</ref>
In December 2010, researchers were able to bypass the "Protected Mode" feature in Internet Explorer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/12/03/protected_mode_bypass/
|title=Researchers bypass Internet Explorer Protected Mode
|website=[[The Register]]
|date = December 3, 2010
|access-date=December 4, 2010
}}
</ref>
===Vulnerability exploited in attacks on U.S. firms===
{{Main|Operation Aurora}}
In an advisory on January 14, 2010, Microsoft said that attackers targeting Google and other U.S. companies used software that exploits a security hole, which had already been patched, in Internet Explorer. The vulnerability affected Internet Explorer 6 from on Windows XP and Server 2003, IE6 SP1 on Windows 2000 SP4, IE7 on Windows Vista, XP, Server 2008, and Server 2003, IE8 on Windows 7, Vista, XP, Server 2003, and Server 2008 (R2).<ref>{{cite news |title=New IE hole exploited in attacks on U.S. firms |first=Elinor |last=Mills |newspaper=[[CNET News]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |date=January 14, 2010 |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10435232-245.html |access-date=September 26, 2010 |archive-date=December 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224110914/http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10435232-245.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The [[Germany|German government]] warned users against using Internet Explorer and recommended switching to an alternative web browser, due to the major security hole described above that was [[Operation Aurora#Attack analysis|exploited in Internet Explorer]].<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8463516.stm | work=BBC News | title=Germany issues Explorer warning | date=January 16, 2010 | access-date=March 26, 2010 | first=Daniel | last=Emery}}</ref> The Australian and French governments also issued a similar warning a few days later.<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8465038.stm | work=BBC News | title=France in fresh Explorer warning | date=January 18, 2010 | access-date=March 26, 2010 | first=Jonathan | last=Fildes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/19/2795684.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123001337/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/19/2795684.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 23, 2010 |title=Govt issues IE security warning |author=Emily Bourke for AM |date=January 19, 2010 |publisher=abc.net.au |access-date=September 26, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/techchron/detail?&entry_id=55509 | title=The Technology Chronicles : France and Germany warn users not to use Internet Explorer | first=Alejandro | last=Martinez-Cabrera | date=January 18, 2010 | work=The San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/microsoft/7011626/Germany-warns-against-using-Microsoft-Internet-Explorer.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/microsoft/7011626/Germany-warns-against-using-Microsoft-Internet-Explorer.html |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | work=The Daily Telegraph | ___location=London | title=Germany warns against using Microsoft Internet Explorer | first=Fiona | last=Govan | date=January 18, 2010 | access-date=March 26, 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
===Major vulnerability across versions===
On April 26, 2014, Microsoft issued a security advisory relating to {{CVE|2014-1776}} (use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 11<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2014-1776|title=CVE-2014-1776|website=Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE)|date=January 29, 2014|access-date=May 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430095220/http://www.cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2014-1776|archive-date=April 30, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>), a vulnerability that could allow "remote code execution" in Internet Explorer versions 6 to 11.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/library/security/2963983 | title=Microsoft Security Advisory 2963983 | date=April 26, 2014 | publisher=Microsoft | access-date=April 28, 2014}}</ref> On April 28, 2014, the United States [[Department of Homeland Security]]'s [[United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team]] (US-CERT) released an advisory stating that the vulnerability could result in "the complete compromise" of an affected system.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cybersecurity-microsoft-browser-idUSBREA3Q0PB20140428 | title=U.S., UK advise avoiding Internet Explorer until bug fixed | first=Jim | last=Finkle | date=April 28, 2014 | work=Reuters | access-date=April 28, 2014}}</ref> US-CERT recommended reviewing Microsoft's suggestions to mitigate an attack or using an alternate browser until the bug is fixed.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/current-activity/2014/04/28/Microsoft-Internet-Explorer-Use-After-Free-Vulnerability-Being | title=Microsoft Internet Explorer Use-After-Free Vulnerability Guidance | date=April 28, 2014 | publisher=United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team | access-date=April 28, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/222929 | title=Vulnerability Note VU#222929 – Microsoft Internet Explorer use-after-free vulnerability | date=April 27, 2014 | publisher=Carnegie Mellon University | access-date=April 28, 2014}}</ref> The UK National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UK) published an advisory announcing similar concerns and for users to take the additional step of ensuring their antivirus software is up to date.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/technology/chi-microsoft-explorer-security-flaws-20140428,0,4797833.story | title=U.S.: Stop using Internet Explorer until security holes are fixed | date=April 28, 2014 | newspaper=Chicago Tribune | access-date=April 28, 2014}}</ref> [[NortonLifeLock|Symantec]], a cyber security firm, confirmed that "the vulnerability crashes Internet Explorer on Windows XP."<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27184188 | title=Microsoft warns of Internet Explorer flaw | date=April 28, 2014 | publisher=BBC | access-date=April 28, 2014}}</ref> The vulnerability was resolved on May 1, 2014, with a security update.<ref name=IEfix>{{Cite web |url=https://technet.microsoft.com/library/security/ms14-021 |title=Microsoft Security Bulletin MS14-021 – Critical Security Update for Internet Explorer (2965111) |date=May 1, 2014 |publisher=Microsoft Technet |access-date=July 6, 2014}}</ref>
==Market adoption and usage share==
{{See also|History of Internet Explorer#Market adoption and usage share|Usage share of web browsers}}
[[File:Usage share of web browsers (Source StatCounter).svg|thumb|[[Usage share of web browsers]] according to [[StatCounter]], 2008–2021 ]]
[[File:Internet-explorer-usage-data.svg|thumb|left|300px|Historical market share of Internet Explorer, 1995–2024]]
The adoption rate of Internet Explorer seems to be closely related to that of Microsoft Windows, as it is the default web browser that comes with Windows. Since the integration of Internet Explorer 2.0 with Windows 95 OSR 1 in 1996, and especially after version 4.0's release in 1997, the adoption was greatly accelerated: from below 20% in 1996, to about 40% in 1998, and over 80% in 2000. This made Microsoft the winner in the infamous '[[first browser war]]' against Netscape. [[Netscape Navigator]] was the dominant browser during 1995 and until 1997, but rapidly lost share to IE starting in 1998, and eventually slipped behind in 1999. The integration of IE with Windows led to a lawsuit by [[AOL]], Netscape's owner, accusing Microsoft of unfair competition. The [[United States v. Microsoft Corp.|infamous case]] was eventually won by AOL but by then it was too late, as Internet Explorer had already become the dominant browser.
Internet Explorer peaked during 2002 and 2003, with about 95% share. Its first notable competitor after beating Netscape was Firefox from [[Mozilla]], which itself was an offshoot from Netscape.
Approximate usage over time based on various usage share counters averaged for the year overall, or for the fourth quarter, or for the last month in the year depending on availability of reference.<ref name="nashare">{{cite web|url=http://marketshare.hitslink.com/ |title=Market share for browsers, operating systems and search engines |publisher=marketshare.hitslink.com |access-date=February 9, 2011}}</ref><ref name=zdnetearly>Borland, John. [https://www.zdnet.com/article/browser-wars-high-price-huge-rewards/ Browser wars: High price, huge rewards], ''ZDNet'', April 15, 2003. Accessed June 2, 2012.</ref><ref name="thecountermonth">{{cite web |url=http://www.thecounter.com/stats/2002/December/browser.php |title=TheCounter.com: The Full-Featured Web Counter with Graphic Reports and Detailed Information |publisher=Thecounter.com |access-date=October 17, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003033505/http://www.thecounter.com/stats/2002/December/browser.php |archive-date=October 3, 2008}}</ref><ref name="Thecounter.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.thecounter.com/stats/1999/December/browser.php |title=TheCounter.com: The Full-Featured Web Counter with Graphic Reports and Detailed Information |publisher=Thecounter.com |access-date=October 17, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002055109/http://www.thecounter.com/stats/1999/December/browser.php |archive-date=October 2, 2008}}</ref><ref name="bhn">{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9810/08/browser.idg/ |title=CNN — Behind the numbers: Browser market share — October 8, 1998 |publisher=Cnn.com |access-date=October 17, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816032353/http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9810/08/browser.idg/ |archive-date=August 16, 2000}}</ref><ref name="wbs">{{cite web |url=http://www.omniture.com/home?cms_site_lang=1&s_cid=1493&s_cid=1493 |title=Web Analytics | Online Business Optimization by Omniture |publisher=Omniture.com |access-date=October 17, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420103123/http://www.omniture.com/home?cms_site_lang=1&s_cid=1493&s_cid=1493 |archive-date=April 20, 2008}}</ref>
Internet Explorer's market share fell below 50% in September 2010.<ref>{{Cite news |last = Goldman |first = David |url = https://money.cnn.com/2010/10/06/technology/internet_explorer_market_share/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=Sbin |title = Internet Explorer usage falls below 50% |publisher = CNN |date = October 6, 2010 |access-date = October 6, 2010}}</ref> In May 2012, Google Chrome overtook Internet Explorer as the most used browser worldwide, according to [[StatCounter]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/255886/google_chrome_overtakes_internet_explorer.html|title=Google Chrome Overtakes Internet Explorer|date=May 21, 2012|website=PCWorld|language=en|access-date=January 19, 2019}}</ref>
===Industry adoption===
[[Browser Helper Object]]s are also used by many [[web search engine|search engine]]s companies and third parties for creating add-ons that access their services, such as search engine toolbars. Because of the use of COM, it is possible to embed web-browsing functionality in third-party applications. Hence, there are several Internet Explorer shells, and several content-centric applications like [[RealPlayer]] also use Internet Explorer's web browsing module for viewing web pages within the applications.
==Removal==
{{Main|Removal of Internet Explorer}}
While a major upgrade of Internet Explorer can be uninstalled in a traditional way if the user has saved the original application files for installation, the matter of uninstalling the version of the browser that has shipped with an operating system remains a controversial one.
The idea of removing a stock install of Internet Explorer from a Windows system was proposed during the ''[[United States v. Microsoft Corp.]]'' case. One of Microsoft's arguments during the trial was that removing Internet Explorer from Windows may result in system instability. Indeed, programs that depend on libraries installed by IE, including Windows help and support system, fail to function without IE. Before Windows Vista, it was not possible to run [[Windows Update]] without IE because the service used ActiveX technology, which no other web browser supports.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1999-11-03 |title=Business Week Online/Microsoft Watch |url=http://www.businessweek.com/microsoft/updates/up90203a.htm |access-date=2023-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991103171910/http://www.businessweek.com/microsoft/updates/up90203a.htm |archive-date=November 3, 1999 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2011-01-15 |title=Feds Accuse MS of Falsification |magazine=Wired |url=http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/1999/02/17689 |access-date=2023-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110115024801/http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/1999/02/17689 |archive-date=January 15, 2011 |last1=McCullagh |first1=Declan }}</ref>
==Impersonation by malware==
The popularity of Internet Explorer led to the appearance of malware abusing its name. On January 28, 2011, a fake Internet Explorer browser calling itself "Internet Explorer – Emergency Mode" appeared. It closely resembled the real Internet Explorer but had fewer buttons and no search bar. If a user attempted to launch any other browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, [[Opera (web browser)|Opera]], [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]], or the real Internet Explorer, this browser would be loaded instead. It also displayed a fake error message, claiming that the computer was infected with malware and Internet Explorer had entered "Emergency Mode". It blocked access to legitimate sites such as Google if the user tried to access them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.im-infected.com/hijacker/internet-explorer-emergency-mode.html |title=IE Emergency Mode |work=im-infected.com |date=January 28, 2011 |access-date=June 23, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110630065328/http://www.im-infected.com/hijacker/internet-explorer-emergency-mode.html |archive-date=June 30, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-avg-antivirus-2011 |title=Bleeping Computer – Fake IE Emergency Mode (by fake AVG) |date=January 28, 2011 |access-date=June 23, 2013}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[Bing Bar]]
* [[History of the web browser]]
* [[List of web browsers]]
* [[
* [[
* [[Windows Filtering Platform]]
* [[Winsock]]
==Notes==
{{Notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==Further reading==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite web |title=Index DOT Html and Index DOT Css |work=Browser History: Windows Internet Explorer |url=http://www.blooberry.com/indexdot/history/ie.htm |access-date=December 22, 2013}}
* {{cite web |title=Windows Vista & IE7 Beta 1 Available | url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2005/07/27/windows-vista-amp-ie7-beta-1-available.aspx |work=IEBlog |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=July 27, 2005 |access-date=December 22, 2013 |first=Dean |last=Hachamovitch |author-link=Dean Hachamovitch}}
* {{cite web |title=Standards and CSS in IE |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2005/07/29/445242.aspx |work=IEBlog |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=July 30, 2005 |access-date=December 22, 2013 |first=Chris |last=Wilson}}
* {{cite web |title=IE7 Is Coming This Month |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2006/10/06/IE7-Is-Coming-This-Month_2E002E002E00_Are-you-Ready_3F00_.aspx |work=IEBlog |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=October 7, 2006 |access-date=December 22, 2013 |first=Scott |last=Graff}}
* {{cite web |title=IE7 Platforms And Outlook Express |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2005/02/28/382054.aspx |work=IEBlog |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=March 1, 2005 |access-date=December 22, 2013}}
* {{cite web |title=Gates Highlights Progress on Security, Outlines Next Steps for Continued Innovation |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2005/feb05/02-15rsa05keynotepr.aspx |work=News Center |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=February 15, 2005 |access-date=December 22, 2013}}
* {{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2010/09/16/internet-explorer-9-logo-visual-refresh.aspx |title=User Experiences: Evolving the blue "e" |work=IEBlog |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |first1=Mary-Lynne |last1=Williams |first2=Leslie |last2=MacNeil |first3=Marty |last3=Hall |editor-first=Dean |editor-last=Hachamovitch |editor-link=Dean Hachamovitch |date=September 17, 2010 |access-date = December 22, 2013}}
{{Refend}}
==External links==
* {{Official website}}
** [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/internet-explorer/ie-developer/platform-apis/aa741312(v=vs.85) Internet Explorer Architecture]
{{Internet Explorer|state=open}}
{{Gopher clients}}
{{Aggregators}}
{{Timeline of web browsers|1990s}}
{{Microsoft Windows components}}
{{Authority control}}
[[
[[Category:1995 software]]
[[Category:FTP clients]]
[[Category:History of the Internet]]
[[Category:News aggregator software]]
[[Category:Proprietary software]]
[[Category:Windows components]]
[[Category:Windows web browsers]]
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[[Category:Products and services discontinued in 2015]]
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[[Category:Xbox One software]]
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