An updated version of the Compatibility View List for Internet Explorer 8 in Windows 7 Release is now available via the Microsoft Download Center. The Redmond company is, however, not offering just the refresh for IE8 in Windows 7, but also for its latest version of Internet Explorer running in older versions of the Windows operating system, namely for the release to web development milestone of the browser. You will be able to find the links to the download pages featuring the updates at the bottom of this article.

“By default Internet Explorer 8 displays web content using its newest, most standards compliant mode. The problem is that some of today’s web pages expect the older, less interoperable behavior from Internet Explorer, handing this latest version of Internet Explorer code meant for older releases of the browser. The result is web pages that might not function correctly in ways ranging from just looking a bit misaligned to not working at all. During the Beta cycle, we introduced the Compatibility View button, which allowed savvy end-users to resolve compatibility problems they might encounter as described above,” revealed Scott Dickens, IE program manager.

The websites that end up in the Compatibility View List are selected based on a variety of metrics. Microsoft indicated that the biggest feedback source was the telemetry data received in relation to the usage of the Compatibility View button in IE8. The information was used in concert with bug reports filed by customers, and the company's own compatibility testing. All that end users need to do in order to access the list of websites that their copy of IE8 displays in Compatibility View is to enter res://iecompat.dll/iecompatdata.xml in the address bar of the browser.

“The list’s not enabled by default - users must opt-in to the feature (known simply as the Compatibility View List or Compatibility List, in other documents) as part of the first run experience or later by selecting ‘Include updated website lists from Microsoft’ at Tools -> Compatibility View Settings. For those that chose to do so, Internet Explorer 8 displays sites on the list in Compatibility View rather than the default “best standards mode”. In other words, it’s as if the user pressed the Compatibility View button for sites on the list with the benefit that the end user avoids having to first experience a website compatibility failure to make the determination that these particular sites are best viewed in a non-default manner,” Dickens added.


Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) RTW is available for download here (for 32-bit and 64-bit flavors of Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008).

Update for Internet Explorer 8 Compatibility View List for Windows 7 Release Candidate (KB972636)
Update for Internet Explorer 8 Compatibility View List for Windows Vista (KB972636)
Update for Internet Explorer 8 Compatibility View List for Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition (KB972636)
Update for Internet Explorer 8 Compatibility View List for Windows Server 2003 (KB972636)
Update for Internet Explorer 8 Compatibility View List for Windows Vista x64 Edition (KB972636)
Update for Internet Explorer 8 Compatibility View List for Windows XP (KB972636)
Update for Internet Explorer 8 Compatibility View List for Windows 7 Release Candidate for x64-based Systems (KB972636)
Update for Internet Explorer 8 Compatibility View List for Windows XP x64 Edition (KB972636)