The browser continues to be alive in the OS

Aug 8, 2022 12:34 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft has already retired Internet Explorer, with the company now betting all-in on Microsoft Edge. Users whose apps and services are only compatible with IE are being told to use the IE Mode bundled with Edge, as it’s pretty much the only way to use these apps.

But on the other hand, it looks like a second secret option also exists. And it all comes down to… using Internet Explorer, as the browser continues to be available in Windows 11.

As per GHacks, the browser isn’t necessarily easy to launch, as you have to follow a specific procedure to be able to run it, but once you figure it out, you can continue running Internet Explorer normally – though it goes without saying there’s absolutely no reason to do this anyway.

How to launch IE in Windows 11

So here’s what you need to do to launch Internet Explorer in Windows 11 right now.

First, you need to type “Internet options” in the Start menu, with the OS to then open the classic Control Panel interface with the Internet properties screen. Open the Programs tab and then click the “Manage add-ons” option.

In the window that launches, look for the “Learn more about toolbars and extensions” in the lower part of the screen. Click it and voila, this is Internet Explorer up and running again.

Needless to say, it makes no sense to run Internet Explorer today, especially as the browser has already been abandoned and Microsoft wouldn’t release any new updates and security patches.

“The web has evolved and so have browsers. Incremental improvements to Internet Explorer couldn’t match the general improvements to the web at large, so we started fresh. Microsoft Edge is a faster, more secure and modern browser—the best browser for Windows—designed for today’s internet,” the software giant explained when Internet Explorer was officially retired.