14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft will end support for old Internet Explorer versions tomorrow, when it will roll out the last security patches for them, so the company is planning a new strategy to make everyone aware of the fact that they need to update their browsers.
Specifically, starting tomorrow’s Patch Tuesday, Windows computers will get an update that will include a new notification screen displayed on computers still running an Internet Explorer version other than 11. Microsoft says that only Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 PCs will see it, as everyone else is supposed to be running the latest version of Internet Explorer already.
Internet Explorer 11, which is the only version that’ll still get support, is the default browser on Windows 8.1, so Windows 8 users can update their PCs to this release and get the new browser as well.
Internet Explorer 11 is the only choice
On Windows 7, Internet Explorer 11 is available via Windows Update, but some might still be running an older version of the browser in case they refused the new one.
In an advisory called “The new ‘End of Life’ upgrade notification for Internet Explorer” (which was first published in December, but recently updated) Microsoft explains that, starting January 12, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 will display update notifications for Internet Explorer unless users update to version 11.
The company has also provided some instructions on how to disable the notification feature (you can find them in full in the box after the jump), but you’re still not recommended to do it.
The best way to remain secure is to install the latest version of Internet Explorer, Microsoft says, but there’s also a second option: you can always switch to a different browser, such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, both of which continue receiving updates on the majority of Windows versions.