ActiveX controls on websites are still only compatible with Internet Explorer.

Microsoft’s iconic Internet Explorer has lasted far longer than it should have, but that will no longer be the case after June 15, when the browser is officially decommissioned.

Despite its demise, Internet Explorer will continue to exist

Microsoft’s move was easy to predict, given the corporation had withdrawn support for the browser in Microsoft 364 programs in February 2021 before declaring the browser’s retirement in May 2021. However, there is a way to keep using Internet Explorer to browse the web.

Internet Explorer mode will be available in the newer, faster, and more secure Chromium-based browser, allowing users to access sites and online apps that are only supported by Explorer. This will contain site support for ActiveX controls and other capabilities.

“Not only is Microsoft Edge a quicker, safer, and more modern browser than Internet Explorer, but it also addresses a fundamental concern: compatibility with older, legacy websites and applications.” In a company blog post announcing the end of Internet Explorer, Sean Lyndersay, general manager of Microsoft Edge Enterprise, wrote, “Microsoft Edge has Internet Explorer mode (“IE mode”) built-in, so you can access those legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and applications straight from Microsoft Edge.”

That’s correct, Microsoft Edge, the company’s replacement for the old browser, includes an Internet Explorer mode.

Internet Explorer mode will be available in the newer, faster, and more secure Chromium-based browser, allowing users to access sites and online apps that are only supported by Explorer. This will contain site support for ActiveX controls and other capabilities.

This provides Edge a modest advantage in certain scenarios, such as when a user needs to visit both legacy Internet Explorer-compatible and new websites with only one browser. Edge’s “dual-engine” advantage makes it a better choice in this case than competing browsers.

In Microsoft Edge, how do you enable Internet Explorer mode?

You must first enable Internet Explorer mode in Edge before you can use it. Follow these steps to do so:

• Open Microsoft Edge.
• On the top-right of the screen, click the (…) button.
• Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
• “Default browser” should be selected.
• Toggle the “Allow sites to be refreshed in Internet Explorer mode” switch in the “Internet Explorer compatibility” section.
• To make changes take effect, click the restart button, which is located just below the toggle.

You can utilize Internet Explorer mode to open websites and web apps that are only compatible with legacy versions of the deprecated browser now that you’ve enabled this option. To use the mode, follow these procedures.

• In Internet Explorer mode, go to the website you want to open.
• On the top-right, click the ellipsis button.
• Select “Reload in Internet Explorer mode” from the drop-down menu.
• If you can’t locate it in the ellipsis menu, look under “More tools” in the submenu.

So, in this way, Internet Explorer will live on after its demise, not just in our hearts.

Despite what you might assume, depending on the situation, this compatibility mode could be really valuable. Not everyone has the time or drive to update outdated yet useful websites that are only compatible with Internet Explorer. And, despite the standalone browser’s demise, it’s fantastic that its functionality can still be used.