How to Use Internet Explorer Mode in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft has been moving away from Internet Explorer for years. The company instead pushed the growth of its faster and more secure web browser, Microsoft Edge. In fact, Microsoft is officially retiring Internet Explorer on June 15, 2022.

However, you don’t have to worry about those old sites not working well on modern browsers. Microsoft Edge includes a feature called Internet Explorer Mode. This feature was primarily designed for companies that need to load internal sites without having to update or redesign them, but it also works for the average person who just wants to discover older sites that don’t have been updated for modern browsers.

To use Internet Explorer mode in Edge, launch Edge and click the “Ellipses” button in the upper right corner of the window. From the drop-down menu that appears, select “Settings”.

Next, click “Default Browser” in the left pane.

IDG / Marshall Gunnell

You will now be on the Default Browser Settings screen. In the “Internet Explorer compatibility” group, set the “Allow reloading of sites in Internet Explorer mode” option to “Allow”. You will then need to restart your browser by clicking the blue “Restart” button for the changes to take effect.

IDG / Marshall Gunnell

Once the browser has reloaded, navigate to the site you want to view in Internet Explorer mode. Once on the site, click on the “Ellipses” button in the upper right corner of the window, then select “Reload in Internet Explorer mode”.

IDG / Marshall Gunnell

The page will now reload in Internet Explorer mode. You’ll know you’re using this feature if the Internet Explorer logo appears to the left of the URL in the address bar.

You can also tell Edge to always open this page in Internet Explorer mode by clicking the browser icon and toggling the slider next to “Open this page in Internet Explorer mode next time” to the On position. If the slider is swung to the right, it is enabled. If the slider is swung to the left, it is disabled.

IDG / Marshall Gunnell

If you want to reopen the site in Microsoft Edge, just click “Open in Microsoft Edge”.

IDG / Marshall Gunnell

That’s all we can say about it. For better performance and security, you should always browse with Microsoft Edge (or other modern browsers) when possible. If the site just doesn’t work without Internet Explorer, now you know how to fix it.