As we shared in May, Microsoft is prioritizing helping users stay up-to-date with the latest version of Internet Explorer. Today we would like to share important information on migration resources, upgrade guidance, and details on support timelines to help you plan for moving to the latest Internet Explorer browser for your operating system.
Microsoft offers innovative and transformational services for a mobile-first and cloud-first world, so you can do more and achieve more; Internet Explorer is core to this vision. In today’s digital world, billions of people use Internet-connected devices, powered by cloud service-based applications, spanning both work and life experiences. Running a modern browser is more important than ever for the fastest, most secure experience on the latest Web sites and services, connecting anytime, anywhere, on any device.
Developers benefit when users stay current on the latest Web browser. Older browsers may not support modern Web standards, so browser fragmentation is a problem for Web site developers. Web app developers, too, can work more efficiently and create better products and product roadmaps if their customers are using modern browsers. Upgrading benefits the developer ecosystem.
Users also benefit from a modern browser that enables the latest digital work and life experiences while decreasing online risks. Internet Explorer 11, our latest modern browser, delivers many benefits:
Microsoft recommends enabling automatic updates to ensure an up-to-date computing experience—including the latest version of Internet Explorer—and most consumers use automatic updates today. Commercial customers are encouraged to test and accept updates quickly, especially security updates. Regular updates provide significant benefits, such as decreased security risk and increased reliability, and Windows Update can automatically install updates for Internet Explorer and Windows.
For customers not yet running the latest browser available for your operating system, we encourage you to upgrade and stay up-to-date for a faster, more secure browsing experience. Beginning January 12, 2016, the following operating systems and browser version combinations will be supported:
After January 12, 2016, only the most recent version of Internet Explorer available for a supported operating system will receive technical support and security updates. For example, customers using Internet Explorer 8, Internet Explorer 9, or Internet Explorer 10 on Windows 7 SP1 should migrate to Internet Explorer 11 to continue receiving security updates and technical support. For more details regarding support timelines on Windows and Windows Embedded, see the Microsoft Support Lifecycle site.
As some commercial customers have standardized on earlier versions of Internet Explorer, Microsoft is introducing new features and resources to help customers upgrade and stay current on the latest browser. Customers should plan for upgrading to modern standards—to benefit from the additional performance, security, and productivity of modern Web apps—but in the short term, backward compatibility with legacy Web apps may be a cost-effective, if temporary, path. Enterprise Mode for Internet Explorer 11, released in April 2014, offers enhanced backward compatibility and enables you to run many legacy Web apps during your transition to modern Web standards.
Today we are announcing that Enterprise Mode will be supported through the duration of the operating system lifecycle, to help customers extend their existing Web app investments while staying current on the latest version of Internet Explorer. On Windows 7, Enterprise Mode will be supported through January 14, 2020. Microsoft will continue to improve Enterprise Mode backward compatibility, and to invest in tools and other resources to help customers upgrade and stay up-to-date on the latest version of Internet Explorer.
Microsoft offers numerous online support resources for customers and partners who wish to migrate to the latest version of Internet Explorer.
For customers and partners who want hands-on guidance, Microsoft has a number of deployment and compatibility services available to assist with migrations. These services include:
By offering better backward compatibility and resources to help customers upgrade, Microsoft is making it easier than ever before for commercial customers to stay current on the latest version of Internet Explorer. In addition to modern Web standards, improved performance, increased security, and greater reliability, migrating to Internet Explorer 11 also helps unlock upgrades to Windows 8.1 Update, services like Office 365, and the latest Windows devices.
— Roger Capriotti, Director, Internet Explorer