Internet Explorer is About to Lose Support from an Important Microsoft Platform!

Internet Explorer was introduced in 1995. This makes it one of the first internet browsers. However, in recent years it has become obvious that Microsoft has been planning a retirement for IE at some point in the not too distant future.

IE has been edged out over the years by Chrome, Safari and others. The first sign that IE was on its way out was the new Edge browser that Microsoft introduced five years ago. Now IE 11 is about to lose support from some major Microsoft applications.

In 2012, Internet Explorer had nearly 40% of the browser market share. Five years later, it had dropped to about 10%.

While it is normal for technology to evolve and software and IT solutions to reach the end of the road, it is still disruptive to businesses in Connecticut and everywhere else when they do.

If your workflows rely on a certain digital tool that is no longer being fully supported by a developer, it can mean:

  • The need to revamp workflows
  • Trying to find work arounds for processes that no longer work
  • Security issues due to lack of patches/updates
  • Migration challenges to move data from the old application to a new one

The big milestone that Internet Explorer 11 is reaching is the elimination of support from Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365.

We will go over the important answers that you need to know regarding this drop in support so that your business can be properly prepared.

Dates & Details About the Phasing Out of the IE 11 Browser

When Will Microsoft Teams Stop Working in IE 11?

As of November 30, 2020, Microsoft Teams will no longer work correctly in IE 11. This will impact the ability to use Teams on the web and for people to join video calls via the browser.

Even if your own office does not use Internet Explorer, this drop of support could impact your Teams meetings. If you invite others from outside your organization, there may be a client that uses IE that suddenly can no longer connect to your video calls as usual.

If you use Teams, you will want to ensure that everyone inside your organization upgrades to supported browsers. It is also a good idea to add a note to your Teams meeting invites that IE 11 is no longer supported.

When Will Microsoft 365 Stop Working in IE 11?

You have a little more time before all the other Microsoft 365 apps no longer support IE 11. This happens on August 17, 2021.

This will include all the services in the platform – Word, Excel, Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, Microsoft Lists, etc. None of these will be usable in the same way (or at all) from inside Internet Explorer.

What Happens When Support for IE Ends?

Microsoft describes the impact after each of the dates pass as customers having “a degraded experience” or being “unable to connect to Microsoft 365 apps and services on IE 11″.

A degraded experience means that you may experience one or more of the following:

  • New Microsoft 365 features not being available
  • Certain features may stop working

Is Internet Explorer Reaching End of Life?

IE is not yet at the end of its life and it will still receive vital security patch updates. It is only Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 that are no longer going to support the browser.

As a component of Windows, IE has the same life cycle as the operating system. This means that if you are using Windows 10 your IE is still being supported. That OS is not reaching its end of life until 2025.

However, if you happen to have a computer that is using IE on the Windows 7 operating system, this OS has already reached its end of life (in January 2020) and needs to be upgraded as soon as possible because it is a big security risk.

What Browsers Support Microsoft 365 & Teams?

You can choose from a few different browsers when upgrading from IE 11. Here are your options:

  • Microsoft Edge: If you want to stick with a Microsoft browser, the Chromium-powered Edge has been slowly gaining in popularity. It also has an IE Mode that can be used to access older legacy IE sites.
  • Chrome: Chrome is by far the most popular browser. It is well supported but it does tend to be heavy on the memory usage.
  • Safari: If you use Apple devices, Safari is a good browser option. Just note that some forms don’t work properly in the browser and it does not support the Windows OS.
  • Firefox: Another option that often is praised for better privacy than Chrome is Firefox. However, Microsoft warns that some Teams features don’t work in this browser.

Need Help Migrating Your Data & Workflows?

Sound Computers can help your business upgrade from IE or other software that is no longer supported. We will ensure that your data is transferred safely and that your workflows stay intact.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Call 860-577-8060 or reach us online.

December 16, 2020
Sound Computers Admin