Microsoft is pulling the plug on Internet Explorer next year, but it will continue to support IE mode in its Edge web browser

• Microsoft is retiring its Internet Explorer web browser after more than 25 years.
• The app is replaced by Microsoft Edge, which offers more speed and security, and a built-in "IE mode."
• As of June next year, the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will no longer be supported.

Microsoft will no longer support the Internet Explorer web browser, the company said in a blog post on Wednesday.

"The future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge," the company said. "Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications."

The 25-year-old application will be supported for just one more year, and will be retired as of June 15, 2022.

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"Change was necessary, but we didn't want to leave reliable, still-functioning websites and applications behind," the company said.

The newer Edge browser boasts better compatibility, higher speed, and better security than its older sibling, plus Edge features a built-in "IE mode" for browsing legacy websites that still require the program.

According to the Verge, Microsoft has spent the last five years trying to get people to stop using Internet Explore, going so far as to label the app a "compatibility solution" rather than a web browser.

Edge is available for download from the browser's website, and users can import settings and passwords from Internet Explorer in a matter of clicks.

Microsoft also said that enterprise clients tend to have a "surprisingly large" number of legacy apps and websites accumulated over the years that still rely on Internet Explorer, and promised to support IE mode until at least 2029.