Today we bid farewell to an old friend – Internet Explorer. Yes, it is true that the web browser so many of us early internet users learned to browse the web on has officially been retired by Microsoft.

Microsoft has confirmed this on the Internet Explorer desktop app support page, stating that the retired and out-of-support Internet Explorer 11 desktop application has been permanently disabled through a Microsoft Edge update on certain versions of Windows 10.

This move marks the end of an era for Internet Explorer, which was once the dominant web browser, but gradually lost its popularity over time as other browsers like Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome emerged. Internet Explorer had been known for its security vulnerabilities and outdated technology, and many users had already switched to other browsers before Microsoft’s official retirement announcement.

Internet Explorer was first released in 1995 and became the dominant web browser for many years, thanks in part to its integration with the Windows operating system. With the retirement of Internet Explorer, Microsoft is focusing on its newer and more modern web browser, Microsoft Edge, which is based on a more up-to-date and secure web engine. While it may be the end of an era for Internet Explorer, it is also a new beginning for Microsoft Edge and the future of web browsing.

With the end of support for Internet Explorer on June 15, 2022, Microsoft encouraged users to switch to Microsoft Edge, which offers a more up-to-date browsing experience. Besides being faster and more user-friendly than its older counterpart, Microsoft Edge doubles as a PDF and eBook reader allowing users to make mark-ups without an add-on. There are also built-in screenshot tools, a vertical tabs feature for those that need a hundred tabs open at a time, and the ability to seamlessly import your Chrome extensions and bookmarks without a lot of downtime.

While the retirement of Internet Explorer marks the end of an era, it also represents a new chapter in the evolution of web browsers. As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see new web browsers emerge and evolve, providing users with even better and more secure ways to access and interact with the internet.