Are you for some reason still using Internet Explorer 11? If so, we have some bad news. As part of Microsoft’s plans to phase out the browser, the company is now announcing that as of today, August 17, Microsoft 365 services no longer support Internet Explorer 11.
If you’re concerned about this, then Microsoft did just update its guidance around the situation. The company says that anyone using Microsoft 365 apps in Internet Explorer 11 may have a degraded experience or be unable to connect to those apps and services.
Support for issues around this will also be unavailable, and users should not expect new features and see that the overall experience could get progressively worse over time until the apps and services are disconnected. Some apps, though, might still work, as Microsoft explains below.
- Outlook Web App: Users logging in with AAD accounts will still receive the full OWA experience but will not receive new features beginning August 17, 2021, while users logging in with Microsoft Accounts (MSA) will be redirected to the Outlook Web App Light experience.
- Open with Explorer/View in File Explorer (SharePoint): We understand that some customers may continue to use Open with Explorer and View in File Explorer (only accessible in IE11) to access document libraries. To avoid disruption, these customers will be able to use these features for now when they go to a document library in IE11. These features remain in maintenance mode and aren’t receiving further development. We encourage all customers to move to a modern browser and OneDrive sync for a better user experience and easier access to files. For more information on how to prepare your SharePoint environment for end of support on IE11, please read this Docs article.
- All other apps and services will phase out over weeks and months to ensure a smooth end of support with each app and service phasing out on independent schedules.
With Internet Explorer 11 being faded out, the easiest path to continue enjoying Microsoft 365 services is to use the Microsoft Edge. Microsoft Edge has an Internet Explorer mode, which works with some legacy websites, and it also gets updated more frequently with useful features like Vertical Tabs, Sleeping Tabs, and more. Check out our Microsoft Edge coverage to learn more.
