What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
You cannot install a current, native version of Internet Explorer on macOS. To test in actual Internet Explorer, use a hosted Windows browser session from your Mac or run Windows locally in a compatible environment. If you need to check legacy-site compatibility rather than Internet Explorer itself, Microsoft’s supported route is Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge on Windows.
Choose the test environment that matches your goal
First decide whether you need the actual Internet Explorer browser, Microsoft Edge’s IE mode, or only a rough visual approximation. They are not interchangeable: a page that looks right in an emulation extension has not thereby passed an actual IE test.
| Route | What it tests | Best suited to | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosted Windows/IE browser session | A remote Windows environment with a selected browser version; confirm the provider’s current offering is the exact IE version you need. | Quick interactive checks, access to multiple browser versions, or teams without a Windows test machine. | Availability depends on the provider’s browser matrix and account terms. BrowserStack describes its IE sessions as real browsers in real environments; check its current availability and terms before relying on it. BrowserStack’s guide to testing IE on Mac |
| Local Windows environment or virtual machine | A Windows setup under your local control. | Repeated testing, local tooling, or targets reachable only from that environment. | You must configure and maintain Windows and account for compatibility with your Mac model. There is no single universal current VM recipe for every Mac. |
| Edge IE mode on Windows | Legacy-site compatibility through IE mode in Edge, not Internet Explorer installed on macOS. | Organizations maintaining sites that depend on IE-specific behavior. | It requires Windows and Edge; managed-device policies and Edge version may affect setup. |
| IE-emulation extension | An approximation in another browser. | An early, low-cost rendering check when exact IE fidelity is not required. | It is not final compatibility evidence. BrowserStack cautions that IE Tab does not use the actual Internet Explorer browser. BrowserStack’s guide |
Compare options by whether they run actual IE or IE mode, the setup and upkeep involved, whether the test environment can reach your target (especially a local development site), and whether you need manual or automated testing. Current comparative prices and plan tiers are not established here, so check providers directly rather than relying on old price lists.
Use a hosted Windows/IE session from your Mac
A hosted service lets you control a remote Windows browser from macOS without setting up Windows locally. In BrowserStack’s documented workflow, select Windows and an IE version from its Live dashboard. Verify that the current browser matrix includes the precise version and mode your test requires; availability and account terms can change. The vendor describes its IE sessions as real browsers in real environments. See BrowserStack’s instructions.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
- Open the provider’s browser-testing dashboard from your Mac and sign in under its current terms.
- Select the Windows version and Internet Explorer version you need, if currently offered.
- Open the target URL in that remote session. For a development site, check that the remote environment can reach it; a URL available only on your Mac may not be accessible from a hosted machine.
- Exercise the page behavior you need to validate, including any legacy controls or workflows. Record the selected OS and browser with defects so the result can be reproduced.
Run Windows locally when remote access is unsuitable
A local Windows environment or VM can be useful for repeated testing, local tooling, and sites reachable only from your own environment. It is not a native Mac installation of IE: you still need to configure and maintain Windows, and what virtualization setup is practical depends on the Mac model. The available guidance does not establish one current recipe that works for every Mac, so check compatibility for your specific hardware and Windows setup before choosing this route.
Once Windows is available, choose between testing an actual IE installation where the Windows edition and lifecycle permit it, and testing a legacy site in Edge IE mode. Microsoft ended support for the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application on certain Windows 10 versions on June 15, 2022; that date should not be read as a single end-of-support date for every Windows edition. For organizations with legacy dependencies, Microsoft recommends configuring sites to open in Edge IE mode. Microsoft’s lifecycle guidance
Rank #2
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Enable IE mode in Edge on Windows
Microsoft’s general instructions are for Windows and Edge, not macOS. Labels and available controls can vary by Edge version and device management policy. Check Microsoft’s current IE mode instructions.
- In Edge, open
edge://settings/defaultBrowser. - Under Internet Explorer compatibility, allow sites to be reloaded in IE mode.
- Restart Edge when prompted.
- Visit the site, then choose Settings and more (…) > Reload in Internet Explorer mode.
Microsoft says that on Edge version 141 or higher on a non-enterprise device, a specific site can be added under Settings > Default Browser > Add a page in Internet Explorer mode pages, then reloaded. On managed devices, an administrator may control these options. A user-added site remains on the local IE mode list for a default 30 days, and that local list does not sync across devices. If a site stops opening in IE mode or the setting is missing on another device, check the list and the device’s policy. Microsoft’s local site list documentation (last updated July 18, 2024)
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchRank #3
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
Automate and diagnose the mode you intend to support
For automated IE mode testing, Microsoft’s described setup uses Microsoft Edge, Selenium 4 or later language bindings, and Internet Explorer Driver version 4.0.0.0 or later. This tests IE mode behavior in Edge; it does not install Internet Explorer on a Mac. Microsoft Edge’s IE mode automation guidance
For debugging IE mode tabs, Microsoft documents using IEChooser. Do not launch Edge with a remote-debugging command-line argument when the goal is to test IE mode: Microsoft warns that IE mode is unavailable in that Edge session and the page uses Chromium instead. That can produce misleading results, especially for pages using IE-specific components such as ActiveX. Confirm the mode indicator and test configuration before treating a pass or failure as evidence about IE compatibility. Microsoft’s IE mode DevTools documentation (last updated June 30, 2025)
Rank #4
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
Troubleshoot common testing problems
- You cannot find Internet Explorer on the Mac: that is expected; IE is not a native macOS browser. Use a hosted Windows/IE session or a compatible local Windows environment.
- The page looks right in an extension, but behaves differently in IE: the extension is only an approximation, not the actual browser. Confirm the issue in an actual IE environment or the IE mode configuration you intend to support.
- Edge opens the site in Chromium instead of IE mode: confirm IE mode is enabled, the site is eligible or on the configured list, and the tab shows the mode indicator. Avoid remote-debugging command-line arguments for this test because they disable IE mode in that session.
- The option to enable IE mode is missing: check the installed Edge version and whether a device administrator manages browser policies. Managed devices may not expose the same controls as non-enterprise devices.
- A site that used to open in IE mode no longer does: check whether it has fallen off the local site list. Microsoft’s documented default duration for a user-added entry is 30 days; the list does not sync between devices.
- A hosted session cannot open a local development URL: the remote browser may not be able to reach a service bound to your Mac. Verify network reachability or use a local Windows test environment.
- A Selenium run succeeds, but does not prove IE mode behavior: check that the test setup uses Edge, Selenium 4 or later, and Internet Explorer Driver 4.0.0.0 or later, and ensure the session was not launched with remote debugging enabled.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server for capturing page images or PDFs. It can help when the goal is to capture a page from a URL, but it is not a substitute for testing a page in actual Internet Explorer or Edge IE mode: a screenshot does not validate browser-specific behavior.
One GET request captures a page (adapt the target URL as needed):
Best Value
- FAST RUNS IN THE FAMILY — The 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro or M5 Max chip brings next-generation speed and powerful on-device AI to personal, professional, and creative tasks. With all-day battery life, double the starting storage,* and a breathtaking Liquid Retina XDR display, it’s pro in every way.*
- BUCKLE UP — Along with a next-generation CPU, faster unified memory, and up to 2x faster SSD storage,* M5 Pro and M5 Max feature a more powerful GPU with a Neural Accelerator built into each core, delivering faster AI performance and on-device training capabilities. So you can blaze through demanding workloads at mind-bending speeds.
- BUILT FOR AI — Apple silicon, and every major component that powers it, is designed to run demanding on-device AI workloads like LLM inference and training. And Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
- ALL-DAY BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Pro delivers the same exceptional performance whether it’s running on battery or plugged in.*
- MACOS RUNS APPS FAST — All your go-to apps run lightning fast in macOS, including built-in apps like FaceTime and Messages. Plus, built-in virus protection and free software updates help keep your Mac running smoothly and securely.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation. Cookie banners are accepted and removed before capture, along with supported newsletter popups and chat widgets; those steps can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads and cache hits are not billed, and response headers report the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server lets AI agents use take_screenshot, get_page_info and capture_pdf. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Sign up free for ScreenshotNeo: 1,000 screenshots a month, no card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an IE-mode test prove that a page works in every version of Internet Explorer?
No. IE mode is a compatibility feature in Edge, not the same test environment as every historical standalone IE release. Match the test environment to the browser and behavior you intend to support.
Can a screenshot API validate Internet Explorer compatibility?
No. It can capture a page image, but it does not establish that the page works in actual Internet Explorer or Edge IE mode.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches
