Test your site in Microsoft Edge and every other browser you officially support. If a specific legacy workflow still depends on Internet Explorer behavior, test that workflow separately in Microsoft Edge’s Internet Explorer (IE) mode on a supported Windows configuration. IE mode is a compatibility bridge—not a substitute for modern-browser testing.
What Internet Explorer’s discontinuation means for testing
Microsoft ended support for the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application on June 15, 2022, for certain versions of Windows 10, and recommends moving to Edge. The retirement’s scope depends on the Windows edition and servicing channel, so check Microsoft’s lifecycle information for the exact systems you use. Microsoft’s IE11 retirement announcement also describes IE mode as the compatibility route for organizations with sites or applications that still require IE behavior.
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IE mode runs an Internet Explorer rendering process for configured sites inside an Edge tab. Microsoft says it will support IE mode through at least 2029 on supported operating systems and provide at least one year’s notice before ending support. Treat that as a minimum announced horizon, not a guarantee for every Windows version or a reason to postpone removing unnecessary legacy dependencies. Check Microsoft’s lifecycle FAQ for applicable operating-system details.
Choose the right test target
| Test target | Use it to validate | Important limits |
|---|---|---|
| Current Edge and other supported browsers | Normal site behavior, current rendering, user interactions, and modern automation | Define the actual browser and operating-system support matrix; one browser run does not represent every target. |
| Edge IE mode | A configured legacy page or end-to-end workflow that requires IE rendering, ActiveX, or another IE-specific component | Windows and enterprise policy configuration matter. Debug with IEChooser. Passing this test does not establish compatibility with current browsers. |
Do not infer a support promise from IE mode’s availability. The site’s stated support matrix—not the continued existence of a compatibility feature—determines which modern browsers to test.
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Test a website after IE retirement: a practical workflow
- Write down the support target. List the browsers, versions or release channels, operating systems, and key devices your site claims to support. Use current Edge and the other supported modern browsers as the baseline.
- Run modern-browser checks. Exercise the important journeys manually and with automation in the supported browsers. Microsoft identifies Edge WebDriver and Playwright as automation options for Edge when IE mode is not required. See Microsoft’s IE-mode developer documentation for the distinction between modern Edge testing and IE-mode work.
- Inventory real IE dependencies. Check application documentation, support tickets, enterprise site lists, and workflows for explicit IE requirements, ActiveX controls, or other legacy components. Remove obsolete IE-only branches where there is no remaining dependency; keep genuine legacy workflows in scope.
- Configure and test the legacy path in IE mode. On a supported Windows setup, configure the relevant site to open in IE mode, then verify the full user journey—not just whether the first page loads. Include integrations, authentication, downloads, and transitions between legacy pages and modern Edge pages when those are part of the workflow. Microsoft also documents a policy route for opening an IE-mode-configured application in Edge mode for testing in its IE mode FAQ.
- Debug the rendering process that actually failed. For an IE-mode tab, use IEChooser to select the tab and launch Internet Explorer developer tools. Ordinary Edge DevTools do not inspect the IE-mode rendering process in the usual way. Microsoft notes that remote-debugging launch arguments can also make IE mode unavailable until Edge is restarted. Follow the setup and debugging guidance in Microsoft’s IE-mode developer documentation.
- Replace retired automation deliberately. If a test relied on the
InternetExplorerautomation object, do not assume it can control IE mode: Microsoft says Edge does not support automating IE mode through that object. For applications that no longer require IE mode, move to supported Edge tooling such as Edge WebDriver or Playwright. Validate any remaining IE-specific automation against the application’s actual needs rather than expecting a drop-in replacement. - Tell users what is supported. State the browsers your site supports and give people who arrive through IE a practical route to Edge or another supported browser. Microsoft documents that modern sites may be incompatible with IE and describes redirecting users to Edge. See Microsoft’s guidance on redirecting users from IE to Edge.
Or skip the browser setup
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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 for parameters and response details. ScreenshotNeo accepts cookie or consent banners like a visitor and removes 60+ known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each of those steps can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and response headers report the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server offers take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
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Common testing problems and fixes
- The site opens in Edge, but the legacy feature still fails. Confirm that the site is actually configured for IE mode and that the test covers the required legacy workflow. A normal Edge tab uses modern rendering; it is not equivalent to IE mode.
- Edge DevTools do not show the IE-mode page as expected. Use IEChooser to select the IE-mode tab and launch the Internet Explorer developer tools for that rendering process.
- IE mode is unavailable after launching Edge for debugging. Check whether remote-debugging launch arguments are in use. Microsoft says these can prevent IE mode from being available until Edge restarts.
- An old automated test cannot control IE mode. The
InternetExplorerautomation object is not supported for automating IE mode in Edge. Move non-legacy coverage to Edge WebDriver or Playwright; assess any remaining IE-specific automation against the workflow rather than assuming an equivalent control mechanism. - A page works in IE mode but fails in a current browser. Treat those as separate results: IE mode validates the configured legacy path, while modern-browser coverage must be run independently against the site’s support matrix.
- A user reports that the site is broken in IE. If IE is not a supported target, direct the user to a supported browser and make that support policy easy to find. If a business-critical IE dependency remains, reproduce it in IE mode on a supported Windows configuration.
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