Microsoft 365 is dropping support for Internet Explorer 11 next year

In brief: Most people seem to agree that Microsoft’s new Chromium-based Edge browser is a significant upgrade over both Internet Explorer and the original Edge. However, both browsers undoubtedly still have their core fans, which may be disappointed to hear today’s news: in 2021, they will finally be put out to pasture.

The process is technically beginning this year, on November 30: when that day rolls around, the Microsoft Teams web app will finally stop supporting Internet Explorer 11. However, it will take until August 17, 2021 for the full suite of Microsoft 365 apps and services to drop support for the aging browser.

After August 17, Microsoft says customers using IE11 will have a “degraded experience,” or perhaps even be unable to connect to 365 apps outright. The company acknowledges that this will be an inconvenience to some of its users, especially business customers, but it feels everyone will “get the most out of Microsoft 365” while using the new Edge.

In addition to the above news, Microsoft has announced that its “Edge Legacy” desktop app will reach its official end-of-life date on March 9, 2021. Practically speaking, this means the browser will stop receiving new security updates, though it will continue to support 365 products for the foreseeable future.

If you are ready to make the transition to the new Microsoft Edge, you can download it right here. It’s a fantastic alternative to Chrome, and a great browser in its own right, so it’s certainly worth a shot if you’re dissatisfied with your current browser.