Internet Explorer

ApplicationMicrosoft Corporation

Also called ie, ie11, iexplore

Microsoft CorporationBrowsers

The retired Windows browser. Current Windows opens leftover IE sites in Microsoft Edge IE mode.

What you need to know

Internet Explorer is retired. Current Windows uses Edge IE mode.

The IE11 desktop app is out of support. Microsoft Edge is the current Windows browser. iexplore.exe is not msedge.exe. Do not hunt for a standalone IE installer.

What is it?: Web browser
Still current?: Retired or replaced
Official download?: Use the vendor link in this article

Feex says

If someone tells you to download Internet Explorer, I would open Edge instead. IE mode is the leftover compatibility path. A random iexplore setup is junk.

What is Internet Explorer?

Internet Explorer was Microsoft's Trident browser. The desktop app is retired. Microsoft Edge can still load specific sites in IE mode using the old engine.

If you have never used it

If a 2008 guide says open Internet Explorer, that desktop app is retired. Current Windows uses Microsoft Edge. Legacy intranet sites load in Edge IE mode, not a standalone IE window you download. iexplore.exe leftovers are not Edge. Do not install an IE setup from a filename site.

What is it used for?

Legacy intranet sites

Old ActiveX or Trident-only pages. Today those belong in Edge IE mode, not a downloaded IE11.

Nothing new on the public web

Modern sites expect Edge, Chrome, or Firefox. IE is the wrong daily browser.

Admin compatibility lists

IT can pin sites to IE mode. That is an Edge policy, not a second browser install.

Who is it for?

People stuck with a workplace site that still needs Trident
Anyone who still sees iexplore.exe and thinks it is the daily browser
Users following a guide that predates Edge

Current status

Retired as a daily desktop browser. Microsoft points people at Edge IE mode for leftover Trident sites.

How old is it?

Internet Explorer shipped with Windows 95 in 1995. IE11 was the last major version. The IE11 desktop app ended support on June 15, 2022 and was disabled on many Windows 10 PCs. Edge IE mode remains the supported compatibility path through at least 2029.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

IE11 desktop (retired)

Edge IE mode

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor
RAM	Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more.

Resource profile

CPU demand: Follows what you open inside the app
RAM demand: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
iexplore.exe	Main Windows executable

Startup components

Do not put iexplore.exe in Startup. Current Windows should start Edge if a legacy shortcut still fires.

File locations

Common Internet Explorer locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

File formats

HTMLMHT

Common problems

Shortcuts still say Internet Explorer

Many of those now bounce to Edge. That is expected after the desktop app retirement.

People install fake IE11 packages

Microsoft does not offer a current IE download. Those setup files are junk or malware.

Getting unstuck

Open the site in Edge IE mode

Microsoft Learn documents IE mode. That is the supported path, not an IE11 exe from the web.

Do not re-enable the retired desktop app as a daily browser

Microsoft published disable and retirement guidance. Edge is the current product.

Confirm iexplore.exe versus msedge.exe

Edge is msedge.exe. A leftover IE shortcut is not proof you still have a supported IE desktop app.

Alternatives

Microsoft Edge with IE mode for leftover intranet sites. Chrome or Firefox for daily browsing. There is no supported new IE.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	learn.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/developer/browsers/installation/disable-internet-explorer-windows Official installer or vendor page
Help	learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/web-platform/ie-mode Vendor support
Official site	learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/web-platform/ie-mode Start here, not a random exe host

Related hardware

IE mode still needs a supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC running current Edge.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Legacy Information. How we research.

Internet Explorer official site · Vendor product page
Internet Explorer help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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