Prepare for the Upcoming Death of IE11

Internet Explorer 11 is scheduled to be permanently disabled on February 14, 2023 (Happy Valentine's Day!).

While IE11 went out of support on June 15, 2022, it was not immediately disabled on all Windows workstations that day.  Instead, Microsoft allowed a several-month grace period for users to adjust to the change.  However, the final day of reckoning is approaching.  And the last thing you want is to find out you have some critical business process that depends on IE11 only after it's too late to do anything about it.

My recommendation: disable IE11 immediately so that you have a few months to see if it will affect you while you can still reverse the process on your own terms.

IE 11 Retirement Timeline

• June 15, 2022: IE 11 support ends
• February 14, 2023: IE 11 permanently disabled
• 2029: support ends for MSHTML (Trident) engine (the IE engine which powers the legacy Access browser control)
• 2021, 2022, 2023 (???): release of the new Access Web Browser control

How to Disable IE 11 Immediately

• Group Policy instructions if you are on a domain
• Workstation instructions if you are on a standalone PC (e.g., a home or small office PC not part of a large organization)

Official Announcement

Here's the official announcement from Microsoft as posted to the Internet Explorer 11 desktop app requirement FAQ:

When will IE11 be permanently disabled as part of a Windows update? (New: October 27, 2022)

The Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be permanently disabled when either of the following Windows updates are deployed to devices:

• (Optional) January 2023 Windows non-security preview ("C") release scheduled for January 17, 2023
• February 2023 Windows security update ("B") release scheduled for February 14, 2023

Note: As Windows updates are cumulative, Windows updates after February 2023 will also disable IE11.

Referenced articles

IE11 Retirement FAQ for Access Apps

Internet Explorer 11 will reach end-of-life before we have an Edge-based browser control. Read on to learn how this will affect Access developers.

No Longer SetMike Wolfe

External references

Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retirement FAQ

Note: The retired, out-of-support Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be permanently disabled on certain versions of Windows 10 as part of the February 2023 Windows security update (“B” release) scheduled for February 14, 2023. We highly recommend setting up IE mode in Microsoft Edge and …

TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COMEric Van Aelstyn

Control IE retirement on your own schedule with the Disable IE Policy

As previously announced, IE11 is being retired through two phases – a redirection phase in which devices are progressively redirected from IE to Microsoft Edge over the next few months after June 15, 2022, and a Windows Update phase, in which IE will be permanently disabled. For organizations that a…

TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COMBailey Reid

Removing or Disabling Internet Explorer from Windows 10

On the 15th June 2022 Microsoft Internet Explorer was End-of-Life and should now be removed from your systems. This help guide includes details of how to remove the product.

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IE 11 Retirement: What Does This Mean for Microsoft Access Apps?

Greetings Access Community, I had a great question from Klaus Oberdalhoff in the Denver User Group last month, as well as numerous questions from the community on IE11 and its impending retirement. I wanted post this to help clear the air on these concerns. Here is a quick set of Q&A we have put to…

TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COMMichael Aldridge (M365 DEVELOPER)

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