It can be hard to let go of things you’ve become familiar with, such as your internet browser. If you’ve been using a browser for years, it’s become an important part of your workflow and having to switch to something unfamiliar can be disruptive.
However, in the technology world, software is always marching on and that can mean losing some of the business IT tools you’ve become familiar with.
If you happen to use Microsoft 365 for business and also Internet Explorer, you’re about to face one of those crossroads, where you have to upgrade or risk losing compatibility with your workflows.
Microsoft is starting a phaseout of IE 11 for Microsoft 365. This is going to begin with Teams at the end of November and then move onto all the other apps in 2021.
What this means is that Microsoft 365 applications will no longer work properly or may not work at all if accessed from Internet Explorer.
If you work with Microsoft 365 or if you join MS Teams video conferences initiated by customers or other business partners, this change will impact you. Read on for what you need to know.
FAQ: What You Need to Know About IE 11 Being Phased Out
Is IE 11 Reaching End of Life?
Let’s first differentiate between end of life (EOL) for an application and loss of support.
What’s happening to IE11 is that it will be losing support from Microsoft Teams and other Microsoft 365 applications. This means that after the specified dates, you will not be able to properly access those apps from the IE 11 browser.
IE 11 is not reaching end of life. Since Internet Explorer is a Windows component, it takes on the EOL of the operating system. So, it’s still very much being supported on Windows 10 OS.
However, if you have any computers using Windows 7, then you should upgrade your computer now. Windows 7 reached EOL in January of 2020, so both that operating system and IE running on it are no longer supported and could leave your network at risk of a breach.
When Does Teams Stop Supporting IE 11?
Microsoft Teams stops support for IE 11 on November 30, 2020. This means that users will not have proper access to the Teams web app and may have trouble trying to join video meetings in Teams.
If you often send Teams video meeting invites to those outside your organization, it’s a good idea to add a note to the bottom that IE 11 is no longer being supported and to use an alternate browser instead.
When Do the Other Microsoft 365 Apps Stop Working in IE 11?
You have a little more time to prepare for the loss of Internet Explorer support by the other Microsoft 365 applications, like Word, Outlook, OneDrive, Excel, etc.
Microsoft 365 stops support for IE 11 on August 17, 2021.
Microsoft explains that after that date users will either be unable to use apps in IE 11 or will have a degraded experience, which can mean features will be unavailable or certain features may stop working altogether.
What Are My Options for Upgrading?
If you use Microsoft 365 and want to ensure your team can continue accessing their applications without any problems, the following browsers are compatible with the platform.
- Microsoft Edge
- Google Chrome
- Safari
- Firefox (however, some features of Teams may not work)
What About Legacy IE 11 Sites We Use?
If your business still needs to use IE 11 for certain legacy sites, Microsoft has made it possible for you to avoid having to use two different browsers.
Their Chromium-powered Edge browser has an IE Mode. This allows you to add certain legacy sites to your settings and have those sites open in IE 11 rather than in Edge. All other sites will open in Edge.
When sites load in IE mode, you’ll know by the IE logo indicator on the left side of the navigation bar.
Is Edge Legacy Okay to Use?
If you’re upgrading from IE to Edge, you want to make sure you don’t migrate to the legacy version. Upgrade to the Chromium-powered Edge.
The reason is that Microsoft Edge Legacy is reaching end of life on March 9, 2021 and will no longer be supported with vital security updates.
The newer version of Edge offers many more features and better performance. Some of the benefits include:
- Good privacy and tracking control
- Optimized for speed and performance
- Blocks unsafe sites
- Categories that allow you to save groups of webpages
- Multiple themes and extensions
- Password Monitor (coming soon)
Get Help Migrating Your Workflows
Cris’s Tech Repair can help your Lake Okeechobee area business with migration of browser data, OS migrations, and more.
Schedule a consultation today by calling 561-985-4961 or contacting us online.