Alongside all the features and improvements in the roadmap for the new version of Microsoft Edge based on the Chromium engine, Microsoft includes a compatibility mode using the Internet Explorer rendering engine to load old websites.
The feature is known as “IE Mode,” and it has been designed for organizations to load internal sites without using a separate browser or having to redesign the site. The new approach loads the pages within Microsoft Edge like a regular website without using and managing multiple browsers.
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If you want to start using it, the version of Microsoft Edge available through the stable channel now includes the “Internet Explorer compatibilities” settings to quickly enable IE Mode and a separate option to open Edge when browsing an incomparable website with Internet Explorer. Alongside the settings, it also possible to use the Group Policy Editor to configure the compatibility mode.
In this guide, you will learn the steps to enable IE Mode to load legacy websites using the Internet Explorer rendering engine on Chromium Edge for Windows 10. (You can also watch this video tutorial to configure the feature.)
How to enable IE mode on Microsoft Edge
To enable IE mode on Edge, use these steps:
Install Activex Control Windows 10
Open Microsoft Edge on Windows 10.
Click the Settings and More (ellipsis) button on the top-right corner.
Select the Settings option.
Click on Default browser.
Under the “Internet Explorer compatibility” section, turn on the “Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode” toggle switch.
Click the Restart button.
Once you complete the steps, when sites require Internet Explorer, you can use Microsoft Edge to reload the page using IE mode.
Open site with IE Mode on Edge
After the IE Mode is enabled, you need to reload a page with the compatibility mode manually.
To open an incompatible website with IE Mode on Edge, use these steps:
Open Microsoft Edge on Windows 10.
Click the Settings and More (ellipsis) button on the top-right corner.
Select the More tools submenu and choose the “Reload in Internet Explorer mode” option.
After you complete the steps, the website should reload in compatibility mode. If the feature is not enabled, then the option won’t be available in the menu.
If you want to exit IE Mode, you can use the same instructions, but on step No. 3, select the Exit Internet Explorer mode option.
Open Internet Explorer sites on Microsoft Edge
On Windows 10, Microsoft Edge also lets you configure the browser so that when someone is using Internet Explorer incompatible or all sites will load within Edge.
To let IE open websites with Edge, use these steps:
Open Microsoft Edge on Windows 10.
Click the Settings and More (ellipsis) button on the top-right corner.
Select the Settings option.
Click on Default browser.
Under the “Internet Explorer compatibility” section, use the “Let Internet Explorer open sites in Microsoft Edge” drop-down menu and select the option to handle browsing when using Internet Explorer, including:
- Never – IE will never switch to Edge to load the site.
- Incompatible sites only – IE will still load sites, but websites designed for a modern browser will load in Edge.
- Always – IE will always switch to Edge to load websites.
Once you complete the steps, when surfing the web in Internet Explorer, websites will open on Microsoft Edge, according to your configuration.
How to enable IE mode with Group Policy on Microsoft Edge
Alternatively, you can also enable IE Mode on Chromium Edge with Group Policy. However, you will need to download and install the policy template before you can configure the Group Policy settings.
Install Microsoft Edge policy template
To install the policy template to enable IE Mode on Edge, use these steps:
Open Microsoft Edge for business website.
Under the “Policy File” section, click the Download button.
Select the version of Microsoft Edge. (Usually, you want to use the latest stable version available.)
Select the build (latest version available).
Select the platform — for example, Windows 64-bit.
Click the Get policy files option.
Click the Accept & download button.
Double-click to open the MicrosoftEdgePolicyTemplates.zip file.
Click the Extract all button from the “Compressed Folder Tools” tab.
(Optional) Select the location to extract the files.
Check the Show extracted files when complete option.
Click the Extract button.
Browse the following path inside the (extracted) “MicrosoftEdgePolicyTemplates” folder:
Select the msedge.admx and msedgeupdate.admx files and click the Copy option from the “Home” tab.
Quick tip: You only need to copy the “msedgeupdate.admx” file if you want to control the update settings of Microsoft Edge.Browse to the following path:
Click the Paste button from the “Home” tab.
In the “admx” folder, inside the “MicrosoftEdgePolicyTemplates” folder, open the language folder that represents your language — for example, en-US.
Select the msedge.adml and msedgeupdate.adml files and click the Copy option from the “Home” tab.
Quick tip: You only need to copy the “msedgeupdate.adml” file if you also copy the file on step No.12.Browse to the following path that matches your language:
In the above command, make sure to change en-US for the folder that matches your language.
Click the Paste button from the “Home” tab.
Once you complete the steps, the new policies to enable or disable IE Mode on Edge Chromium will install in the Group Policy Editor.
Enable IE Mode on Microsoft Edge
To enable IE Mode on Chromium Edge with Group Policy, use these steps:
Open Start.
Search for gpedit and click the top result to open the Group Policy Editor.
Browse the following path:
Double-click the Configure Internet Explorer integration policy.
Select the Enabled option to enable IE Mode for Microsoft Edge.
Under the “Options” section, select the Internet Explorer mode from the dropdown menu.
Click the Apply button.
Click the OK button.
After you complete the steps, websites will render in compatibility mode, and you’ll notice a familiar IE icon on the left side of the address bar letting you know the website is using Internet Explorer.
These steps enable IE Mode for intranet websites. If you want to load external websites using Chromium Edge, you need to enable and set up the “Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List” policy, which includes the creation of an XML file with the list of domains that you want to load automatically with the Internet Explorer mode.
Update February 11, 2021: This guide has been revised with the steps to configure IE Mode on the Chromium version of Microsoft Edge using the new compatibility settings and updated the process to install the Group Policy templates.
Microsoft Edge Activexobject Is Undefined
-->We created Internet Explorer (IE) mode in Microsoft Edge for organizations that still need Internet Explorer 11 for backward compatibility with existing websites but also need a modern browser. This feature makes it easier for organizations to use one browser, for legacy web/apps or for a modern web/app. This article provides an introduction to using Microsoft Edge with IE mode.
Note
This article applies to Microsoft Edge version 77 or later.
What is IE mode?
IE mode on Microsoft Edge makes it easy to use all of the sites your organization needs in a single browser. It uses the integrated Chromium engine for modern sites, and it uses the Trident MSHTML engine from Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) for legacy sites.
When a site loads in IE mode, the IE logo indicator displays on the left side of navigation bar. You can click the IE logo indicator to display additional information, as shown:
Only those sites that you specifically configure (via policy) will use IE mode, all other sites will be rendered as modern web sites. For a site to use IE mode, you need to:
- List the site in the Enterprise Mode Site List XML defined in one of these policies:
- Microsoft Edge 78 or later, 'Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List'
- Internet Explorer, 'Use the Enterprise Mode IE website list'
Note
We only process one Enterprise Mode Site List. The Microsoft Edge site list policy takes precedence over the Internet Explorer site list policy.
- All Intranet sites when the Send all intranet sites to Internet Explorer group policy is enabled (Microsoft Edge 77 or later.)
IE mode supports the following Internet Explorer functionality
- All document modes and enterprise modes
- ActiveX controls (such as Java or Silverlight)
- Browser Helper Objects
- Internet Explorer settings and Group Policies that affect the security zone settings and Protected Mode
- The F12 developer tools for IE, when launch with IEChooser
- Microsoft Edge extensions (Extensions that interact with the IE page content directly are not supported.)
IE mode doesn't support the following Internet Explorer functionality
- Internet Explorer toolbars
- Internet Explorer settings and Group Policies that affect the navigation menu (for example - search engines, and home pages.)
- IE11 or Microsoft Edge F12 developer tools
Prerequisites
The following prerequisites apply to using Microsoft Edge with IE mode.
Important
To ensure success, install the latest updates for Windows and Microsoft Edge. Failure to do so will likely cause IE mode to fail.
- The minimum system updates for the operating systems listed in the next table.
| Operating system | Version | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 | 1909 or later | |
| Windows 10 | 1903 | KB4501375 or later |
| Windows Server | 1903 | KB4501375 or later |
| Windows 10 | 1809 | KB4501371 or later |
| Windows Server | 1809 | KB4501371 or later |
| Windows Server | 2019 | KB4501371 or later |
| Windows 10 | 1803 | KB4512509 or later |
| Windows 10 | 1709 | KB4512494 or later |
| Windows 10 | 1607 | KB4516061 or later |
| Windows Server | 2016 | KB4516061 or later |
| Windows 10 | initial version, July 2015 | KB4520011 or later |
| Windows 8 | 8.1 | KB4507463 or later; or KB4511872 or later |
| Windows Server | 2012 R2 | KB4507463 or later; or KB4511872 or later |
| Windows 8 | Embedded | Install KB4492872 to upgrade to Internet Explorer 11; then install KB4507447 or later; or KB4511872 or later |
| Windows Server | 2012 | Install KB4492872 to upgrade to Internet Explorer 11; then install KB4507447 or later; or KB4511872 or later |
| Windows 7 | SP1** | KB4507437 or later; or KB4511872 or later |
| Windows Server | 2008 R2** | KB4507437 or later; or KB4511872 or later |
Important
** Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will be supported by Microsoft Edge even after those operating systems go out of support. In order for IE mode to be supported on these operating systems the devices will need to have the Extended Security Updates for Windows 7. We recommend that you upgrade to a supported operating system as soon as possible in order to remain secure. Support for Microsoft Edge with the Extended Security Updates should be considered a temporary bridge to getting to a supported OS state.
- The Microsoft Edge administrative template. For more information, see Configure Microsoft Edge.
- Internet Explorer 11 enabled in Windows Features.
See also