Microsoft Ends Support for older versions of Internet Explorer

Yes you have heard it correct. Microsoft Ends Support for older versions of Internet Explorer, beginning January 12, 2016. Only the most current version of Internet Explorer will receive technical supports and security updates.

Internet Explorer 11 is the last version of Internet Explorer and will continue to receive security updates, compatibility fixes, and technical support on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10.

IE versions 7 and 8 have been dropped out of support. On Windows 7 and 8.1 the only supported version will be Internet Explorer 11.

Microsoft Ends Support for older versions of Internet Explorer

If you have a question on how long will the most current version of Internet Explorer remain supported?, then the answer is Internet Explorer 11 will be supported for the life of Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10.

More details can be found on the Microsoft Support Lifecycle page. Most surprising part is Microsoft still supports Vista, which is almost 10 years old. It doesn’t reach end of life until April 2017.

Windows 7 will hit its end of life on January 2020. Microsoft made the official announcement on its online support pages. After January 12, 2016, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or technical support for older versions of Internet Explorer.

Regular security updates help protect computers from malicious attacks, so upgrading and staying current is important.

The worrying part is that there are millions of people across the globe who are still using older versions of Internet Explorer, mostly Internet Explorer 9, 10. This concern is leaving them open to attacks from hackers and cyber criminals. It is essential that you upgrade your browser.

If you are home user, you need to keep the Automatic Updates feature turned on. With this you will get the update for Internet Explorer 11 without having to do anything.

You can also run Check for Updates to receive the latest updates from Microsoft.

For small and mid size organizations that consists of less than 500 employees, they can update automatically using Automatic Updates.

What if i still use older versions of Internet Explorer

• Security Issues – Without critical browser security updates, your PC may become vulnerable to harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software which can steal or damage your business data and information.
• Compliance Issues – Businesses that are governed by regulatory obligations such as HIPAA should conduct due diligence to assess whether they are still able to satisfy compliance requirements using unsupported software.
• Vendor Support Issues – Many software vendors no longer support older versions of Internet Explorer. For example, Office 365 takes advantage of modern web standards and runs best with the latest browser.

Note – Customers have time until January 12, 2016 to upgrade their browser, after which time the previous versions of Internet Explorer will reach end of support. End of support means there will be no more security updates, non-security updates, free or paid assisted support options, or online technical content updates.

So how do I upgrade my browser to Internet Explorer 11 ?

As Microsoft Ends Support for older versions of Internet Explorer,  you must upgrade it. If you are looking to upgrade your internet explorer to internet explorer 11 version, here are the ways.

Automatic Updates – If you are a home user, you can turn on the Automatic Updates feature by clicking the Check for Updates button on the Windows Update portion of Control Panel. With the Automatic updates turned on, you will have your IE upgraded without you having to do anything.

If you manage computers on behalf of your organization, there are several resources that can help IT professionals upgrade those computers to Internet Explorer 11.