New Windows 10 update disables Internet Explorer for good

Last year, Microsoft announced that its infamous browser, Internet Explorer, had officially reached end-of-life status, marking the end of software updates and support. At this point, Internet Explorer has been largely replaced by Edge on Windows PCs, but IE is still available on Windows 10 systems. That will change soon, with Microsoft planning to disable the browser for good. 

In a Windows 10 update rolling out today, Microsoft will begin disabling Internet Explorer 11 for the vast majority of users. The update will ensure that IE11 can no longer be launched on updated PCs, but there are a couple of exceptions. As The Verge points out, Internet Explorer will still work on Windows 10 China Government Edition and the Long-Term Servicing Channel for Windows 10.

Internet Explorer officially reached end-of-life status on the 15th of June last year, bringing an end to 25 years of service for the browser. While Internet Explorer was widely used back in the day, Chrome and other browsers based on the Chromium engine surpassed IE in popularity long ago.

Microsoft began moving away from Internet Explorer back in 2015, when the company began working on a new browser codenamed ‘Spartan', which eventually rolled out under the official name Microsoft Edge. With Edge, Microsoft also moved over to Chromium, ensuring compatibility with thousands of plugins, an area that had previously held the browser back. While Edge has gained a user base, Chrome continues to be the most-used browser.

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