Microsoft To Drop Support For Older Versions Of Internet Explorer Starting Jan 2016

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Published on August 7, 2014

published on August 7, 2014

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Microsoft today shared some important information on migration resources, upgrade guidance, and details on support timelines to help you plan for moving to the latest Internet Explorer browser for your operating system. Microsoft wants customers to run latest browsers because they offer fastest, most secure experience on the latest Web sites and services, connecting anytime, anywhere, on any device. Also, developers can develop websites with modern standards instead of supporting old browsers.

Microsoft today announced that beginning January 12, 2016, the following operating systems and browser version combinations will be supported:

Windows Platform	Internet Explorer Version
Windows Vista SP2	Internet Explorer 9
Windows Server 2008 SP2	Internet Explorer 9
Windows 7 SP1	Internet Explorer 11
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1	Internet Explorer 11
Windows 8.1	Internet Explorer 11
Windows Server 2012	Internet Explorer 10
Windows Server 2012 R2	Internet Explorer 11

After January 12, 2016, only the most recent version of Internet Explorer available for a supported operating system will receive technical support and security updates. For example, customers using Internet Explorer 8, Internet Explorer 9, or Internet Explorer 10 on Windows 7 SP1 should migrate to Internet Explorer 11 to continue receiving security updates and technical support. For more details regarding support timelines on Windows and Windows Embedded, see the Microsoft Support Lifecycle site.

Why you should upgrade to IE11? Because, Internet Explorer 11 delivers many benefits including the below:

Improved Security – Outdated browsers represent a major challenge in keeping the Web ecosystem safer and more secure, as modern Web browsers have better security protection. Internet Explorer 11 includes features like Enhanced Protected Mode to help keep customers safer. Microsoft proactively fixes many potential vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer, and our work to help protect customers is delivering results: According to NSS Labs, protection against malicious software increased from 69% on Internet Explorer 8 in 2009 to over 99% on Internet Explorer 11. It should come as no surprise that the most recent, fully-patched version of Internet Explorer is more secure than older versions.
Productivity – The latest Internet Explorer is faster, supports more modern Web standards, and has better compatibility with existing Web apps. Users benefit by being able to run today’s Web sites and services, such as Office 365, alongside legacy Web apps.
Unlock the future — Upgrading and staying current on the latest version of Internet Explorer can ease the migration to Windows 8.1 Update and the latest Windows tablets and other devices, unlocking the next generation of technology and productivity.