Microsoft 365 apps will no longer work with Internet Explorer 11

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Key notes

  • Microsoft says that it drops support for yet another old piece of software, starting next month.
  • Starting with August, Internet Explorer 11 users will no longer connect to Microsoft 365 services.
  • Attempting such actions will result in connection failures and there is little you can do about it.
  • Updating it changing your browser is the obvious choice, as no further support will be provided.
Internet Explorer 11

The Redmond tech giant has reminded its customers that, starting with August 17, 2021, Microsoft 365 apps and services will cease support for the legacy Internet Explorer 11web browser.

So, after the end of support is reached for this popular but obsolete browser, users still trying to connect to Microsoft 365 will experience connection failures, as this action will no longer be possible.

No more Microsoftt 365 support for Internet Explorer 11

According to the tech company, users that will experience issues when attempting to access Microsoft 365 apps or services after August 17, using IE 11, will not be offered any support.

These apps and services will phase out over weeks and months to ensure a smooth end of support, with each app and service phasing out on independent schedules.

Furthermore, no new features will be released by the company, and the daily experience will most likely get steadily worse until the Microsoft 365 apps and services slowly phase out.

More than that, using the new Microsoft Edge’s Internet Explorer mode will not help extend IE11 access to Microsoft 365 products beyond the end of support.

Basically, this will pretty much be the 365 experience for Internet Explorer 11 users starting with August 17th:

  • Outlook Web App: Users logging in with AAD accounts will still receive the full OWA experience but will not receive new features beginning August 17, 2021, while users logging in with Microsoft Accounts (MSA) will be redirected to the Outlook Web App Light experience.
  • Open with Explorer/View in File Explorer (SharePoint): We understand that some customers may continue to use Open with Explorer and View in File Explorer (only accessible in IE11) to access document libraries. To avoid disruption, these customers will be able to use these features for now when they go to a document library in IE11. These features remain in maintenance mode and aren’t receiving further development. We encourage all customers to move to a modern browser and OneDrive sync for a better user experience and easier access to files. For more information on how to prepare your SharePoint environment for end of support on IE11, please read this Docs article.
  • All other apps and services will phase out over weeks and months to ensure a smooth end of support with each app and service phasing out on independent schedules.

So you might want to start making new plans for the future if you are in the above-mentioned category. Updating your browser or changing it entirely is the best choice you have, according to the Redmond tech company.

Also, Microsoft Teams has already dropped support for Internet Explorer 11 on November 30, 2020.

Microsoft already announced that it wants to retire the legacy browser on some Windows 10 versions on June 15, 2022, replacing it with the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge.

We have to get used to the fact that Microsoft will start dropping support for more and more old apps that we used throughout the years.

Are you still using Internet Explorer 11? What browser will you opt for once 365 support for this one will be gone? Let us know in the comments section below.

More about the topics: Microsoft 365