Testing Microsoft Edge's Internet Explorer mode for site compatibility just got easier

Internet Explorer 11 about page
Internet Explorer 11 about page (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Internet Explorer Driver now lets you test website compatibility for Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge.
  • Microsoft worked with the Selenium project to make it possible to test a page's performance in Internet Explorer mode.
  • Internet Explorer 11 will reach its end of support on June 15, 2022 for some PCs.

Internet Explorer 11 will no longer be supported on some PCs as of June 15, 2022. While Microsoft's older browser was replaced years ago, some organizations still rely on it for legacy web content. To facilitate using older web content on a modern browser, Microsoft Edge has an Internet Explorer mode. Now, developers can use Internet Explorer Driver to test if their site works in Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge.

Microsoft worked with the Selenium project to make it easier to test site compatibility for Internet Explorer mode in Edge.

"With just a few changes to an existing test that runs against Internet Explorer, you can get your tests running in Internet Explorer (IE) mode in Edge," explains Microsoft. "By running your tests in IE mode, you will be able to verify that any legacy web content that runs in Internet Explorer will work as expected in IE mode in Microsoft Edge."

To run tests in Internet Explorer mode in Edge, a developer needs to have Microsoft Edge, Selenium 4 or later language bindings, and Internet Explorer Driver version 4.0.0.0 or later.

Microsoft outlines how to get started and how to perform tests in a recent blog post.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com.