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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11You can’t install a current, supported version of Internet Explorer natively on macOS. To open a legacy website, use a supported Windows environment from your Mac, then run the site in Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge. IE mode uses the IE11 MSHTML (Trident) engine for configured sites; other sites use Edge’s Chromium engine.
The final Internet Explorer for Mac release was version 5.2.3 for Mac OS X, released June 16, 2003. Microsoft removed the application from its Macintosh download site on January 31, 2006.
What you can and cannot run on a Mac
| Approach | Does it provide Internet Explorer compatibility? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Installing Internet Explorer directly on macOS | No | There is no current supported Mac version. The last one dates from 2003. |
| Installing Microsoft Edge for Mac | No | Edge for macOS does not include Windows IE mode. |
| Changing Edge’s user agent | No | This changes the browser identification string, not the rendering engine or IE components. |
| Running Windows in a virtual machine | Yes | Use Edge IE mode inside the Windows virtual machine. |
| Connecting to a Windows PC remotely | Yes | Use remote-desktop software on the Mac, with Edge IE mode running on Windows. |
Internet Explorer 11 is a Windows operating-system component, not a Mac application. Microsoft’s IE-mode prerequisites include a supported Windows installation, current Windows and Edge updates, the Microsoft Edge administrative template, and Internet Explorer 11 enabled in Windows Features.
Best method: use Edge IE mode in Windows
For most people, the practical solution is:
- Access Windows from the Mac, either through a virtual machine or a separate or remote Windows computer.
- Install and update Microsoft Edge inside Windows.
- Enable Internet Explorer compatibility in Edge.
- Open the legacy site in IE mode.
Microsoft supports IE mode through at least 2029 and provides at least one year of notice before its retirement. This is preferable to searching for an old Internet Explorer installer, which is unsupported and potentially unsafe.
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Option 1: Run Windows in a virtual machine
A Windows virtual machine runs in an application on your Mac. Common virtualization products include Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, and UTM, but the Windows version and licensing requirements depend on the product and your Mac’s processor.
On an Apple-silicon Mac, check the virtualization software’s support for the Windows edition it can run before purchasing or configuring it. Legacy browser components and older business applications can have additional compatibility requirements even when Windows itself runs correctly.
Once Windows is running, complete the setup inside the virtual machine. Do not try to run Windows commands in macOS Terminal; commands such as IEChooser.exe only exist inside Windows.
Option 2: Connect to a Windows computer remotely
If your workplace or home already has a Windows PC, you can connect to it from the Mac with your organization’s approved remote-desktop software. The website is rendered by Windows, not macOS, so the Windows computer must meet the IE-mode requirements.
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This can be a good choice for company intranets, ActiveX-dependent applications, or sites that require a corporate Enterprise Mode Site List. Ask the administrator to configure IE mode on the Windows computer rather than trying to override the organization’s browser policies from the Mac.
Enable IE mode in Edge on Windows
Perform these steps in the Windows environment, not in Edge for Mac.
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Enter edge://settings/defaultBrowser in the address bar and press Enter.
- Under Internet Explorer compatibility, set Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode to Allow.
- Restart Edge when prompted.
For Microsoft Edge version 141 or later on a non-Enterprise device, Microsoft’s current instructions are to add the site to the IE-mode list:
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- Select Settings and more (…) > Settings.
- Open Default Browser.
- Under Internet Explorer mode pages, add the site’s address.
- Reload the site.
On an Enterprise device, or on a computer where IE mode has been enabled by policy, select Settings and more (…) > Reload in Internet Explorer Mode when that command is available.
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Older guides may tell you to use More tools > Reload in Internet Explorer Mode. That was the documented menu path for Edge version 92 and earlier, not the current general instruction.
Leave IE mode
To return to normal Edge rendering, select Leave in the information bar at the top of the page. You can also close the IE-mode tab and open a new Edge tab.
Important: IE mode does not affect every website
IE mode is site-specific. It does not turn all of Edge into Internet Explorer. Sites configured for IE mode use the IE11 MSHTML engine; ordinary sites continue to use Edge’s Chromium engine.
That distinction matters when testing an old application. If the legacy site was not added to the IE-mode list, changing the user agent will not fix it, and installing Edge for Mac will not provide the required engine.
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Organizations normally control IE mode with an Enterprise Mode Site List XML. Administrators can deploy it with either of these policies:
- Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List in Microsoft Edge.
- Use the Enterprise Mode IE website list in Internet Explorer policy.
If both policies are configured, the Microsoft Edge site-list policy takes precedence.
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Another available policy is Send all intranet sites to Internet Explorer, set to Enabled. Microsoft lists this policy for Edge 77 and later, but administrators should use the narrowest site list that meets the organization’s needs rather than sending unnecessary sites through IE mode.
On a managed computer, the IE-mode setting may be greyed out. The Reload in Internet Explorer Mode command appears only when the organization has enabled the policy that allows unconfigured sites to be reloaded in IE mode. If the option is missing, contact the administrator instead of attempting to install an old browser.
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IE-mode tabs normally keep the same session during navigation. You cannot switch sessions inside the same IE-mode tab. For separate logins, use separate Edge profiles or start Edge sessions with different user-data directories:
–user-data-dir=<path>
Each session must use a different path. Starting with Edge version 93, an Enterprise Mode Site List can also use no-merge:
<site url=”contoso.com”>
<open-in merge-type=”no-merge”>IE11</open-in>
</site>
The integrated site-list manager is available at:
edge://compat/sitelistmanager
When adding or editing a site there, select the No merge option when separate session behavior is required.
What IE mode supports—and what it does not
IE mode supports many components that caused organizations to keep old sites running, including:
- IE11 document modes and Enterprise modes.
- ActiveX controls.
- Browser Helper Objects.
- IE security-zone and Protected Mode settings controlled by supported policies.
- IE developer tools launched through the Windows IEChooser utility.
It does not support Internet Explorer toolbars, IE settings that control the navigation menu, normal IE11 or Edge F12 developer tools in the usual way, or Edge extensions that directly interact with IE-mode page content.
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Silverlight is not a reliable modern workaround. Although Microsoft lists Silverlight among technologies IE mode can support, Silverlight itself reached end of support on October 12, 2021. A site that requires the plug-in can still fail.
Open IE-mode developer tools
IE-mode developer tools must be launched in Windows with IEChooser:
- Press Windows logo key + R.
- Enter %systemroot%\system32\f12\IEChooser.exe.
- Select OK.
- Choose the IE-mode tab in IEChooser.
This command cannot be run directly in macOS Terminal. It must be executed inside the Windows virtual machine or remote Windows desktop where Edge IE mode is running.
Common problems
“Reload in Internet Explorer Mode” is missing
Check that IE mode is enabled and that the site has been added through the required local setting, policy, or Enterprise Mode Site List. On managed computers, an administrator may have disabled the option or may require the site to be on the company list.
The site still looks like ordinary Edge
IE mode is only applied to configured sites. Verify the exact hostname and path in the IE-mode pages list or ask the administrator to check the Enterprise Mode Site List. A user-agent switcher is not an equivalent solution because it does not load the MSHTML engine.
An InfoPath form will not open
If the page says, “This form cannot be opened in a web browser. To open this form, use Microsoft InfoPath,” it may need IE mode. In some cases, the Enterprise Mode Site List must set the site’s compat-mode attribute to Default.
Microsoft services still refuse to load
IE mode does not extend IE11 support for Microsoft apps and services beyond their published end-of-support dates. It is intended for compatible legacy websites and applications, not for restoring access to every service that has dropped Internet Explorer.
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Should you install standalone Internet Explorer 11?
No. Microsoft no longer recommends the standalone IE11 desktop application. IE11 support ended on June 15, 2022, for affected Windows 10 versions, and the retired desktop application was permanently disabled on certain Windows versions through an Edge update.
Use Edge IE mode in a supported Windows environment instead. Keep Windows and Edge updated, because Microsoft warns that failing to install current updates is likely to cause IE mode to fail.
FAQ
Can I download Internet Explorer for Mac?
No. The final Internet Explorer for Mac release was version 5.2.3 in 2003, and Microsoft removed the Mac download in 2006. There is no current supported native version.
Does Edge for Mac have Internet Explorer mode?
No. Microsoft’s IE-mode prerequisites are Windows-specific and require Internet Explorer 11 to be enabled in Windows Features. Edge for macOS does not provide that mode.
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What is the easiest way to use an old website from a Mac?
Use a Windows virtual machine or connect to a Windows PC remotely. Run Microsoft Edge in that Windows environment, enable IE mode, and add the website to the IE-mode pages list.
Can I use a user-agent switcher instead?
No, not when the site requires Internet Explorer’s rendering behavior. A user-agent switcher only changes the browser-identification string; it does not provide the IE11 MSHTML engine, ActiveX support, or other IE components.
Why is the IE-mode option greyed out?
The Windows computer may be managed by an organization that controls the setting. The command can also be unavailable when IE mode has not been enabled or the site has not been configured through the required local setting or policy.
Does IE mode make every Edge website use Internet Explorer?
No. Only sites specifically configured for IE mode use the IE11 engine. Other tabs and websites continue to use Edge’s Chromium engine.
The Bottom Line
There is no current Internet Explorer application for Mac, and installing Edge for macOS does not add IE mode. To use a legacy site, access supported Windows from your Mac—through a virtual machine, a remote Windows PC, or another Windows desktop service—then use Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge. For company intranets and applications, the Windows administrator may need to configure an Enterprise Mode Site List or the relevant Edge policies.
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