How to Enable or Disable Internet Explorer Mode in Microsoft Edge on Windows 11

To enable Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge on Windows 11, open edge://settings/defaultBrowser, set Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode (IE mode) to Allow, and restart Edge; to disable it, change that same setting away from Allow and clear your IE mode pages.

This guide covers opening a site in IE mode, the IE mode pages list and its 30-day expiry, how to leave IE mode, and how administrators turn it on or off with Group Policy and Microsoft Intune.

How to Enable Internet Explorer Mode in Microsoft Edge

This is the switch Microsoft documents for home and unmanaged PCs. It takes under a minute and needs no admin rights.

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Type edge://settings/defaultBrowser in the address bar and press Enter. You can also go to Settings and more (…) > Settings > Default browser.
3. Find the Internet Explorer compatibility section.
4. Open the dropdown next to Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode (IE mode) and select Allow.
5. Select the Restart button that appears, or close and reopen Edge.

After the restart, the Internet Explorer mode pages section appears on the same settings page. That list is where you add the sites that need IE mode.

What Internet Explorer Mode Does in Microsoft Edge

IE mode lets one Edge window run both modern sites and old sites built for Internet Explorer 11. Support for the Internet Explorer 11 desktop app ended on June 15, 2022, so IE mode is Microsoft's replacement for it.

Question	Answer from Microsoft's documentation
Which engine renders the page?	The Trident MSHTML engine from Internet Explorer 11 for IE mode sites; Chromium for everything else
What still works?	All document modes and enterprise modes, ActiveX controls, Browser Helper Objects, IE security zone settings and Protected Mode
What does not work?	Internet Explorer toolbars, IE settings and policies that control the navigation menu, and the regular IE11 or Edge F12 developer tools
Can Edge extensions run?	Yes, except extensions that interact directly with the IE page content
How long is it supported?	Through at least 2029, with at least one year of notice before it is retired

Before You Start: Check These Requirements

Requirement	What you need	How to check
Windows	Windows 11 with current updates installed	Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates
Edge version for the reload option	Microsoft Edge 92 or later	Go to edge://settings/help
Edge version for the Add a page button on unmanaged PCs	Microsoft Edge 141 or later	Go to edge://settings/help
Control of the setting	The setting must not be greyed out by your organization	Open edge://settings/defaultBrowser and see whether the IE mode dropdown can be changed
A site that needs it	A page built for Internet Explorer, such as an older intranet app	The page breaks, shows missing buttons, or asks for Internet Explorer

Microsoft warns that missing Windows or Edge updates are the most common reason IE mode fails, so update both first.

How to Open a Website in Internet Explorer Mode

The route depends on your Edge version and whether your PC is managed. Microsoft's support article says Edge 141 and later on a personal PC uses the Internet Explorer mode pages list instead of a one-click reload.

Your situation	How to open the site in IE mode	Notes
Personal PC, Edge 141 or later	Add the site under Settings > Default browser > Internet Explorer mode pages > Add a page, then reload it	Steps are in the next section
Work PC or IE mode enabled by policy	Open the site, select Settings and more (…) > Reload in Internet Explorer mode	Shown only if your organization allows unconfigured sites to be reloaded
Same, from a tab or link	Right-click the tab and pick Reload tab in Internet Explorer mode, or right-click a link and pick Open link in new Internet Explorer mode tab	Needs the reload setting set to Allow
You want a one-click button	Turn on Show Internet Explorer mode button at edge://settings/appearance	The button enters and exits IE mode
Edge 92 or earlier	Settings and more (…) > More tools > Reload in Internet Explorer mode	Update Edge instead if you can

How to Add Websites That Always Open in IE Mode

Pages on this list open in IE mode automatically. Microsoft states that entries stay on the local list for 30 days by default.

1. Open Settings and more (…) > Settings > Default browser.
2. In the Internet Explorer mode pages section, select Add a page.
3. Type or paste the page address and select Add.
4. Open or reload the page. It now loads in IE mode.
5. On a page you already reloaded in IE mode, you can instead select the IE icon left of the address bar and turn on Open this page in Internet Explorer mode next time.

On day 31, Edge shows a banner saying the page will no longer load in IE mode. Add it back if you still need it. Administrators can change the 30 days to any value from 0 to 90 with the InternetExplorerIntegrationLocalSiteListExpirationDays policy.

The list does not sync across devices, so add the page on each PC where you need it.

How to Know Whether a Page Is Using IE Mode

1. Look to the left of the address bar. An Internet Explorer logo there means the tab is in IE mode.
2. Check the top of the page for a banner that says the page is open in Internet Explorer mode, with a Leave button.
3. Select the IE logo to open its flyout. It shows the IE mode status and the Open this page in Internet Explorer mode next time toggle.
4. For a full report, open edge://compat/iediagnostic. The Internet Explorer mode setting entry shows whether IE mode is enabled and how it is configured.

If the logo disappears after you click a link in the address bar or a favorite, Edge left IE mode on purpose. Only in-page navigation such as links, scripts and forms stays in IE mode.

How to Exit IE Mode for One Website

1. Select Leave on the IE mode banner at the top of the page.
2. Or select the pinned IE mode toolbar button, if you turned it on.
3. Or open Settings and more (…) and select Exit Internet Explorer mode.
4. To stop the page from opening in IE mode next time, select the IE logo and turn off Open this page in Internet Explorer mode next time, or remove the page from Internet Explorer mode pages in Settings > Default browser.

Closing the tab and opening a new one also returns you to normal browsing. If the page is on your organization's site list, the exit options are greyed out.

How to Disable Internet Explorer Mode in Microsoft Edge

Turning IE mode off has two parts: clear the pages you added, then stop Edge from reloading sites in IE mode.

1. Go to edge://settings/defaultBrowser.
2. Under Internet Explorer mode pages, remove every page you added.
3. Under Internet Explorer compatibility, open the Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode (IE mode) dropdown.
4. Pick the option that does not allow reloads. Avoid Default, because Microsoft notes it can still allow IE mode on PCs with past Internet Explorer 11 use.
5. Select Restart or close and reopen Edge.
6. Open a site you used in IE mode and confirm the IE logo no longer appears next to the address bar.

If a site still opens in IE mode after this, your organization's site list is sending it there. Only the administrator can change that.

How IT Administrators Enable IE Mode with Group Policy

Group Policy needs the Microsoft Edge administrative templates, which Microsoft publishes on the Microsoft Edge for Business download page. The same folder holds every IE mode policy below.

1. Install the latest Microsoft Edge policy templates and open Group Policy Editor.
2. Go to Computer Configuration (or User Configuration) > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge.
3. Double-click Configure Internet Explorer integration, select Enabled, and set Internet Explorer mode under Options. Select OK.
4. Double-click Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List, select Enabled, and enter the location of your site list XML, such as an HTTPS address or a network share. Select OK.
5. Optional: enable Allow unconfigured sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode so users can reload sites that are not on your list.
6. Restart Edge on a test PC and open edge://compat/enterprise to confirm the site list downloaded.

In the site list XML, any site with <open-in>IE11</open-in> opens in IE mode. Send all intranet sites to Internet Explorer is an alternative, but Microsoft recommends the site list because intranet-zone detection can pull in sites you did not intend.

To stop users from bypassing Edge with the old browser, see how to prevent redirection of sites from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge and the reverse redirect policies in the same Internet Explorer template folder.

How IT Administrators Disable IE Mode with Group Policy

1. Open Group Policy Editor and go to Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge.
2. Double-click Configure Internet Explorer integration, select Enabled, and set Options to None. Select OK.
3. Double-click Allow unconfigured sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode and select Disabled. Select OK.
4. Set Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List to Disabled or Not configured if you no longer need the list.
5. Restart Edge on the client PCs. Both IE integration policies require a browser restart.

Choose None rather than Disabled for Configure Internet Explorer integration. Microsoft states that Disabled still lets users turn IE mode on through edge://flags or command-line options, while None blocks those routes.

How to Manage IE Mode with Microsoft Intune

Intune applies the same Edge policies as Group Policy through a Settings Catalog profile.

1. Sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center and select Devices > Configuration > Create.
2. Set Platform to Windows 10 and later and Profile type to Settings Catalog, then select Create.
3. On Basics, enter a name such as Edge IE mode and select Next.
4. On Configuration settings, search for Configure Internet Explorer integration and set it to Internet Explorer mode to enable IE mode, or None to disable it.
5. Add Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List with your XML location, and Allow unconfigured sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode if users need to reload sites themselves.
6. On Assignments, select Select groups to include and pick the device or user group.
7. Select Next, review the summary on Review + create, and select Create.

To remove IE mode later, edit the same profile and change the values, rather than deleting the profile while sites still depend on it.

Quick Reference: Enable or Disable IE Mode

Task	Where	Setting
Enable on a personal PC	edge://settings/defaultBrowser	Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode (IE mode) set to Allow, then restart
Make a page always use IE mode	Settings > Default browser > Internet Explorer mode pages	Add a page; lasts 30 days by default
Leave IE mode on one page	IE mode banner	Leave
Disable on a personal PC	edge://settings/defaultBrowser	Remove IE mode pages, then change the dropdown away from Allow
Enable for an organization	Group Policy or Intune	Configure Internet Explorer integration = Internet Explorer mode plus Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List
Disable for an organization	Group Policy or Intune	Configure Internet Explorer integration = None; Allow unconfigured sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode = Disabled
Show the toolbar button	edge://settings/appearance	Show Internet Explorer mode button

Common Problems and Fixes

The "Reload in Internet Explorer mode" option is missing

The reload setting is not set to Allow, Edge is older than version 92, or Edge 141 and later on a personal PC uses the IE mode pages list instead.

1. Go to edge://settings/defaultBrowser and set Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode (IE mode) to Allow.
2. Restart Edge.
3. On a personal PC with Edge 141 or later, add the site with Add a page under Internet Explorer mode pages instead.
4. Update Edge from edge://settings/help if it is older than version 92.

Edge says IE mode is managed by your organization, or the setting is greyed out

A policy controls IE mode. On managed PCs the reload option appears only if the organization allows unconfigured sites to be reloaded.

1. Open edge://policy to see which Internet Explorer policies are applied.
2. Open edge://compat/iediagnostic and check the Group policy settings entry.
3. Ask your IT administrator to add the site to the Enterprise Mode Site List or to enable Allow unconfigured sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode.

IE mode pages keep expiring

Local IE mode pages last 30 days by default, then Edge shows a banner and stops using IE mode for them.

1. Add the page again under Internet Explorer mode pages when the banner appears.
2. On a work PC, ask IT to add the site to the Enterprise Mode Site List, which does not expire.
3. Administrators can raise the limit to as much as 90 days with InternetExplorerIntegrationLocalSiteListExpirationDays.

The site opens in IE mode but still does not work

The site needs a different document mode, a sign-in step bounces out of IE mode, or it uses TLS 1.0 or 1.1.

1. Open the IE logo flyout and turn on Open the page in Compatibility view. Edge refreshes the page.
2. If a sign-in page loops or asks for credentials repeatedly, ask IT to add the sign-in address to the site list as a neutral site.
3. If Edge reports The connection for this site is not secure, the site uses TLS 1.0 or 1.1, which Edge disables by default. The site owner has to fix this.
4. Export the report from edge://compat/iediagnostic and send it to your IT team.

A site opens in IE mode when it should not

The page is on your local IE mode pages list, or your organization's site list or intranet policy sends it there.

1. Remove the page from Internet Explorer mode pages in Settings > Default browser.
2. Type about:compat in the address bar to see whether the organization's list includes the site.
3. If it does, ask IT to change the entry. Users cannot override the organization's list.

IE mode still opens after you disable it

Local pages were not removed, the dropdown was left on Default, or a policy is still applied.

1. Remove all entries under Internet Explorer mode pages.
2. Set the reload dropdown to the option that does not allow reloads, not Default.
3. Restart Edge fully.
4. Check edge://policy for InternetExplorerIntegrationLevel or a site list policy. If one is set, only IT can remove it.

"To open this page in Internet Explorer mode, reinstall Microsoft Edge with administrator privileges"

Required Windows updates are missing or Edge was installed per user instead of system-wide.

1. Install all updates in Settings > Windows Update.
2. Go to edge://version. If Executable path starts with C:\Users, uninstall Edge and reinstall it with administrator rights.
3. If the message is "To open this page in IE mode, try restarting Microsoft Edge", restart Edge.

Security and Best Practices for IE Mode

IE mode runs the old Internet Explorer engine, so it carries old-browser risk. On Windows 11 version 24H2 and 25H2, Microsoft has deprecated Microsoft Defender SmartScreen inside IE mode.

Keep IE mode limited to the specific trusted internal sites that need it, and use normal Edge for everything else. Microsoft states that Internet Explorer and IE mode should never be used for untrusted or public internet sites, and it recommends IE mode site lists include only trusted internal enterprise apps. Prefer the managed site list over a sweeping intranet rule, and review local pages when they expire instead of re-adding them by habit.

When You Should Not Use IE Mode

Do not use IE mode for public websites, general browsing, downloads from the internet, or a site that already works in normal Edge. IE mode exists for legacy pages that need Internet Explorer 11 features such as ActiveX or old document modes. A modern site gains nothing from it and loses Edge protections, so leave IE mode off unless a specific old page fails without it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Internet Explorer mode available in Windows 11?

Yes. IE mode is built into Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 and is how Microsoft supports sites that need Internet Explorer 11. Turn it on at edge://settings/defaultBrowser by setting the IE mode dropdown to Allow and restarting Edge.

Can I still download and install Internet Explorer 11?

Support for the Internet Explorer 11 desktop app ended on June 15, 2022, and Microsoft has permanently disabled it on certain Windows 10 versions. Use IE mode in Edge instead. For Windows 10 details, see how to download and install Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 10.

How long do pages stay in IE mode?

Pages you add to the local IE mode list stay for 30 days by default. On day 31 Edge shows a banner and stops loading the page in IE mode until you add it again. Administrators can set the period from 0 to 90 days by policy.

Why is "Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode" greyed out?

The setting is greyed out when your organization manages Edge with policy. On a managed PC, the reload option appears only when IT enables the policy that allows unconfigured sites to be reloaded in IE mode. Check edge://policy to see what is applied.

Where is the Reload in Internet Explorer mode button?

It sits under Settings and more (…) once the reload setting is Allow, and you can pin it with Show Internet Explorer mode button in edge://settings/appearance. On personal PCs running Edge 141 or later, use Add a page under Internet Explorer mode pages instead.

How long will Microsoft support IE mode?

Microsoft commits to supporting IE mode in Edge through at least 2029 on supported operating systems. It also promises at least one year of notice before IE mode reaches end of support.

Does the IE mode pages list sync between my PCs?

No. Microsoft states the local IE mode site list does not sync across devices. Add the page separately in Settings > Default browser on every PC where you need it.

Do Edge extensions work in IE mode?

Mostly. Microsoft Edge extensions keep working in IE mode, but extensions that interact directly with the IE page content are not supported. Internet Explorer toolbars do not work in IE mode at all.

Is it safe to use IE mode for any website?

No. Microsoft says Internet Explorer and IE mode should never be used for untrusted or public internet sites. Limit IE mode to trusted internal apps that fail in normal Edge, and browse everything else without it.