Troubleshooting
Some older business applications only work in Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer 11 has been retired, but Microsoft Edge includes Internet Explorer mode (IE mode). IE mode opens those legacy sites with the old IE rendering engine while everything else keeps using normal Edge. Microsoft has committed to supporting IE mode through at least 2029.
Typical sites that need it:
- Internal admin portals and intranet sites
- Older web applications that use ActiveX controls
- Sites that need legacy document modes or IE-specific behaviour
Option 1 – One computer, no admin rights (quickest)
- In Edge, go to
edge://settings/defaultBrowser. - Set Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode (IE mode) to Allow.
- Click Restart.
- Open the legacy site, click the ⋯ menu and choose Reload in Internet Explorer mode.
- In the banner that appears, turn on Open this page in Internet Explorer mode next time. Edge remembers the page for 30 days.
You can see and remove remembered pages on the same settings page under Internet Explorer mode pages.
Option 2 – Registry file (machine-wide)
The file sets these policies for every user on the computer:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"InternetExplorerIntegrationLevel"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\CommandBar]
"ShowCompatibilityViewButton"=dword:00000001| Value | What it does |
|---|---|
InternetExplorerIntegrationLevel = 1 | Turns on IE mode in Edge. It does not force any site into IE mode by itself. |
ShowCompatibilityViewButton = 1 | A legacy Internet Explorer setting. It has no visible effect in current versions of Edge and is kept only for older environments. |
Apply it
- Right-click the
.regfile and choose Merge. Approve the administrator prompt. - Close every Edge window and reopen Edge.
- Go to
edge://policyand confirm that InternetExplorerIntegrationLevel shows status OK. - Open the legacy site and use ⋯ → Reload in Internet Explorer mode, as in Option 1.
Option 3 – Many computers (Intune or Group Policy)
For an office, don't import registry files by hand. Instead:
- Create an Enterprise Mode Site List (an XML file listing only the URLs that need IE mode). Microsoft's cloud site list management in the Microsoft 365 admin center can host it for you.
- In Intune (Settings catalog → Microsoft Edge) or Group Policy, set:
- Configure Internet Explorer integration = Internet Explorer mode
- Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List = the URL of your site list
Listed sites then open in IE mode automatically, and users don't need to do anything.
What to expect
- Sites in IE mode show an Internet Explorer icon in the address bar.
- All other sites keep using the normal Edge engine.
- Policy changes only take effect after Edge is fully closed and reopened.
Security
Limit IE mode to trusted sites that need it. Legacy applications often rely on outdated technology. Treat IE mode as a temporary measure while those applications are upgraded or replaced, and review the site list regularly.
