Microsoft maintains three different web browsers currently on its Windows 10 platform: Internet Explorer 11, the legacy Microsoft Edge browser, and the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser.
Support for the legacy version of Microsoft Edge ends in March 2021; Microsoft will release a last set of security patches for the web browser on the March 2021 Patch Day before support ends officially.
The company introduced the legacy version of Microsoft Edge when it released its Windows 10 operating system in 2015. Microsoft Edge was designed as a modern web browser with better web standards support, performance, compatibility, and also user features such as an add-ons system that was easier to create extensions for.
The browser, while better in many regards than Internet Explorer 11, had its fair share of annoyances, and it did not manage to capture a lot of market share on desktop systems. Microsoft released the first stable version of the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser in January 2020. It was clear then that the days of the classic Edge browser were numbered.
Support for the legacy version of Microsoft Edge ends in March 2021. Internet Explorer 11 continues to be supported, the most important reason for keeping the browser alive is backwards support for certain features that many Enterprise organizations and businesses still rely on.
The new Edge supports an Internet Explorer mode that makes it easier to access content that requires Internet Explorer 11 supported features. Microsoft started to exclude Internet Explorer from accessing some of its company tools, e.g. Microsoft Teams access was blocked in November 2020 and Microsoft 365 access will end in August 2021 for users of the browser.
What does it mean for users?
Windows 10 users who still use the legacy version of Microsoft Edge will have to find a new browser to use; this can be the new Microsoft Edge web browser, which replicated much of the functionality of the classic version, or a third-party browser.
Windows 10 includes Internet Explorer 11 and the new Microsoft Edge browser by default.
Microsoft has not revealed plans to uninstall legacy Edge from Windows 10 systems. A likely scenario is that future Windows 10 images won’t include the legacy version of Microsoft Edge anymore, and that the legacy version will be removed eventually.
It is not recommended to run the legacy browser after support end as new security vulnerabilities won’t be patched anymore after the March 2021 Patch Day.
Now You: Did you use the legacy version in the past? What is your take on the browser? (via Deskmodder)
Summary
Article Name
Reminder: Microsoft Edge Legacy will be retired in March 2021
Description
The legacy version of Microsoft Edge will run out of support in March 2021 after the Patch Day releases of the month.
Author
Martin Brinkmann
Publisher
Ghacks Technology News
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