All good things must come to an end, and so too must average ones. Internet Explorer, the search engine infamous for being a bit slow and buggy, is passing the browsing baton to Microsoft Edge as it retires aged 26.

“Over the last year, you may have noticed our movement away from Internet Explorer ('IE') support, such as an announcement of the end of IE support by Microsoft 365 online services,” said General Manager at Microsoft Edge Enterprise Sean Lyndersay in a statement. 

“Today, we are at the next stage of that journey: we are announcing that the future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge.”

Internet Explorer entered browser hospice care back in 2021 when it was announced that fewer Microsoft 365 apps and services would support Internet Explorer 11. The superior performance of Microsoft Edge meant it would be taking over the reins from its clunky predecessor.

Older legacy websites and applications, however, need not fear. They will still work on the new platform, as Internet Explorer’s spirit lives on in an “IE mode” built into Microsoft Edge.

“With Microsoft Edge capable of [accessing legacy sites] and more, the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be retired and go out of support on June 15, 2022, for certain versions of Windows 10,” Lyndersay concluded.

RIP, Internet Explorer. The little e that once held a big place in our search history has finally found Bliss.

[H/T: NPR]