Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft that were used in the Windows line of operating systems. It was initially launched in 1995 and went through 11 versions, with the last version being IE 11, released in 2013. However, Internet Explorer was officially retired on June 15, 2022, and IE 11 has been permanently disabled through a Microsoft Edge update on certain versions of Windows 10. As of 2023, Internet Explorer was the least widely used web browser on desktop operating systems, with only 0.45% of the market share, compared to 66.02% for the Google Chrome browser.
Internet Explorer was known for its integration into the Windows operating system, which reduced competition from other Internet browser manufacturers. It was the dominant web browser from 1999 until 2012, when it was overtaken by Google Chrome. Internet Explorer has been replaced by Microsoft Edge as the default browser in Windows, and Microsoft recommends using Microsoft Edge as the preferred browser.
In summary, Internet Explorer was a widely used web browser developed by Microsoft, but it has been officially retired, and users are encouraged to switch to Microsoft Edge for their browsing needs.
