Six common questions about Internet Explorer 11
Captain Boost to the rescue with some answers
Hi, it’s me again, your go-to guy when it comes to all things Internet Explorer. I’ve recently been going by the name of Captain Boost ever since I upgraded to Internet Explorer 11 (IE 11).
In my last post I told you why you should be upgrading to IE 11, and since then I’ve had many questions asking me how to upgrade.
So I’ve put together a few of the more frequently asked questions and a couple of resources to help you make the transition as simple as possible to give your business the boost it needs.
1. Why is it so important for me to upgrade to IE11?
Helping my enterprise customers stay up-to-date with the latest version of the browser is my top priority as Captain Boost. Of course, I understand many customers have web apps and services designed specifically for older versions of Internet Explorer, so we’re continuing to improve our set of Enterprise Mode tools to help you run those applications in IE 11. Upgrading to IE 11 will ease the upgrade to Windows 10 too, since IE 11 is supported on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10.
2. How do I upgrade?
You most likely have Automatic Updates turned on, and have already upgraded to IE 11 without having to do anything further. If you haven't turned on Automatic Updates yet, you can do so by clicking the Check for Updates button on the Windows Update portion of Control Panel to get started.
3. What are the system requirements for IE 11?
IE11 is pre-installed on Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 and is listed here for reference. It's also supported on Windows 10, but isn't pre-installed. It’s important to note that IE11 isn't supported on Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012.
Item |
Minimum requirements |
Computer/processor |
1 gigahertz (GHz) 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) |
Operating system |
Windows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit) Windows 8.1 Update (32-bit or 64-bit) Windows 7 with SP1 (32-bit or 64-bit) Windows Server 2012 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 (64-bit only) |
Memory |
Windows 10 (32-bit)-1 GB Windows 10 (64-bit)-2 GB Windows 8.1 Update (32-bit)-1 GB Windows 8.1 Update (64-bit)-2 GB Windows 7 with SP1 (32-bit or 64-bit)-512 MB Windows Server 2012 R2-512 MB Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 (64-bit only)-512 MB |
Hard drive space |
Windows 10 (32-bit)-16 GB Windows 10 (64-bit)-20 GB Windows 8.1 Update (32-bit)-16 GB Windows 8.1 Update (64-bit)-20 GB Windows 7 with SP1 (32-bit)-70 MB Windows 7 with SP1 (64-bit)-120 MB Windows Server 2012 R2-32 GB Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 (64-bit only)-200 MB |
Drive |
CD-ROM drive (if installing from a CD-ROM) |
Display |
Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution monitor with 256 colors |
Peripherals |
Internet connection and a compatible pointing device |
4. What support is there for multiple languages?
IE 11 is available in 108 languages for Windows 8.1 and 97 languages for Windows 7 with SP1. For the list of languages and download links, see Windows 8 Language Packs and Windows 7 Language Packs.
Computers running localised versions of Windows should run the same version of IE 11. For example, if your employees use the French edition of Windows, you should deploy the French version of IE11. On the other hand, if your employees use multiple localized versions of Windows, like Arabic or Portuguese, you should install IE 11 in one of the languages, and then install language packs for the others.
5. What’s the difference between Microsoft Edge and IE 11?
Microsoft Edge is the default browser experience for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile. However, if you're running web apps that need ActiveX controls, I recommend that you continue to use IE 11 for them. If you don't have IE 11 installed anymore, you can download it from the Windows Store or from the Internet Explorer 11 download page.
I also recommend that you upgrade to IE 11 if you're running any earlier versions of Internet Explorer. IE 11 is supported on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. So any legacy apps that work with IE 11 will continue to work even as you migrate to Windows 10.
6. I’m an IT manager and I’m in charge of upgrading the computers in my organisation to IE11. Are there any resources I can use to help speed up the process?
If you manage computers on behalf of your organization, there are several resources that you can use to upgrade to IE 11.
- Tips and tricks to manage Internet Explorer compatibility – which provides you with tips on how to achieve better backward compatibility for your older web applications with the Enterprise Mode Site List.
- Internet Explorer 11 Deployment Guide – which is a guide to help you plan for, deploy, and customize IE 11 for your organization.
- Plan for Internet Explorer 11 – a list of features that can help reduce testing and remediation costs.
- Modern.IE – a list of tools, best practices, and prescriptive guidance for developers who are updating web apps to modern standards.
- Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit - an agentless inventory and planning tool that can assess your current browser installation base.
7. What will happen once I upgrade?
Once you upgrade you will be able to leverage a wide range of benefits that will enrich your browsing experience. This includes the best backwards compatibility of any web browser, modern web technologies to get the most out of your browser, unmatched security with features like SmartScreen and Enhanced Protect Mode and best of all, the fasted browsing experience ever.
It’s not too good to be true. I recommend you upgrade now to see for yourself