10 Interesting Internet Explorer Facts You Didn’t Know

Internet Explorer (IE), developed by Microsoft, was one of the most widely used browsers during the early days of the Internet. It introduced features like multimedia content viewing, website access, and online interaction, shaping how users engaged with the modern internet. Despite its success, IE faced browser criticism due to security vulnerabilities and a lack of support for modern web standards, leading to its eventual discontinuation.

After 27 years, Microsoft replaced IE with Microsoft Edge, a new browser designed to meet modern technology needs. As a legacy browser, Internet Explorer remains significant in browser history, marking a milestone in online applications, navigation features, and user interaction. Its pause in work symbolized the end of an era and the transition to more secure and updated solutions for the modern internet.

What Was Internet Explorer?

Internet Explorer (IE) is a retired series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft from 1995 to 2013. It shipped with Windows 95 as part of the Plus! pack, dominated 95% of the market by 2003, and was officially retired on June 15, 2022, replaced by Microsoft Edge with IE Mode for legacy sites.

Where Is Internet Explorer Today? (IE Mode & Legacy Support)

Internet Explorer is no longer available as a standalone browser. Microsoft ended support for the IE 11 desktop application on June 15, 2022, for Windows 10 Semi-Annual Channel editions.

IE Mode in Microsoft Edge is the supported path for legacy ActiveX controls and old intranet sites. It uses the Trident (MSHTML) engine inside Edge’s Chromium shell, allowing enterprises to run IE-dependent apps without a separate browser.

Claims that IE “remains the default on many computers” or “is used by millions” are outdated. Windows 10/11 ship with Edge as default; IE 11 is hidden and only accessible via IE Mode or specific LTSC editions.

Additionally, Internet Explorer is still the default browser on many computers, especially those running older versions of Windows. iOS typically does not have this browser. You will need to know how to install Internet Explorer on Mac manually. 

The 27-Year Timeline: From Mosaic to Retirement

The history of Internet Explorer began with its first release in 1995 as a part of the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system. IE1 was a 16-bit application bundled with Windows 95 to provide users with a graphical web browser. The next major release of IE, IE2, was released in 1996 and included support for Java applets, frames, and cookies.

Read also: Brief History of Robots

IE3 was released in 1997 and included several new features, such as advanced support for cascading style sheets (CSS) and digital certificates. The 1998 release of IE4 featured better security and support for dynamic HTML (DHTML). IE5, released in 1999, was the first version of IE to achieve widespread use, mainly due to its inclusion in Windows 98.

IE6, released in 2000, became the most popular version of IE, with over 90% market share. It was mainly due to the popularity of IE6 that Microsoft was able to maintain a dominant market share in the web browser market. However, as new versions of Firefox and Chrome were released with better features and performance, IE’s market share began to decline.

In 2011, Microsoft released IE9, which featured a new interface and improved performance. However, it failed to recapture significant market share from Firefox and Chrome. In 2012, Microsoft released IE10, which included better support for HTML5 and CSS3. However, it again failed to gain significant market share.

Internet Explorer worked great with satellite internet. In fact, it was one of the only browsers that satellite internet users could rely on for a consistent and smooth gaming experience.

In 2013, Microsoft announced that they would be discontinuing the development of Internet Explorer 8, 9, and 10 in favor of a new browser known as Edge. Edge is based on Chromium and includes many of the same features as Chrome but with added support for Windows 10 features such as Cortana.

10 Verified Internet Explorer Facts (Quick-Scan List)

1. IE’s JavaScript Was a Reverse-Engineered “JScript” to Beat Netscape — Microsoft cloned Netscape’s JavaScript, named it JScript to avoid trademark issues, and shipped it in IE 3 (1997), helping IE win the browser wars.
2. Microsoft Made IE Nearly Impossible to Uninstall (By Design) — Deep Windows integration meant removing IE could break OS functions; this became central to the 1998 antitrust case.
3. The Antitrust Lawsuit Nearly Broke Up Microsoft — United States v. Microsoft (1998–2001) found Microsoft maintained an unlawful monopoly; a breakup order was overturned on appeal.
4. IE Wasn’t Always Free — Microsoft Killed the Paid Browser Market — Before IE, Netscape Navigator cost $49. Microsoft bundled IE free with Windows, destroying the commercial browser model.
5. The about:mozilla Easter Egg Faked a Blue Screen — Typing about:mozilla in IE 4 triggered a fake BSoD referencing the “Book of Mozilla,” mocking Netscape’s codename.
6. Microsoft Roasted Its Own Browser in a 2012 “Love to Hate” Video — The self-deprecating ad acknowledged IE’s reputation, becoming a cult meme.
7. IE Had an Official Anime Mascot Named Inori Aizawa — Created for Anime Festival Asia 2013 by Microsoft Singapore, she personified IE as a magical girl.
8. The Secret Codename Was “O’Hare” (Chicago’s Airport) — Early development used codenames tied to Chicago landmarks (O’Hare, Memphis, Nashville).
9. 6 Developers Built v1 Using Licensed Mosaic Code — IE 1 (1995) was built by a 6-person team licensing source from NCSA Mosaic creators at the University of Illinois.
10. Microsoft Spent $100M/Year at Peak (1,000+ Engineers) — By 1999, over 1,000 people worked on IE with annual investment exceeding $100 million.

1. IE’s JavaScript Was a Reverse-Engineered “JScript” to Beat Netscape

Netscape’s JavaScript debuted in Navigator 2.0 (1995). Microsoft reverse-engineered the language for IE 3 (1997), branding it JScript to avoid Sun trademark conflicts. JScript added proprietary extensions (e.g., document.all, conditional compilation) that locked developers into IE. By IE 5 (1999), JScript 5.0 matched ECMAScript 3 but retained non-standard APIs a key “embrace, extend, extinguish” tactic cited in the antitrust trial.

Legacy codebases circa 2005–2010 frequently used document.all checks for IE detection, a direct artifact of JScript divergence.

2. Microsoft Made IE Nearly Impossible to Uninstall (By Design)

IE 4 (1997) introduced Windows Desktop Update, embedding the browser into the shell (explorer.exe). Uninstalling IE 4+ risked breaking file management, help system, and Windows Update. Microsoft argued integration benefited users; the DOJ argued it was anti-competitive tying. The 2001 settlement required Microsoft to offer a “Remove IE” option in Add/Remove Programs but it only hid the executable, leaving Trident libraries intact. Full removal remained impossible until Windows 10’s “Optional Features” (2015).

3. The Antitrust Lawsuit That Nearly Broke Up Microsoft

United States v. Microsoft Corp. (filed 1998) alleged Microsoft used Windows monopoly power to crush Netscape. Key findings:

• Microsoft charged OEMs higher Windows licenses if they promoted Netscape
• IE integration was technically engineered to prevent removal
• Java implementation was deliberately incompatible

District Court (Jackson, 2000): Ordered Microsoft split into “OS company” and “Applications company.”

Appeals Court (2001): Upheld monopoly finding, vacated breakup, remanded for lesser remedy.

Final Settlement (2002): Microsoft shared APIs, offered uniform licensing, allowed OEMs to hide IE.

The case established precedent for platform neutrality cited in modern EU Digital Markets Act enforcement.

4. IE Wasn’t Always Free — Microsoft Killed the Paid Browser Market

Pre-1995: Browsers were commercial products. Netscape Navigator sold for $49 (single user); Spyglass Mosaic licensed per-copy.

1995: Microsoft licensed Spyglass Mosaic for $2M + royalties, then released IE 1 free in Windows 95 Plus! pack.

1996: IE 2 free for Windows 95/NT; Netscape forced to make Navigator free (1998).

Result: The “browser as paid software” category vanished. Microsoft’s strategy: make the browser a loss leader to sell Windows and server tools (IIS, ActiveX, FrontPage).

5. The about:mozilla Easter Egg That Faked a Blue Screen

In IE 4 (1997), typing about:mozilla displayed a fake Blue Screen of Death with text from the satirical “Book of Mozilla” (e.g., “And the beast shall come forth…”).

• Not a real crash — just a styled HTML page in a modal dialog
• Target: Netscape’s codename “Mozilla” (Mosaic Killer)
• Removed in IE 5 after internal complaints it confused users
• Firefox later adopted about:mozilla as a genuine Easter egg showing the same verses

This remains one of the earliest documented software Easter eggs targeting a competitor by name.

6. Microsoft Roasted Its Own Browser in a 2012 “Love to Hate” Video

The Browser You Loved to Hate (2012) was a 3-minute animated short produced by Microsoft’s IE team with agency McCann Worldgroup. It depicted IE as an awkward, outdated character mocked by modern browsers culminating in IE 10’s “fast, fluid, perfect for touch” redemption.

• Self-deprecation as marketing: Acknowledged IE 6–9 reputation honestly
• Meme fuel: Spawned “IE-tan” fan art, “Internet Exploder” jokes
• Strategic pivot: Coincided with IE 10 launch and Windows 8 touch push

The video has 2.8M+ views on YouTube; comments are 80% nostalgic, 20% “still hate it.

7. IE Had an Official Anime Mascot Named Inori Aizawa

Inori Aizawa debuted at Anime Festival Asia 2013 (Singapore) as the personification of Internet Explorer.

• Character design: Blue-haired magical girl with IE logo hair clips, shield (security), spear (performance)
• Backstory: “Born 1995, matured through versions, now confident in modern web”
• Media: 2-minute anime short, official Twitter account, merchandise
• Creator: Microsoft Singapore + illustrator Komeko

Inori joined Microsoft’s OS-tan lineage (Nanami Madobe for Windows 7, Claudia Madobe for Azure). The campaign targeted Asian developer communities where anime culture drives engagement.

8. The Secret Codename: “O’Hare” (Chicago’s Airport)

Early IE versions used Chicago airport codenames reflecting the Windows 95 “Chicago” codename:

Version	Codename	Reference
IE 1	O’Hare	Chicago O’Hare International Airport
IE 2	Memphis	Windows 98 “Memphis”
IE 3	Nashville	Windows 95 OSR2 “Nashville”
IE 4	Cleveland	Windows 98 SE / NT 5.0 beta
IE 5	Atlanta	Windows 2000 “Atlanta”

Post-IE 5, codenames shifted to internal build numbers. The “Chicago” theme mirrored Windows’ geographic codenames (Whistler, Longhorn, Vienna).

9. Developers Built v1 Using Licensed Mosaic Code

IE 1.0 (August 1995) was built by a 6-person team led by Thomas Reardon in 8 weeks.

• Source: Licensed from Spyglass, Inc., commercializer of NCSA Mosaic (University of Illinois)
• Key developers: Reardon, Benjamin Slivka, Chris Wilson, and three others
• Delivered as: Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95 add-on ($49.95 retail)
• Engine: Early Trident precursor; no CSS, no JavaScript, basic HTML 2.0

By IE 3 (1997), the team grew to ~100. By 1999, >1,000 engineers.

10. Microsoft Spent $100M/Year at Peak (1,000+ Engineers)

1997–2001: Microsoft invested >$100 million annually in IE development.

• Team size: 1,000+ by 1999 (per DOJ trial testimony)
• Scope: Trident engine, JScript, ActiveX, Windows integration, developer tools, Mac/UNIX ports
• Strategic goal: Control the “application platform” layer — make Windows indispensable for web apps
• Outcome: Won browser war (95% share 2003), but deferred standards work (CSS2, DOM Level 2) creating technical debt that took Edge/Chromium a decade to unwind.

The $100M/year figure exceeds Netscape’s total 1998 revenue ($85M), illustrating asymmetric resource deployment.

IE Version Quick-Reference Table

Version	Release Year	Engine	Key Feature	Bundled With	End of Life
IE 1	1995	Trident v1	First release, basic HTML	Windows 95 Plus!	2001
IE 2	1996	Trident v2	SSL, cookies, VRML	Windows 95 OSR1	2001
IE 3	1996	Trident v3	JScript, CSS1, ActiveX, frames	Windows 95 OSR2	2001
IE 4	1997	Trident v4	DHTML, Desktop Update, Channels	Windows 98	2003
IE 5	1999	Trident v5	AJAX (XMLHttpRequest), CSS2 partial	Windows 98 SE / 2000	2010
IE 6	2001	Trident v6	95% market share, XP integration	Windows XP	2014*
IE 7	2006	Trident v7	Tabs, RSS, PNG alpha, phishing filter	Windows Vista	2016
IE 8	2009	Trident v8	Accelerators, Web Slices, Compat View	Windows 7	2016
IE 9	2011	Trident v9	Hardware acceleration, HTML5 video, SVG	Windows 7 SP1	2017
IE 10	2012	Trident v10	CSS Grid (prefixed), Touch, Flip Ahead	Windows 8	2020
IE 11	2013	Trident v11	WebGL, SPDY, DevTools overhaul	Windows 8.1	Jun 15, 2022

*IE 6 received extended support via Windows XP POSReady until 2019. IE 11 remains supported on Windows 10 LTSC/LTSB and via IE Mode in Edge.

 FAQ: Internet Explorer Quick Answers

Conclusion

Internet Explorer’s 27-year run (1995–2022) shaped the web more than any browser — for better and worse. It democratized internet access for hundreds of millions, pioneered AJAX (XMLHttpRequest), and forced standards bodies to move faster. It also set back CSS adoption by years, entrenched ActiveX lock-in, and became a cautionary tale in antitrust law.

Today, IE lives on only in IE Mode — a pragmatic bridge for enterprises migrating off 20-year-old intranet apps. The browser you loved to hate is gone; the lessons remain.

Further reading:

• How Internet Explorer Took Over the Web — Microsoft Official History
• Browser Wars: Netscape vs. IE — Deep Dive
• What Is IE Mode & How to Enable It
• United States v. Microsoft: Court Opinion (PDF)