As you know, Internet Explorer has been part of the Windows world for quite some time (first released in August 1995) and is now unsupported and being discontinued by being replaced by more modern web browser like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
In May 2021, Microsoft has announced the 2 steps retirement phases for Internet Explorer (see https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/internet-explorer-11-desktop-app-retirement-faq/ba-p/2366549/): a redirection phase and a permanently disable policy through Windows Update.
Well, if you don’t want to wait for the policy phase you can use either group policy or Intune Device Configuration profile (Settings Catalog) to configure the Disable Internet Explorer 11 as standalone browser available under the Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer
When configuring this settings you have 3 options:
- Group policy
- Never: allow you to not notify your users Internet Explorer is disabled
- Always: allow you to notify users to use another browser all the time they are using Internet Explorer
- Once per user: allow you to notify users only the first time when using Internet Explorer
- Intune Device Configuration:
- Disabled: block use of Internet Explorer
- Enable: allow use of Internet Explorer
There are few requisites to be able to do such thing:
- ADMX files: if you don’t have the option when creating your group policy you will need to update your ADMX files with the Windows 10 administration templates from https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?id=103124&msclkid=eae4a72fb1fb11ecb97ca3096b36cc06 (as for a long time already it is recommended to use Central Store – see https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/group-policy/create-and-manage-central-store/)
- Operating Systems, Windows Update and Microsoft Edge
- Windows 10, version 21H1 or later
- Windows 10, version 2004; Windows Server version 2004; Windows 10, version 20H2; Windows Server version 20H2: KB4598291 or later
- Windows 10 version 1909: KB4598298 or later
- Windows Server 2019; Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC: KB4598296 or later
- Windows Server 2016; Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB: KB4601318 or later
- Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB: KB4601331 or later
- Windows 8.1; Windows Server 2012 R2: KB4601384 or later
- Windows Server 2012: KB4601348 or later
- Microsoft Edge Stable Channel