Internet Explorer 11 won't work with Microsoft 365 apps starting next month

Starting next month, if you want to use Microsoft 365 apps and services, you'll have to use a modern browser.

What you need to know

• Starting August 17, 2021, Microsoft 365 apps and services will no longer support Internet Explorer 11.
• People with have a "degraded experience, or be unable to connect to" Microsoft 365 apps and services from the old browser.
• Microsoft will not offer support for people who run into issues attempting to access Microsoft 365 apps and services through Internet Explorer after August 17, 2021.

Microsoft continues its march away from Internet Explorer. Starting on August 17, 2021, Microsoft 365 apps and services will no longer work with Internet Explorer 11. After that date, people who choose to keep using Internet Explorer 11 with Microsoft 365 apps will "have a degraded experience," according to Microsoft. In some cases, people won't be able to connect to the apps and services from the outdated browser at all.

"Beginning August 17, 2021, Microsoft 365 apps and services will no longer support Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) and users may have a degraded experience, or be unable to connect to, those apps and services," explains Microsoft. "These apps and services will phase out over weeks and months to ensure a smooth end of support, with each app and service phasing out on independent schedules."

After August 17, 2021, support won't be available for people who run into issues trying to access Microsoft 365 apps and services through Internet Explorer 11.

People shouldn't expect any new features, and "daily usage experience could get progressively worse over time until the apps and services are disconnected," explains Microsoft.

The company outlines the application experience that people will have with Internet Explorer 11 starting on August 17, 2021:

• Outlook Web App: Users logging in with AAD accounts will still receive the full OWA experience but will not receive new features beginning August 17, 2021, while users logging in with Microsoft Accounts (MSA) will be redirected to the Outlook Web App Light experience.
• Open with Explorer/View in File Explorer (SharePoint): We understand that some customers may continue to use Open with Explorer and View in File Explorer (only accessible in IE11) to access document libraries. To avoid disruption, these customers will be able to use these features for now when they go to a document library in IE11. These features remain in maintenance mode and aren't receiving further development. We encourage all customers to move to a modern browser and OneDrive sync for a better user experience and easier access to files. For more information on how to prepare your SharePoint environment for end of support on IE11, please read this Docs article.
• All other apps and services will phase out over weeks and months to ensure a smooth end of support with each app and service phasing out on independent schedules.

Microsoft has been clear about the end of support for Internet Explorer 11 for quite some time. Companies and consumers will have to migrate over to more modern solutions if they want to continue to use Microsoft 365 apps and services.