A shockingly high number of Windows 10 users are still clinging on to Internet Explorer, despite the aged browser (opens in new tab) no longer having support from Microsoft, new data suggests.
Figures from Lansweeper exclusively shared with TechRadar Pro claim nearly half (47%) of Windows 10 devices will need to be updated due to still using Internet Explorer as their browser – equivalent to millions of PCs in offices and other workplaces around the world.
Microsoft will officially end support for Internet Explorer 11 (opens in new tab) imminently (June 15, 2022), meaning users will now need to update to Edge, the company's actually-supported browser, or risk potential cyberattack.
Internet Explorer end of life
The figures don't just cover a small amount of niche users, as Lansweeper audited more than nine million devices from 33,000 organizations to compile its results.
Microsoft has repeatedly warned businesses that Internet Explorer would be officially retired (opens in new tab) this year, but not all companies have been proactive enough to come up with a plan to transition to another browser yet.
Microsoft first announced plans to retire support for Internet Explorer 11 across Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 back in August 2020, and since then has been gradually stripping back services for the software.
The company recently recommended that businesses still using Internet Explorer set their own retirement date (opens in new tab) instead.
They should also ensure that Internet Explorer mode, which aims to support legacy websites and applications within Microsoft Edge until they can be ported over to the new software, is set up in Edge to allow employees to access Explorer-dependent sites going forward.
However it isn't just unsupported browser builds that are causing issues, as Lansweeper also found a huge amount (79%) of PCs surveyed were not even running the latest version of Windows 10, let alone Windows 11.
The company found Windows 10 Version 2004 was the most popular build running on corporate devices, despite there being three subsequent updates since its release in May 2020.
Users should always make sure their devices are upgraded to the latest release of Windows, as the company regularly includes security patches and fixes for the latest vulnerabilities.
“From our perspective, it's not a complete surprise that only a fifth of the Windows 10 devices are on the latest version, or that Internet Explorer EOL will affect so many,” said Roel Decneut, Chief Strategy Officer at Lansweeper.
“There could be many reasons for organizations to delay upgrading, including being more conservative, having more pressing issues to deal with, or simply having no visibility into the version of operating systems they’re running. Organizations will need an overview of each device they own when Internet Explorer 11 support finally ends. Without this data, they’ll remain vulnerable.”
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