Internet Explorer (IE) is a web browser developed by Microsoft and became the leading web browser worldwide for quite some time.

Is Internet Explorer still used by internet users?

Some internet users are trying to access Internet Explorer, however, IE 11 desktop application has been out of support for certain versions of operating systems since June 15, 2022.

This will be disabled permanently on Windows 10 as part of a Windows security update.

This update is scheduled on February 14, 2023.

After this, IE 11 will no longer be accessible.

Users will be redirected to Microsoft Edge with IE mode every time they try to access Internet Explorer. 

Are you curious to know how many people still use Internet Explorer? Let’s find out.

How Many People Still Use Internet Explorer in 2024?

How Many People Still Use Internet Explorer

Did you use Internet Explorer before it went out of support in 2022?

If yes, you are one of the 28 million Internet Explorer users worldwide.

Based on the latest data, the number of Internet Explorer users continuously depletes.

Approximately 69.71 million internet users around the world still used this web browser in 2021, and only 28 million users in 2022.

Internet Explorer was the top choice of most internet users before the rise of Google Chrome.

Starting in 2011, it acquired less than 50% market share in the web browser market worldwide.

At the end of 2021, it had less than 1% market share.

When Microsoft stopped supporting Internet Explorer, some websites and services also stopped supporting IE.

These include Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365, LinkedIn, Salesforce, WordPress 5.8, Internet Archive, Gmail, Google Workspace, Twitter, and GitHub.

Let’s take a look at the number of Internet Explorer users worldwide from 2014 to 2022:

  • Around 538.28 million internet users worldwide were using Internet Explorer in 2014
  • Around 511.04 million internet users worldwide were using Internet Explorer in 2015
  • Around 356.12 million internet users worldwide were using Internet Explorer in 2016
  • Around 280 million internet users worldwide were using Internet Explorer in 2017
  • Around 227.84 million internet users worldwide were using Internet Explorer in 2018
  • Around 185.77 million internet users worldwide were using Internet Explorer in 2019
  • Around 127.92 million internet users worldwide were using Internet Explorer in 2020
  • Around 69.71 million internet users worldwide were using Internet Explorer in 2021
  • Around 28 million internet users worldwide were using Internet Explorer in 2022

Internet Explorer Market Share

The market share of Internet Explorer experienced a constant decline before it went to its end.

It claimed a market share of 0.29% in the browser market worldwide in June 2022, from a market share of 94.55% at its peak in 2003.

Here is a list of Internet Explorer market shares from 1996 to 2022:

  • In 1996, Internet Explorer recorded an 18.75% market share in the browser market worldwide
  • In 1999, Internet Explorer recorded a 75.42% market share in the browser market worldwide
  • In 2002, Internet Explorer recorded a 93.61% market share in the browser market worldwide
  • In 2005, Internet Explorer recorded an 87.38% market share in the browser market worldwide
  • In 2008, Internet Explorer recorded a 77.26% market share in the browser market worldwide
  • In 2011, Internet Explorer recorded a 42.03% market share in the browser market worldwide
  • In 2014, Internet Explorer recorded a 21.91% market share in the browser market worldwide
  • In 2017, Internet Explorer recorded a 7.88% market share in the browser market worldwide
  • In 2020, Internet Explorer recorded a 1.68% market share in the browser market worldwide
  • In June 2022, Internet Explorer recorded a 0.29% market share in the browser market worldwide

Most of the internet users who accessed Internet Explorer in 2020 used desktops.

Below are the Internet Explorer desktop browser market shares in 2020:

  • Internet Explorer had a 3.7% market share in the desktop browser market in January 2020
  • Internet Explorer had a 3.26% market share in the desktop browser market in April 2020
  • Internet Explorer had a 2.76% market share in the desktop browser market in July 2020
  • Internet Explorer had a 2.15% market share in the desktop browser market in October 2020
  • Internet Explorer had a 2.54% market share in the desktop browser market in December 2020

Internet Explorer Versions

IE’s older versions are not recognized by many internet users today.

Its latest version was Internet Explorer 11.

According to the latest report, IE 11 accounts for 0.57% market share in the browser market.

Here are some of the Internet Explorer Versions with their market shares, based on the Enterprise Apps Today report:

  • Version 5.5 accounted for a market share of 0.01% in the browser market
  • Version 6 accounted for a market share of 0.01% in the browser market
  • Version 7 accounted for a market share of 0.01% in the browser market
  • Version 8 accounted for a market share of 0.04% in the browser market
  • Version 9 accounted for a market share of 0.06% in the browser market
  • Version 10 accounted for a market share of 0.01% in the browser market
  • Version 11 accounted for a market share of 0.57% in the browser market

Internet Browser Market Share Worldwide

Internet Browser Market Share Worldwide

Internet Explorer continuously decreased its market share after reaching its peak from 2001 to 2004.

During that period, IE had more than 90% market share in the browser market worldwide.

In 2017, its market share reached less than 10%.

In January 2022, Google Chrome leads the global browser market.

It accounts for over 63% market share, compared to the almost 20% market share of Safari, and the 0.45% market share of Internet Explorer.

Here is a list of browser market share worldwide in January 2022:

  • Google Chrome had a 63.06% market share in the browser market worldwide in January 2022
  • Apple’s Safari had a 19.84% market share in the browser market worldwide in January 2022
  • Mozilla Firefox had a 4.18% market share in the browser market worldwide in January 2022 
  • Microsoft Edge had a 4.12% market share in the browser market worldwide in January 2022 
  • Samsung Internet had a 2.89% market share in the browser market worldwide in January 2022 
  • Opera had a 2.33% market share in the browser market worldwide in January 2022 
  • UC Browser had a 0.89% market share in the browser market worldwide in January 2022 
  • Android Browser had a 0.65% market share in the browser market worldwide in January 2022 
  • Internet Explorer had a 0.45% market share in the browser market worldwide in January 2022 

Conclusion

Internet Explorer was once the top web browser worldwide.

Unfortunately, in 2022, it reached the finish line.

Its eleventh and last version was IE 11.

One of the major reasons behind the decline of Internet Explorer is its slowness in response and in fixing bugs.

Aside from that, it has insufficient support for web browser extensions, lacked adaptability, and faced security issues.

Starting the year when Microsoft discontinued its support for this browser, the market share of Microsoft Edge increased.

Sources

EnterpriseAppsTodayStatcounterStatcounter
EarthWebLearn MicrosoftLearn Microsoft