Internet Explorer Statistics

Internet Explorer is a thing of the past, for sure. People who started using computers in the 2010s may not even understand what Internet Explorer means. We can’t blame them, either. Since Edge took over, people have not had to use the much-hated browser. However, we should not forget how big Internet Explorer was in its glorious times. Here are some Internet Explorer statistics that can blow your mind.

Essential Statistics on Internet Explorer

• Microsoft launched Internet Explorer in 1995, and it became the default browser for Windows PCs.

• Since then, Microsoft has launched 11 major versions of Internet Explorer. However, the number does not include the minor versions or security updates.
• In 2009, Internet Explorer was the most dominant web browser, with a market share of 59.37%. But, today, IE only has a market share of 0.35%.
• A major part of IE’s downfall started in 2020. Up until this point, Internet Explorer had a market share of 5.18%. This was also the time when Microsoft started retracting support for Windows 7.
• Even before Microsoft replaced Internet Explorer with Edge, users were done with the sluggish web browser. Google Chrome and Firefox have taken their place within most industries and personal uses.
• However, many governments continued using Internet Explorer even when its security did not have a great reputation. This remained the case until Microsoft retracted support for IE.
• Between 1995 and 2005, Internet Explorer became the most popular web browser across the world. It also enjoyed an impressive market share (and user base) during the period.
• Statistics reveal that at least 69.71 million users were using Internet Explorer even in 2021.
• In December 2023, Microsoft disabled the Internet Explorer applications on computers. However, several ways still allow you to use the browser.
• Because Internet Explorer does not receive any kind of support from Microsoft, it is not a safe option as a web browser, especially considering the increasing number of digital threats.

Global Market Share Statistics for Internet Explorer

Let’s track the progress and decline of Internet Explorer in the past decades.

• While we do not have the data to substantiate this argument, it must be said that Internet Explorer established a monopoly shortly after its launch in 1995.
• By 2005, the decline of IE’s market share had begun. It had a recorded market share of 56% in 2009 and quickly declined to 8.69% by 2019.
• In 2019, Microsoft Edge had a 0% market share. However, in the subsequent years, as the popularity of IE declined, Edge leveraged the void in the market.
• As of now, Internet Explorer has a market share of 0.35% in the United States, which still converts to several millions of users. On the other hand, Edge is now responsible for 14.98% of the market share.
• In the global market, Internet Explorer seems to have a relatively better share, which was reported to be 0.40% in 2024.

• However, when we consider global statistics, it becomes clear that Edge was not able to completely leverage the void left by Internet Explorer.
• Since Microsoft has stopped support for Internet Explorer, it has become difficult to get on-time stats on the user patterns within the small community.
• Historically, the 2000s were the best time for Internet Explorer, which controlled 90% of the web browser market. However, people quickly got frustrated by its sluggish performance and lack of extensions.
• In 2014, close to 538.28 million people were using Internet Explorer as their web browser. However, within five years, it had become 185.77 million. At the time of writing, only less than 50 million people use Internet Explorer.

• Building on these sentiments, Google Chrome leveraged the void in the web browser market. A major decline in the growth of Internet Explorer coincides with the launch and expansion of Google Chrome in 2008.

Historical Internet Explorer Statistics

Here are some impressive facts about the history of Internet Explorer.

• The first version of Internet Explorer, namely Internet Explorer v1.0, was released in 1995. However, it was not a dedicated release. Instead, it was an addition to the Plus! package for Windows 95.
• However, Internet Explorer did not have a great start for at least a couple of years. Instead, Netscape had the upper ground.
• The growth of Internet Explorer and the end of Netscape Navigator happened at the same time, in the months between 1997 and 1998.
• Between 2000 and 2003, Internet Explorer had the best time in terms of market share and control. It also benefitted Microsoft in monetary aspects. It had a sort of monopoly in the browser market, as people had no viable alternatives to go for.
• Mozilla Firefox, the first big contender to Internet Explorer, was introduced in 2004, thereby ending the monopoly IE had in the market.
• However, things became difficult for Internet Explorer after the launch of 2008, and IE lost its major market share in the following two years.
• At those times, IE was jokingly called the web browser to download Google Chrome or Firefox. As of 2012, IE had a non-majoritarian market share of 40.63%.
• Internet Explorer saw the real depth of its decline in 2015 when Microsoft introduced Edge as the better replacement for IE.
• Microsoft wanted to retain customers who stuck with Internet Explorer for legacy websites. Its Edge browser was developed with these concerns in mind.
• Even then, Internet Explorer remained the go-to web browser for many enterprise solutions, whose entire ecosystem was based on the web browser.

Revenue Statistics of Internet Explorer

• It is difficult to track the revenue of Internet Explorer because Microsoft always bundles the browser with the Windows package. More importantly, Microsoft never discussed the revenue from Explorer as a dedicated section.
• However, the impact of Internet Explorer on Microsoft’s overall revenue cannot be understated. It is estimated that its introduction contributed to the increasing sales of Windows in the 2000s.
• While we do not have exact figures on these metrics, it is believed that Internet Explorer was widely used for advertising via MSN and Bing.
• Because Internet Explorer had become the legacy browser, many governments and public agencies purchased Windows for longer periods, thus contributing to the indirect growth of IE.
• The 2000s marked the peak of Internet Explorer. At the same time, Microsoft’s overall revenue had also surpassed some milestones. For instance, between 1999 and 2003, the revenue almost doubled, reaching $36.84 billion from $19.75 billion.

Interesting Facts About Internet Explorer

Here are some fun facts about Internet Explorer that you may want to know.

• The roots of Internet Explorer can be traced back to Spyglass Mosaic, which was a licensed version of another browser called Mosaic. Microsoft paid Spyglass a royalty for every copy of Internet Explorer it sold.
• ActiveX was one of the unique features of Internet Explorer, which allowed third-party apps to play content within the web browser.
• While ActiveX Controls contributed to the growth of IE, it also opened up many controversies regarding security. Many digital attacks were based on security vulnerabilities.
• Yet another reason for the decline of Internet Explorer was how it treated developers. Microsoft was not conscious of developers’ efforts to ensure cross-browser compatibility. In many cases, developers had to optimize the code further to make it work with IE.
• When faced with rendering issues, Internet Explorer introduced Compatibility View, a feature that allowed users to load websites that were originally designed for older browsers.
• Earlier versions of Edge boasted an Internet Explorer mode, keeping in mind the presence of legacy websites. Users could use Internet Explorer Mode to launch legacy websites and applications.
• Security vulnerabilities were another reason for the decline of Internet Explorer. By the last year of its life in 2022, Internet Explorer had become a common spot for scams and security threats.

• Despite its decline, we must acknowledge the role of Internet Explorer in popularizing the Internet as well as common features.
• For instance, Internet Explorer was one of the first browsers to offer full support for AJAX and CSS. A number of these features became the backbone of the internet as we know it.
• In the years following the decline of Internet Explorer, Microsoft employed a new strategy for most of its software products. As a result, Microsoft Edge is a compatibility-friendly browser that runs on the Chromium engine. Microsoft has also kept its close to the open-source world these years.

Conclusion

This coverage of the history of Internet Explorer has taken us for a trip down memory lane. For most of us, Internet Explorer was that one app on our computer that enabled access to the internet. When I started with my PC adventures, I did not know anything better than IE. While I believe that IE deserved its decline, Edge has been making up for where IE compromised.