Can You Get Microsoft IE for iPhone or iPad? GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Internet, Networking, & Security > Browsers 52 52 people found this article helpful

Can You Get Microsoft IE for iPhone or iPad?

No; in fact, Microsoft discontinued the browser on most devices

By Sam Costello Sam Costello Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 19, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

In This Article

Expand Jump to a Section What About Microsoft Edge? Workaround: Change Your User Agent Workaround: Use a Remote Desktop Alternative Browsers The short answer is no; there's no IE for the iPhone or iPad and there never will be. There are two critical reasons for this: Microsoft stopped making Internet Explorer for the Mac in 2006 and never brought it to the iPhone or iPad. In 2022, the company stopped developing IE. They recommend that you download the latest version of the newer Edge browser. iPhone image credit: Apple; IE logo credit: Microsoft

What About the Microsoft Edge Browser

Yes. Microsoft released a version of its Edge browser for the iPhone and iPad. You can download Microsoft Edge from the App Store. Edge existed on other platforms before Microsoft brought it to iOS. As a result, it once seemed that Edge would likely never come to iPhone, but then Microsoft released the iOS version in early 2018. In addition to running Edge, there are a few other ways to use Microsoft browsers on an iPhone or iPad.

Workaround Change Your User Agent

You might be able to fool some websites that require IE into thinking it's running on your iPhone by changing your user agent. The user agent is a bit of code that the browser uses to identify itself to each website you visit. When you set your user agent to Safari on iOS (the default for iPhones and iPads), your browser tells sites that that's what it is when you visit the site. If your iOS device is jailbroken, you can grab a user-agent switching app from Cydia (though remember that jailbreaking has its downsides). With one of these apps, you can make Safari tell websites that it's many different browsers, including IE. In some cases, this may be enough to get you into the IE-only site you need. If the site you're trying to visit requires IE because it uses technologies that only Internet Explorer supports, these apps won't be enough. They only change what Safari appears to be, not the fundamental technologies built into it.

Workaround Use a Remote Desktop

Another way to use IE on iOS is with a remote desktop program. Remote desktop programs allow you to log in to a computer at your home or office over the internet using your iPhone or iPad. When you do that, you have access to all the files and programs on that computer, including Internet Explorer, if you installed it there. Using a remote desktop isn't for everyone. For one thing, since you have to stream data from the remote computer to your iOS device, it's slower than using an app installed on your iPhone. For another, it's not something that the average user will generally be able to use. It requires some technical skill or a corporate IT department to help you configure. Still, if you want to give it a shot, search for Citrix or VNC apps at the App Store.

Alternative Browsers for iPhone and iPad

If you're adamantly opposed to using Safari on your iPhone or iPad, you can always try Chrome, available as a free download from the App Store. Don't like Chrome, either? There are a lot of alternative browsers available for the iPhone and iPad, many of which offer features not available on Safari or Chrome. Maybe one of them will be more to your liking. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to View Internet Explorer Sites on a Mac How to Clear the Cache in IE11 What Is Microsoft Internet Explorer? When Is Internet Explorer End of Life? Can You Get Google Maps for iOS 6? Improving Performance in Internet Explorer 11 How to Update Internet Explorer (Most Recent: IE11) How to Turn on Incognito Mode in Your Browser How to Switch to Desktop Mode on iPhone How to Activate the iPhone Debug Console or Web Inspector How to Stop Autoplay Videos How to Clear Cookies for a Specific Site Check the Version Number of Apple's Safari Browser How to Make IE11 the Default Browser in Windows How to Uninstall or Remove Internet Explorer How to Delete Cookies in Every Major Browser Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies