When ProtonMail 4.0 is released later this year, we will no longer support Internet Explorer (IE), including the newest version, IE 11. Anyone trying to access ProtonMail from IE after the update will be prompted to switch browsers. In this article, we explain the reasons for dropping IE as well as recommendations for alternative browsers.

Why ProtonMail no longer supports Internet Explorer

The decision to drop IE support comes after Microsoft announced it would no longer support older versions of the browser. Other services are phasing out IE for many of the same reasons we are. Considering the security risks, development costs, compatibility issues, and the small number of people using IE, we are confident this is the right time to drop IE support.

There are many reasons we will no longer support IE, including:

Almost none of our users run it. About 1% of ProtonMail traffic comes from IE.

We are not confident that IE 11 is a secure browser. Microsoft is diverting resources to focus on Edge, and fewer developers are testing for it. More bugs or vulnerabilities are inevitable.

IE is slow and lacks functionality.

We have an ambitious schedule of upcoming products and features, including calendar and encrypted cloud storage. We would rather use our developer resources to improve Proton rather than fix bugs for an outdated browser.

It is likely that IE will still be around for some time. Microsoft has promised to continue supporting and updating IE 11 as long as it still supports Windows 10. That said, Microsoft’s own cybersecurity experts said, “We’re not supporting new web standards for it and, while many sites work fine, developers by and large just aren’t testing for Internet Explorer these days.”

What to do if you use Internet Explorer

ProtonMail supports all modern browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you prefer to or you are required to continue using a Microsoft browser, you can use Edge.

There are also many privacy-focused browsers, such as Firefox and Brave.

If you have questions regarding this switch, please get in touch with our support team.

Best Regards,

The ProtonMail Team

You can get a free secure email account from ProtonMail

We also provide a free VPN service to protect your privacy.

ProtonMail and ProtonVPN are funded by community contributions. If you would like to support our development efforts, you can upgrade to a paid plan or donate. Thank you for your support.





