In today’s fast-paced world of ever-evolving browsers and technologies, navigating the landscape of legacy application compatibility can be challenging and necessary. Internet Explorer Online emerges as a vital tool, offering a virtual gateway to the web’s history, where websites once optimized for IE can still be put through their paces. 

Whether you’re a developer ensuring cross-browser functionality or a quality assurance specialist validating user experiences, harnessing Internet Explorer online provides a crucial bridge between legacy systems and modern demands. 

We will learn the ins and outs of leveraging this virtual lifeline in your testing toolkit, ensuring that yesterday’s websites remain functional and user-friendly in today’s browsers.

What is Internet Explorer Testing?

IE testing refers to checking websites or web applications to ensure they perform well, appear as expected, and are not problematic for the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser.

However, Internet Explorer has stopped receiving updates. However, some organizations still use it, which makes it necessary for organizations to test it to ensure that all their clients get a good experience during browsing.

Given the complexity of IE, its rendering profiles, and compatibility issues with other browsers, basic tests and checks should be done intensively. This way, we are certain the website or application works as it should, looks as it should, and maintains the ease of use or accessibility of Internet Explorer.

Organizations using Internet Explorer can transition to using Microsoft Edge Online, which is an excellent alternative where testing on  Microsoft Edge Online helps ensure compatibility and performance, providing a seamless experience for users migrating from IE.

Why is it Critical to Test Your Websites on Internet Explorer?

When testing on IE, it is important to test multiple IE versions on different devices with different settings and Internet connections. It is also essential to test for different types of users, such as users with disabilities and users who are not familiar with computers.

Here are some reasons why it is critical to test your websites on Internet Explorer:

– Some organizations mandate the use of IE: Entities like government agencies and large enterprises often require employees to use IE due to security or compatibility needs.

– IE employs a unique rendering engine: Unlike Chrome and Firefox, IE uses a distinct rendering engine, potentially causing your website to display differently.

– IE retains a significant user base: Although IE’s overall market share has declined, it remains substantial in specific industries and regions, such as maintaining around 5% market share in the US.

– IE supports a different feature set: The features supported by IE differ from those in other browsers, which means certain functionalities available in other browsers may not work in IE.

Here are some specific examples of why testing your website on IE is essential:

– Your website might not render properly in IE due to its unique rendering engine compared to other browsers.

– Some functionalities of your website may require adjustments in IE, as it lacks support for several modern web standards.

– Your website’s performance could be slower in IE because it is not as optimized for contemporary web technologies as other browsers.

– Your website may have increased security vulnerabilities in IE, as it is less frequently updated with security patches.

– To ensure your website is accessible and user-friendly for all visitors, testing it on IE is crucial.

Ensure Compatibility with IE11 on Real Desktop and Mobile Devices

It is pertinent to run compatibility checks of Internet Explorer 11 on desktop and mobile platforms to guarantee your application’s accessibility for every user. Internet Explorer 11 is a browser that is no longer supported and has undergone little development; however, some companies and institutions continue to utilize it.

Real Desktop Testing

Real desktop testing for Internet Explorer 11 compatibility is crucial due to its continued use in various organizational environments. This testing ensures that web applications function correctly, display content accurately, and perform well across different resolutions and operating systems, such as Windows 7 and Windows 10. Key steps include accessing physical machines or setting up VMs that replicate real IE 11 environments, defining comprehensive test scenarios, and using tools like remote desktop services or cloud-based platforms such as LambdaTest for efficient testing. Regular updates, testing in various resolutions, and involving stakeholders in user acceptance testing are essential best practices to ensure a seamless user experience.

Here’s a detailed look at why real desktop testing matters and how to effectively execute it:

Importance of Real Desktop Testing

Internet Explorer 11 presents unique challenges due to its specific rendering behaviors and feature set. Testing on a real desktop environment allows developers and testers to:

• Verify Functionality:  It helps ensure that all functionalities of the web application work as intended on IE 11.
• Check Display Consistency:  it confirms that the layout, design elements, and content display correctly across different resolutions and screen sizes.
• Validate Performance: It helps evaluate the application’s performance metrics, including loading times and responsiveness, on IE 11.

Setting Up Real Desktop Testing

• Identify Target Environments: It helps determine the specific versions of Internet Explorer 11 and the operating systems (e.g., Windows 7, Windows 10) you need to test on.
• Access to Physical Machines or VMs:  It helps access physical desktops or set up virtual machines (VMs) that replicate real-world IE 11 environments. This ensures accuracy in testing behaviors that might differ between virtual and physical environments.
• Testing Scenarios: It helps define comprehensive test scenarios that cover a range of functionalities and user interactions typical for your web application.

Tools and Techniques

• Remote Desktop Services: Utilize services like Microsoft Remote Desktop or other remote access tools to connect to physical machines running IE 11 for testing.
• Developer Tools: IE 11 includes built-in developer tools that allow you to inspect and debug web pages directly within the browser, aiding in troubleshooting compatibility issues.
• Cross-Browser Testing Platforms: Platforms like LambdaTest provide cloud-based solutions for testing across various browsers and operating systems, including Internet Explorer 11. These platforms offer convenience and scalability for testing on multiple real desktop configurations simultaneously.

How does LambdaTest help you with Internet Explorer browser testing?

LambdaTest is an AI-powered test execution platform that lets you run manual and automated cross-browser testing at scale with over 3000+ real devices, browsers, and OS combinations. It helps Internet Explorer browser testing by offering cloud-based access for developers and testers to real desktops with the desired versions of Internet Explorer, including IE 11.

Here’s how LambdaTest helps:

1. Access to Real IE Environments: LambdaTest allows users to test across many genuine IE desktop environments, thus avoiding using physical machines or VM setups.

2. Cross-Browser Compatibility Testing: With the help of cross-browser testing, developers can check their WEB applications in several versions of IE at a time and guarantee the same parameters of an application inside and outside the Web site.

3. Developer Tools Integration: Interoperability with development tools is made possible in this design to enable developers to debug and resolve issues within the browser environment.

4. Responsive Testing: LambdaTest allows responsive testing; that is, it helps the tester and the developer see how the webpage looks and functions in different resolutions and on different devices compatible with Internet Explorer.

5. Scalability and Collaboration: The platform supports scalable testing, making it easy to execute tests across multiple environments concurrently. It also facilitates collaboration among team members with features for sharing test results and sessions.

6. Automated Testing: LambdaTest supports automated testing frameworks, allowing teams to streamline their testing processes and improve efficiency in testing IE compatibility.

By leveraging LambdaTest, developers can effectively validate their web applications for IE compatibility, ensuring a smooth user experience across diverse browser environments without the logistical challenges of managing physical devices or VMs.

End Note

Finally, due to the decrease in Internet Explorer usage, the need for testing applications compatible with its previous versions cannot be overestimated at the same time, with the help of available online practices and using such means as virtual machines or cloud solutions, one can test and debug applications for their compatibility with different browsers, including Internet Explorer. With the help of such an approach, a team can avoid compatibility issues with other browsers, improve users’ experience, and support legacy systems.