Microsoft first bundled IE with Windows in 1995 as part of the package called "Microsoft Plus!". By around 2002, Internet Explorer had become the most used browser in the world, but lost ground to Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.

IE went through many releases and provided version for desktop, mobile, and Xbox Console. It was also available on Mac and UNIX, Microsoft discontinued those versions in 2003 and 2001 respectively. The final Windows release was Windows 11.0.220 on November 10, 2020.

Microsoft ended support for IE on June 15, 2022.