How to Get Internet Explorer for Mac OS

internet explorer for mac

Everyday Windows PC administrators switching to MacBook or iMac for portability and that’s when Internet Explorer for Mac turns out to be an important subject to address. You probably realized that Microsoft does not utilize the open-source browser, and Apple follows the same route.

Apple released Safari, and Microsoft bundled Internet Explorer browser that covered 80% of the market in 2005. However, Apple depended on IE for several years because they had nothing to offer in replacement to the machine owners. Fortunately, Apple decided to launch Safari in 2003 and defined the premium category again. Check out this article to know how you can use Safari on Your Windows PC.

Can We Get Internet Explorer on a Mac?

I think we need to revisit the history and understand the proper sequence of the IE browser playing a crucial role in the segment. Apple indefinitely shipped IE in Mac OS X computers and highly depended on it because they did not have enough encouragement to invest in the browser business.

The consumers in the United States of America started to utilize the World Wide Web, and that’s what encouraged the manufacturer to start work on the premium browser. Of course, they could not release a high-end solution within a few months, and it consumed years for development. In 2003, Apple announced Safari as a default browser replacing Internet Explorer.

Furthermore, the Apple software development team stopped supporting the older browser and dumped it in history books so that we can revisit it. Currently, Safari is the primary web browsing solution on MacBook, iMac, iPhone, iPad, etc.

Status: Discontinued.

What is the latest version of IE for Mac?

Unfortunately, Apple stopped supporting Microsoft solution 15 years ago and did not allow third-party developers to work under open-source projects.

Internet Explorer Version: Eleven.

IE Software Version: Version 5.2.3.

Safari took over the unexplored market, and the official developers put an end to the software development and further support. Time has changed, and many alternatives have shown up, and I have already listed them below. I strongly suggest the readers to avoid using the discontinued version of security purposes, and it does not have modern basic security walls to avoid threats.

How Do I get Internet Explorer on Mac OS X?

Microsoft is still supporting the failing browser for Windows 8 and Windows 10. The consumers rejected the idea of Internet Explorer after Chrome started to emerge the successor of every existing solution in the market. I mean 80% of the internet consumers put Chrome at work, and that should be enough to prove my point.

Microsoft dumped IE long ago, and they replaced the default solution with Edge browser. Microsoft announced a new Edge browser, and that’s going to be the next generation solution from the company. The Chromium-based solution Edge browser developed by MS and it is available to download & try in any operating system.

  • Visit here to download the New Microsoft EDGE Browser.
  • Accept the terms & conditions of the software. The offline installer will be downloaded into local storage, and launch the program.
  • Once the program setup shows up on the screen, then click on “Get Started” to continue.
  • Fortunately, you have the option to import data from Google’s Chrome, or you can continue without importing data.
  • Users have three “New Tab Page” options, and you can click on to preview it. Click on “Next” to continue and move on to complete the installation.
  • You can sign-in to the account to synchronize the data, and you can use an existing Microsoft account. However, I don’t recommend it because you are not sure whether it will convert into a daily driver or end up in the trash can.

Click on “Done” after you make the final decision on whether you want to sign-in or avoid for now.

The Chromium-based browser is successfully installed in Mac OS X. Internet Explorer is still receiving software updates in 2020, and the company is not giving up on the 1995 initiative. Microsoft did not give up on the iconic solution, and you can learn about the security updates & software updates on Wikipedia.

Is Safari the similar as Internet Explorer?

Safari is an Apple creation and the official software development team worked around the browser for the performance boost. Internet Explorer is not the fastest, smartest, and performing browser when compared to Safari. Unfortunately, IE & Safari has very limited customization options, and limited extensions library, when compared to Firefox & Chrome.

In my frank opinion, Safari is a viable solution for Apple devices because they are highly optimized for the OS X environment. The Apple browser consumes less RAM when compared to the rival solutions, and it is the fastest solution for MacBook, iMac, and iOS running devices.

Microsoft IE & Apple Safari are very different from each other and incomparable.

Top 3 Best Alternatives to Internet Explorer for Mac


Brave is based on Chromium, and it is an ultimate privacy protection solution. It loads web pages 3X faster times than Firefox & Chrome, but it consumes a higher amount of RAM & CPU resources. Brave supports Chrome customizations & compatible with extensions.

The selling point of Brave always had been “Privacy & Security” functions. You have Ad blocking, Clear browsing data, Cookie control, HTTPS upgrading, Private Windows and more. I don’t recommend this browser for older MacBook, iMac & iOS devices because they consume a higher amount of hardware resources and that could hold back the machine.


Mozilla introduced the “Quantum” project to the world, which was a completely different browser than impressed millions of internet consumers. Mozilla is primarily offering a Firefox browser based on the Quantum project, and I’m impressed by the implementations. Currently, I’m using Firefox as my daily driver on all machines.

Firefox consumes lesser RAM + CPU resources when compared to Chrome, Brave, Edge browser. I’m able to do plenty of things smoothly on my low-end computer, and that’s pretty much the proof of performance. The organization does not share web activity and blocks over 2000 trackers. Overall, Firefox protects users from web trackers and does not share any collected data with corporate companies & partners.


Google Chrome is a powerful browser that provides advanced features and maximum performance that MacBook or iMac consumers can have. The machine has to provide RAM + CPU resources to reach maximum capacity and ultimate performance. You can find thousands of active extensions available in the store, and customize the program as per your taste.

The freemium browser is optimized for Google products such as YouTube, Mail, Drive, and other products. Even Internet Explorer cannot provide a smooth experience on YouTube, but Chrome can view the web pages smoothly, and transition the videos responsively.


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