Test in IE Mode on Microsoft Edge

Microsoft retired Internet Explorer 11 in June 2022, but many enterprise applications still require IE rendering for specific workflows. Microsoft Edge includes an IE Mode that loads pages using the IE11 Trident engine inside an Edge tab. TestMu AI supports IE Mode automation on Windows 11, so you can validate legacy apps without maintaining a standalone IE browser.

When to Use IE Mode

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Use IE Mode to test legacy applications that depend on Internet Explorer rendering.

IE Mode is the right choice when:

• Your application requires IE-specific rendering. Intranet portals, older CRM systems, and government apps often depend on ActiveX controls, VBScript, or document modes that only the IE Trident engine supports.
• You are migrating from IE11. During the transition to modern browsers, IE Mode lets you verify that pages render identically in compatibility mode before removing IE-specific code.
• Compliance or policy mandates IE support. Some organizations require IE compatibility for internal tools until all systems are upgraded.

note

IE Mode is available only on Windows. The Edge browser version must support IE Mode, and Microsoft controls which versions include this feature through enterprise policy.

Set Up IE Mode Capabilities

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Configure InternetExplorerOptions with Edge attachment to run tests in IE Mode on TestMu AI.

To run tests in IE Mode, use the InternetExplorerOptions class with platformName set to Windows 11 and browserVersion set to 11.0. TestMu AI handles the Edge attachment server-side. Pass your credentials in LT:Options as usual.

Java

IEModeTest.java

import org.openqa.selenium.ie.InternetExplorerOptions;
import org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebDriver;
import java.net.URL;
import java.util.HashMap;

public class IEModeTest {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        InternetExplorerOptions browserOptions = new InternetExplorerOptions();
        browserOptions.setPlatformName("Windows 11");
        browserOptions.setBrowserVersion("11.0");

        HashMap<String, Object> ltOptions = new HashMap<>();
        ltOptions.put("username", System.getenv("LT_USERNAME"));
        ltOptions.put("accessKey", System.getenv("LT_ACCESS_KEY"));
        ltOptions.put("project", "IE Mode Test");
        ltOptions.put("w3c", true);
        browserOptions.setCapability("LT:Options", ltOptions);

        RemoteWebDriver driver = new RemoteWebDriver(
            new URL("https://hub.lambdatest.com/wd/hub"), browserOptions);
        driver.get("https://example.com");

        System.out.println("Page title: " + driver.getTitle());
        driver.quit();
    }
}

C#

IEModeTest.cs

using OpenQA.Selenium;
using OpenQA.Selenium.IE;
using OpenQA.Selenium.Remote;

InternetExplorerOptions browserOptions = new InternetExplorerOptions();
browserOptions.PlatformName = "Windows 11";
browserOptions.BrowserVersion = "11.0";

Dictionary<string, object> ltOptions = new Dictionary<string, object>();
ltOptions.Add("username", Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("LT_USERNAME"));
ltOptions.Add("accessKey", Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("LT_ACCESS_KEY"));
ltOptions.Add("project", "IE Mode Test");
ltOptions.Add("w3c", true);
browserOptions.AddAdditionalOption("LT:Options", ltOptions);

IWebDriver driver = new RemoteWebDriver(
    new Uri("https://hub.lambdatest.com/wd/hub"), browserOptions);
driver.Navigate().GoToUrl("https://example.com");

Console.WriteLine("Page title: " + driver.Title);
driver.Quit();

Key Configuration Options

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Review the IE Mode capabilities and their expected values.

Capability	Value	Description
platformName	Windows 11	IE Mode runs on Windows only.
browserVersion	11.0	Set to 11.0 to indicate IE11 compatibility mode.
w3c	true	Enables the W3C WebDriver protocol.

Common Issues and Solutions

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Troubleshoot frequent problems when running IE Mode tests.

Elements not interactable in IE Mode

IE Mode uses the Trident rendering engine, which handles focus and click events differently from modern browsers. Add explicit waits before interacting with elements. Avoid CSS selectors that rely on modern pseudo-classes not supported by IE11.

Session timeout errors

IE Mode sessions can take longer to initialize than standard browser sessions. Increase your session timeout in LT:Options if you encounter timeout errors during startup.

warning

IE Mode does not support all Selenium features available in modern browsers. Features like shadow DOM access, modern CSS selectors, and certain JavaScript APIs are unavailable when the page renders through the Trident engine.