On Valentine’s Day, Microsoft “permanently discontinued” Internet Explorer, ending a web browser that had long lagged behind more modern, superior ones.

While Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer have long coexisted, it will now be the default browser on all Windows-based devices.

Sean Lyndersay, general manager of Microsoft Edge Enterprise, announced Internet Explorer’s eventual demise in a blog post from 2021. In addition to offering Internet Explorer users a faster, safer, and more up-to-date surfing experience, Microsoft Edge can also help with a crucial issue: compatibility with legacy, ancient websites, and programs.

The browser was introduced in 1995, and it was the most widely used way to access the internet for a while. Then in 1997, federal regulators filed a lawsuit against Microsoft for mandating the use of Internet Explorer as a component of Windows.

As a result of the legal pressure, Microsoft eventually had to make Windows accessible to rival browsers, which quickly gained market share.

According to analytics firm Statcounter, Google’s Chrome currently accounts for 65% of the browser market, while Apple’s Safari accounts for 19%. Microsoft Edge’s market share is now about 4%.

The last version of Internet Explorer was released in 2013.

Some online users expressed their sadness over the browser’s demise, while others complained that it had become “bug-ridden and insecure” and pointed out that it was mostly used for downloading other browsers.