Information about Internet Explorer versions

Release versions of Internet Explorer for Windows

Internet Explorer version numbers for Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition (Me), Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 use the following format: This table shows possible Internet Explorer version numbers.

Internet Explorer 11 will have a version number that starts with 11 (for example, 11.0.9600). The version number will change based on the updates that have been installed for Internet Explorer. To see the version number and the most recent update installed, go to the Help menu and select About Internet Explorer.

Notes

• The minor version number, build number, and subbuild number may be displayed without trailing zeros. For example, version 7.00.5730.1100 may be displayed as 7.0.5730.11.
• All versions of Internet Explorer 5.0 (and later versions) that are customized with Microsoft Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK) include one of the following strings after the version number. To view this information, click About on the Help menu:
  IC = Internet content provider
  IS = Internet service provider
  CO = Corporate administrator
• Internet Explorer version 4.0 and later versions include an Update Versions line that lists all installed updates or hotfixes to the current version of Internet Explorer. Updates to Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 2 or Internet Explorer 5.0 and later versions are listed by their corresponding Microsoft Knowledge Base article number.
• The version numbers of Internet Explorer in the list are based on the versions of Windows. The list numbers might be changed by the latest hotfix.
• The build number of Internet Explorer in the release version of Windows Vista is the same as in other versions.
• For information about the differences between version 7.00.5730.1100 and version 7.00.5730.1300 of Internet Explorer 7, visit the following Microsoft website:
  http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2007/10/04/internet-explorer-7-update.aspx

  (http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2007/10/04/internet-explorer-7-update.aspx)

Changes to the About Internet Explorer dialog box in Internet Explorer 9 and Internet Explorer 10

You can open the About Internet Explorer dialog box by clicking Help and then clicking About Internet Explorer. Or, press Alt+X and then press A.

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One change from previous versions of Internet Explorer is how we use the Update Versions field. The field is updated every time Internet Explorer 9 or Internet Explorer 10 is updated. The version number has the following components:

• The App Major version field will remain 9 or 10.
• The App Minor version field will remain 0.
• The Update revision field will increment by 1 for each Internet Explorer update that is released.

Every update has an associated Knowledge base article (for example, KB2360131 - MS10-071: Cumulative security update for Internet Explorer) associated with it. The article provides detailed information about what is included in the update, and it also provides detailed information about the binaries that are updated. The About Internet Explorer dialog box provides a link to the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article that is associated with the most recently installed update to Internet Explorer as an easy way to get more information.

For example, if the first update for Internet Explorer 9 has been installed, the About Internet Explorer dialog box will have a link to "Update versions: 9.0.1 (KB2530548)."

How to determine the version of Internet Explorer for Windows

To determine the version of Internet Explorer, use any of the following methods:

• In all versions of Internet Explorer, click About Internet Explorer on the Help menu. The product and version information are displayed in the dialog box that appears.
• Use the registry. You can determine the version of Internet Explorer by viewing the following registry key:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
  If a "version" value appears in this key, Internet Explorer 4.0 or a later version is installed. The version string value contains the version number of Internet Explorer 4.0 (or a later version) that is installed on your computer. (For example, the version string value for Internet Explorer 5 is "5.0.2014.0216"). Be aware that only one zero is stored in the registry for the minor version number if the minor version number is 00. If the minor version number is not 00, the full version value is stored. (For example, 5.50.4807.2300 is stored in the registry as 5.50.4807.2300.)
  
  Note The version string value for Internet Explorer 10 is 9.10.9200.16384, and the svcVersion string value is 10.0.9200.16384.
  
  Internet Explorer 3.x does not add the version value to the registry. Instead, it adds a "build" value to the same registry key and updates the "IVer" string value to "103." For backward compatibility, Internet Explorer 4.0 and later versions change or add the build value. For Internet Explorer 3.x, the build value is a string that contains the four-character build number. (For example, "1300" is the build value for Internet Explorer 3.02). For Internet Explorer 4.0 and later versions, the build value is a string that contains a five-character value, followed by a period and four more characters, in the following format:
  major versionbuild number.subbuild number
  For example, the "build" value for Internet Explorer 5 is "52014.0216."
• Determine the version of Internet Explorer by using the Shdocvw.dll file:
  
  For Internet Explorer 3.0 through 6, the browser is implemented in the Shdocvw.dll (Shell Document Object and Control Library) file. You can use the version of the Shdocvw.dll file to determine the version of Internet Explorer 3.0 through 6 that is installed on your computer. To determine the version number of Internet Explorer 7, you must determine the version number of Iexplore.exe. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
  2. In the Named box, type shdocvw.dll, and then click Find Now.
  3. In the list of files, right-click the Shdocvw.dll file, and then click Properties.
  4. Click the Version tab.
  5. Repeat steps 2 through 4, but in step 2, instead type iexplore.exe. If the version of Iexplore.exe is 7.x, Internet Explorer 7 is installed. Use the table of Internet Explorer versions earlier in this article to compare the version number to release versions of Internet Explorer 7.
  This table lists the different versions of the Shdocvw.dll file and the corresponding versions of Internet Explorer.
  Collapse this tableExpand this table

  Version	Product
  4.70.1155	Internet Explorer 3.0
  4.70.1158	Internet Explorer 3.0 (Windows 95 OSR2)
  4.70.1215	Internet Explorer 3.01
  4.70.1300	Internet Explorer 3.02 and 3.02a
  4.71.1008.3	Internet Explorer 4.0 Platform Preview 2.0 (PP2)
  4.71.1712.5	Internet Explorer 4.0
  4.72.2106.7	Internet Explorer 4.01
  4.72.3110.3	Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1 (Windows 98)
  4.72.3612.1707	Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 2
  5.00.0518.5	Internet Explorer 5 Developer Preview (Beta 1)
  5.00.0910.1308	Internet Explorer 5 Beta (Beta 2)
  5.00.2014.213	Internet Explorer 5
  5.00.2314.1000	Internet Explorer 5 (Office 2000)
  5.00.2516.1900	Internet Explorer 5.01 (Windows 2000 Beta 3, build 5.00.2031)
  5.00.2614.3500	Internet Explorer 5 (Windows 98 Second Edition)
  5.00.2919.800	Internet Explorer 5.01 (Windows 2000 RC1, build 5.00.2072)
  5.00.2919.3800	Internet Explorer 5.01 (Windows 2000 RC2, build 5.00.2128)
  5.00.2919.6307	Internet Explorer 5.01 (Office 2000 SR-1)
  5.00.2920.0000	Internet Explorer 5.01 (Windows 2000, build 5.00.2195)
  5.00.3103.1000	Internet Explorer 5.01 SP1 (Windows 2000 SP1)
  5.00.3105.0106	Internet Explorer 5.01 SP1 (Windows 95/98 and Windows NT 4.0)
  5.00.3314.2100	Internet Explorer 5.01 SP2 (Windows 95/98 and Windows NT 4.0)
  5.00.3315.2879	Internet Explorer 5.01 SP2 (Windows 2000 SP2)
  5.00.3502.5400	Internet Explorer 5.01 SP3 (Windows 2000 SP3 only)
  5.00.3700.6668	Internet Explorer 5.01 SP4 (Windows 2000 SP4 only)
  5.50.3825.1300	Internet Explorer 5.5 Developer Preview (Beta)
  5.50.4030.2400	Internet Explorer 5.5 & Internet Tools Beta
  5.50.4134.0100	Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows Me (4.90.3000)
  5.50.4134.0600	Internet Explorer 5.5
  5.50.4308.2900	Internet Explorer 5.5 Advanced Security Privacy Beta
  5.50.4522.1800	Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 1
  5.50.4807.2300	Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 2
  6.00.2462.0000	Internet Explorer 6 Public Preview (Beta)
  6.00.2479.0006	Internet Explorer 6 Public Preview (Beta) Refresh
  6.00.2600.0000	Internet Explorer 6 (Windows XP)
  6.00.2800.1106	Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 (Windows XP SP1)
  6.00.2900.2180	Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP SP2
  6.00.2900.5512	Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP SP3
  6.00.2800.1278	Internet Explorer 6 Update v.01 Developer Preview (SP1b Beta)
  6.00.2800.1314	Internet Explorer 6 Update v.04 Developer Preview (SP1b Beta)
  6.00.3663.0000	Internet Explorer 6 for Windows Server 2003 RC1
  6.00.3718.0000	Internet Explorer 6 for Windows Server 2003 RC2
  6.00.3790.0000	Internet Explorer 6 for Windows Server 2003 (release)
  6.00.3790.1830	Internet Explorer 6 for Windows Server 2003 SP1 and Windows XP x64

  
  
  Notes
  • The minor version number, build number, and subbuild number may be displayed without trailing zeros. For example, version 7.00.5730.1100 may be displayed as 7.0.5730.11.
  • The Shdocvw.dll file is installed in the %Windir%\System folder in Windows 95, in Windows 98, and in Windows Millennium Edition. The Shdocvw.dll file is installed in the %Windir%\System32 folder in Windows NT 4.0, in Windows 2000, in Windows XP, and in Windows Server 2003. If the Shdocvw.dll file does not exist, Internet Explorer is either incorrectly installed or is not installed.
  • If the version of the Shdocvw.dll file on your computer is not listed in this table, you have installed an Internet Explorer hotfix, an update, or a security update that contains a later version of the Shdocvw.dll file. For example, Shdocvw.dll version 6.0.2800.1170 for Internet Explorer 6 SP1 is included with the MS03-015: April, 2003, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (813489) package. If your version of Shdocvw.dll is not listed in this table, you are running the version of Internet Explorer that has the closest version number that is earlier than your version number. To determine which Internet Explorer hotfix, update, or security update is installed, search for the Shdocvw.dll version number on your computer and for "Shdocvw.dll" in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.
  • Internet Explorer 6 Update v.01 and v.04 are prerelease versions of Internet Explorer 6 that change the behavior of Internet Explorer when the program loads ActiveX controls. These prerelease updates are installed in side-by-side mode and will not affect the installation or version number of Internet Explorer 6 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106). Internet Explorer 6 Update v.01 and v.04 require Windows XP Service Pack 1. For more information about these prerelease updates, visit the following Microsoft website:
    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/bb969055.aspx

    (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/bb969055.aspx)
  • The version numbers of Internet Explorer in the list are based on the versions of Windows. The list numbers might be changed by the latest hotfix.
• Determine the version of Internet Explorer by using a script:
  
  All versions of Internet Explorer send version information in the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) user agent information header. This information can be read from script on a webpage. For information about how to use a script to obtain the version number of Internet Explorer, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  167820

  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/167820/ )

  How to determine browser version from a script
  272413

  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/272413/ )

  How to determine browser type in server-side script without the BrowserType object
  Webpage developers can use this information to take advantage of new features in later versions of Internet Explorer (such as Dynamic HTML or Channels in Internet Explorer 4.x) and downgrade for earlier versions of Internet Explorer that do not support these features.
  
  If you have to uniquely identify Internet Explorer version 5.0 or later versions of the program (on Microsoft Win32 and on UNIX platforms only), use the isComponentInstalled or getComponentVersion methods of the CLIENTCAPS behavior. For information about these methods, see the following Microsoft websites:
  http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms531357.aspx

  (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms531357.aspx)

  
  
  http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms531350.aspx

  (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms531350.aspx)
  Note These methods do not work if the client is not Internet Explorer 5 or a later version (on Microsoft Win32 and UNIX platforms only).

Internet Explorer versions for other operating systems

Internet Explorer for Windows 3.1, Internet Explorer for UNIX on Sun Solaris, Internet Explorer for UNIX on HP-UX, and Internet Explorer for Macintosh are no longer available from or supported by Microsoft.

Internet Explorer for Macintosh or Windows 3.1

In Internet Explorer, click About Internet Explorer on the Help menu. On the Macintosh, click About Internet Explorer on the Apple menu. The version number is displayed in the dialog box that appears. Possible version numbers include the following: Note If the version number is 3.0, you should also check the build number next to the version number. To determine whether you are running the 128-bit strong encryption version of Internet Explorer for Macintosh, click About Internet Explorer on the Apple menu, and then click Support. The Encryption box should contain the current encryption level. Here are examples:

• 40 Bit International/Export Version
• 128 Bit US Domestic (Not for Export)

Another way to determine whether you are running the 128-bit strong encryption version is to use the Get Info command on one of the following files (depending on your processor family, PowerPC or 68xxx), and then examine the version information:

• System Folder:Extensions:MS Library Folder:MS Internet Library (PPC)
• System Folder:Extensions:MS Library Folder:MS Internet Library (68K)

Internet Explorer for UNIX on Sun Solaris

To determine the version of Internet Explorer that is currently installed on a Solaris SPARC computer, follow these steps:

1. Open a Terminal window. Determine the path of the installed Internet Explorer files. (The default path is /usr/local/microsoft/, which is used in the following steps as the example path).
2. At the prompt, type cd /usr/local/microsoft, and then press Enter.
3. Type ls -d ie*, and then press Enter. If "ie4" is displayed, you are running Internet Explorer 4.0. If "ie" is displayed, you are running Internet Explorer 5.0.
4. At the prompt, type cd ie*/sunos5, and then press Enter.
5. Type ls -l libschannel.so, and then press Enter.
6. Compare the file information to the following table to determine the version of Internet Explorer that is currently installed on your computer.
   Collapse this tableExpand this table

   File	Version	Size	Product
   libschannel.so	4.71.2011.4	257,668	Internet Explorer 4.01 40-bit
   libschannel.so	4.71.2011.4	257,744	Internet Explorer 4.01 128-bit
   libschannel.so	5.00.2013.1312	524,692	Internet Explorer 5.0 40-bit
   libschannel.so	5.00.2013.1312	523,180	Internet Explorer 5.0 128-bit
   libschannel.so	5.00.2013.2002	523,672	Internet Explorer 5.0 SP1 Beta 128-bit

Internet Explorer for UNIX on HP-UX

To determine the version of Internet Explorer that is currently installed on an HP-UX computer, follow these steps:

1. Open a Terminal window. Determine the path of the installed Internet Explorer files. (The default path is /usr/local/microsoft/, which is used in the following steps as the example path).
2. At the prompt, type cd /usr/local/microsoft, and then press Enter.
3. Type ls -d ie*, and then press Enter. If "ie4" is displayed, you are running Internet Explorer 4.0. If "ie" is displayed, you are running Internet Explorer 5.0.
4. At the prompt, type cd ie*/ux10, and then press Enter.
5. If you have Internet Explorer 4.0, type ls -l libschannel.sl, and then press Enter. If you have Internet Explorer 5.0, type ls -l libcrypt32.sl, and then press Enter.
6. Compare the file information to the following table to determine the version of Internet Explorer that is currently installed on your computer.
   Collapse this tableExpand this table

   File	Version	Size	Product
   libschannel.sl	4.71.2004.9	181,023	Internet Explorer 4.01 40-bit
   libschannel.sl	4.71.2004.9	181,025	Internet Explorer 4.01 128-bit
   libcrypt32.sl	5.00.2013.1312	1,064,393	Internet Explorer 5.0 40-bit
   libcrypt32.sl	5.00.2013.1312	1,072,589	Internet Explorer 5.0 128-bit