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Internet Explorer was once the default browser on Mac systems from 1998 to 2003. It was a result of the agreement between the two companies (Microsoft and Apple) that stated for five years, Internet explorer would be the default browser on Macintosh systems. Internet Explorer 11 makes the web blazing fast on Windows 7. Now with Bing and MSN defaults. 05 Internet Explorer 11 for IT Professionals and Developers-Windows 7. Internet Explorer 11 is the recommended browser for Windows 7. 06 Internet Explorer 11 Language Packs for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
If you’ve just recently switched from PC to Mac, you’ve probably noticed that instead of Internet Explorer or Edge that you’re used to, Mac has its own proprietary browser called Safari. In fact if you try searching for “download Internet Explorer for Mac” you’ll quickly realize that the exact IE equivalent on Mac doesn’t exist. What do you do then?
Interestingly, at the dawn of the world wide web in the late 90s, Internet Explorer was the default browser on all Macs. But when Apple introduced Safari as the new default browser in 2003, Microsoft has decided to discontinue the development of IE for Mac shortly after. So unless you run Mac OS X 10.6 or earlier (why would you?), there is no way to directly install Internet Explorer on Mac. And you definitely shouldn’t use the Internet Explorer versions from pre-2003 right now.
Windows apps alternatives for Mac?
Say no more. Here’s a curated collection of apps for any job available with Setapp.
How To Use Internet Explorer on Mac
Although natively launching Internet Explorer on Mac isn’t possible, there are other ways to simulate IE for Mac experience. You could mask Safari as different versions of Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge, you could also install a virtual machine and launch IE for Mac that way, or you could simply choose to use any other third-party browser available on macOS.
Simulate Internet Explorer on Mac with Safari
Most of the time, if you need to use Internet Explorer on Mac, it’s probably for testing purposes, to see how certain websites or web apps perform, or to access websites that require you to use IE (yes, those still exist).
Both of those use cases could be easily performed by Safari. To use Internet Explorer with Safari, you just need to turn on developer tools:
- In Safari, go to Preferences > Advanced
- Check “Show Develop menu in menu bar”
Now you can access developer tools directly from Safari, which let you inspect websites, empty caches, and most importantly simulate a variety of other browsers right through the Safari app. To use Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer on Mac:
- Go to the Develop menu in Safari’s menu bar
- Navigate to User Agent and select the browser you’re looking for, whether it’s Microsoft Edge, any of the Internet Explorer versions, Google Chrome, Firefox, etc.
- The website you’re on will be automatically refreshed to reflect the browser of your choice. Just don’t forget to switch back!
The User Agent option in Safari should cover nearly all reasons for using Internet Explorer on Mac. However, if you do absolutely need to launch Internet Explorer itself for one reason or another, you could also try doing it with the help of a virtual machine.
Launch Internet Explorer on a virtual machine
While using a virtual machine for Internet Explorer is not by any means an easy solution, it’s still there for anyone who needs it. What virtual machine essentially does is installing a full-scale copy of Windows on your Mac and letting you launch it as an app inside the macOS. From there you can launch Internet Explorer or, in fact, any program you miss from your Windows days.
To set up virtual machine, first you need to buy a copy of some virtual machine software (VMware Fusion is a good one) and a license for Windows. Once you have those in place:
- Download both VMware fusion and the Windows ISO file
- Launch VMware Fusion
- In the Installation Method window, choose “Create a new custom virtual machine”
- Drag and drop your Windows ISO file onto the dialogue window
- Click Finish
- Relaunch the virtual machine and click the play button to setup Windows
Now every time you need to use Internet Explorer on Mac, you can just launch the virtual machine and use IE directly with Windows that way. There are certainly a few downsides to this solution. First, you have to purchase both VMware Fusion and a licensed copy of Windows for the sole purpose of using Internet Explorer. Second, virtual machines tend to be quite heavy on your processor, as they are running the whole operating system inside them.
Another option available to you in case you don’t specifically need to use IE for Mac but rather move away from Safari is to switch to any other third-party browser, all of which are freely available on macOS.
Use third-party browsers on Mac
If Safari is not your first browser of choice and using Internet Explorer for Mac is at the very least quite complicated, you can download any other stable and widely used browser out there and make it the default one on your macOS.
Google Chrome
By far the most dominant browser of today, Google Chrome currently commands 45–65% browser market share. Developed by Google, the browser is available on both desktop and mobile devices, and thus boasts a significant amount of plugins and web apps that are exclusive to it. Chrome has also been praised for its speed and tight integration with all other Google products. As for the downsides, using Chrome means being subjected to Google’s pervading tracking and helping Google to effectively monopolize the web.
Firefox
Firefox is another great everyday browser. Heir to the first commercial web browser called Netscape, it’s an open-source program owned by the not-for-profit Mozilla Foundation. Firefox is fast, secure, and boasts a supportive community around the world. All of this makes it a great alternative to Safari and Internet Explorer.
Brave
Brave is a newcomer to the browser arena that first appear only in 2015. Based on the open-source Chromium project (as is Google Chrome), the browser quickly gained a loyal following due to its aggressive privacy controls and ad blocking. Turning Brave into your default browser might seem a bit experimental at this point, but it nevertheless presents a good option for anyone concerned with privacy.
Microsoft Edge
Although not available on macOS as of early 2019, Microsoft has announced that it’s currently rewriting the Edge browser engine to run on Chromium (like Google Chrome and Brave), which means it will become compatible with macOS too upon release. Fingers crossed, but in the meantime you can choose one of the alternative browsers listed above.
Overall, these are your three options of running Internet Explorer on Mac. You can use Safari’s User Agent to view any webpage just as Internet Explorer would, launch the actual Internet Explorer browser through a virtual machine running Windows, or choose one of the alternative browsers if all you want to do is get away from Safari on Mac.
However, if you’re new to Mac, a browser might not be the only thing you’re concerned about. You also need to find apps to cover all kinds of issues related to optimization, organization, security, and productivity.
Essential apps for all new Mac owners
As soon as you switch from PC to Mac, you realize that sadly not all apps you loved and used daily are available on macOS. So naturally you need to find suitable replacements. The good news is Mac has an abundance of great apps for everything you need. But how do you choose and decide which ones are worth your time?
That’s where a platform like Setapp becomes indispensable. Setapp is a collection of more than 150 essential apps and utilities for Mac that cover all possible use cases and scenarios. All apps in the collection are automatically updated to their latest versions and new apps are added regularly. It’s a godsend for new and seasoned Mac users alike. Discover new apps that are the best at what they do? What’s not to like?
Try all these apps for free
Get around browser restrictions to enjoy your web journey with useful apps for Mac users
Here is an essential introductory set of some of the apps featured on Setapp that every new Mac users should have.
Bartender
A lightweight utility performing a vital role, Bartender keeps your menu bar clean and tidy. As you use your Mac more and more, every new app would want to be featured in your menu bar (top-right corner). This quickly becomes unsustainable, and instead of a quick access to the apps you need, you’ll spend more time just trying to find the right one.
Mac’s default organization settings for menu bar are quite basic, only allowing you to reshuffle icons. Bartender lets you hide them under a single icon and feature just those you need to use right at the moment.
Ulysses
Lauded as the best writing tool for years, Ulysses features a clean interface and lets you focus on the writing process, whether it’s for simple notes, speeches, or anything in between. And the app’s Markdown support makes it much more web friendly, allowing direct exports to WordPress and Medium.
Disk Drill
No one ever wants to lose their files, no matter whether it’s due to physical damage or accidental deletion. Disk Drill solves that problem by essentially insuring and giving you the option to recover your files. As the most widely used data recovery tool around, Disk Drill helps you back your files on a regular basis and save lost files from damaged hard drives if things ever go south.
CleanMyMac X
The ultimate Mac optimization app, CleanMyMac X keeps your Mac free of any junk, safely and completely uninstalls old apps, and protects you from being affected by malware. Just launch CleanMyMac X once a month to do a complete scan of your computer and you’ll ensure your Mac’s top condition.
Best of all, Bartender, Ulysses, Disk Drill, CleanMyMac X, and all other apps featured on Setapp are available to you on a free trial. Just launch Setapp and try out as many apps as you want, turning your transition to Mac from a chore to a pleasurable discovery.
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
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Intelligently Transfer Music to iTunes
iExplorer lets you easily transfer music from any iPhone, iPod or iPad to a Mac or PC computer and iTunes. You can search for and preview particular songs then copy them to iTunes with the touch of a button or with drag and drop. Looking to transfer more than just a few tracks? With one click, iExplorer lets you instantly rebuild entire playlists or use the Auto Transfer feature and copy everything from your device to iTunes.
Export iPhone Text Messages
Call them what you want, in the last few years we've seen texting (SMSs, iMessages, text messages, etc.) rocket in popularity. These messages are replacing phone calls, voicemails and even emails. We understand that your SMSs and iMessages can be priceless to you and that's why we've spent so much time developing the best tool to help you view, export and archive your messages and attachments. The iExplorer SMS client looks great and even works with group messages, images, and other message attachments too!
Internet Explorer For Mac
Mount iPhone & iPad to Mac's Finder & Windows Explorer
iExplorer's disk mounting features allow you to use your iPhone, iPod or iPad like a USB flash drive. You can view your iPhone's photos directly in Finder or Windows Explorer like you would from any other digital camera. You're also able to get file system access to data contained within the apps or other directories on your device.
Want to back up or move your games' high scores from one device to another? How about saving files directly to or from your favorite file manager such as iExplorer's iOS App iExplorer Mobile? iExplorer can do all of that and more.
File Explorer For Mac
Export Voicemails, Address Book Contacts, Calendar Events, Reminders, Notes & More...
We've crafted seven magnificent utilities into iExplorer that allow you to browse, preview, save, and export the most important information in the databases of your iPhone or iPad.
View your appointments, calendar events, and your call history. Listen to your iPhone's voicemail messages and export them to a folder on your computer. Everything is always just a couple of clicks away. Be in charge of your content.
Access Photos, Files & Everything Else
With iExplorer, you can access more files and folders without modifying (jailbreaking) your device than ever before. Need to access photos on your iPhone or iPod? Can do. Want to access the files and folders of your device's apps? Done. How about browsing through your iTunes backups? Check. What about the media folders containing your iTunes purchases? We've got that too. What about files in apps that are synced to iCloud? Yes, even that.*
iExplorer also works great if your iPhone is Jailbroken. With AFC2 access, the app can read and write to the iOS device's real root (For advanced users only!). *iCloud access is for Mac only.
Internet Explorer For Mac
Supports all iPhones, iPods and iPads ever created.