How to Upgrade Internet Explorer on a Mac
Upgrading Internet Explorer on a Mac is easy, although it is advisable only if you are using an older Mac computer that cannot support newer Mac-compatible browsers, such as Apple's Safari or Mozilla's Firefox. Official Microsoft support for Internet Explorer for Mac ceased in 2005, meaning the browser does not offer support for such features as tabs and extensions, such as PDF viewers. For users of early versions of Mac OS X for which support has also stopped, Internet Explorer for Mac offers competent, although outdated, web browsing tools.
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Things You'll Need
- Mac running Mac OS X 10.1.5 or later
- Apple QuickTime 5.0.2 or later
- Internet connection
Instructions
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1
Download Internet Explorer. Because Microsoft no longer supports the Mac version of Internet Explorer, you cannot download it directly from Microsoft. However, the final release of Internet Explorer for Mac, version 5.2.3, is available for download on such websites as Softronic.
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2
Open the disk image. The Internet Explorer download is a disk image, which must be expanded and mounted. Using the Finder, open the folder to which you downloaded Internet Explorer. Find the Internet Explorer file ending in .dmg.
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Launch the installer. After the disk image is mounted on your desktop, you will find a new drive titled "Install Internet Explorer." Double-click on the drive name to open its contents. Double click on the Internet Explorer 5.2.3 installer, titled "InternetExplorer5.2.3.pkg."
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Follow the on-screen prompts. During the installation process, you will be asked to accept the Internet Explorer license terms and choose the destination drive to which you want Internet Explorer installed. If you choose the same drive on which your current Internet Explorer installation resides, it will automatically update and delete the old version.
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Launch Internet Explorer. When the installer finishes, locate Internet Explorer in your Macintosh HD folder or in the Dock. Click on the Internet Explorer logo to launch the browser. In the upper-left corner of the screen, click on "Internet Explorer" and then choose "About Internet Explorer." Verify that the version installed is Internet Explorer 5.2.3, the final version for Mac OS.
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Eject the disk image. Press "Control" and simultaneously click on the disk image mounted on your desktop and choose "Eject." This will remove the virtual drive on which Internet Explorer was stored.
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Tips & Warnings
The final release of Internet Explorer for Mac predates Apple's switch to Intel processors. As Internet Explorer was coded ground-up for the older PowerPC standard, newer Macs must run Internet Explorer in PowerPC emulation mode, also known as Rosetta. This can make Internet Explorer seem sluggish, even though it is old and relatively simple compared to recent browsers.
References
- Photo Credit wired mac mouse image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
