Changing the User Agent in Internet Explorer 11


  1. Posts : 3,514
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #1

    Changing the User Agent in Internet Explorer 11


    Hello!

    I have encountered some sites that claim false incompatibility with Internet Explorer 11. I use this browser mostly because it still supports all "legacy" features such as Java, that other browsers do not. I want to keep using it as long as there is no website using some totally incompatible protocol that IE 11 cannot handle. Some sites, such as YouTube and Yahoo mail, display an annoying warning that IE is not supported and I should consider another browser, however they do work fine without any noticeable compatibility issue! Other sites, such as Vodafone Greece, are even worse by denying to load at all unless I open them in another browser such as Firefox. I want to use Internet Explorer 11 instead, so I tried to open the Developer settings and change the user agent in Firefox or Chrome, but apparently I did not do that correctly, all the affected sites still detect I run IE 11. Can you please guide me into changing the user agent properly?

    Please do not argue about any security concerns of using IE 11, I take full responsibility! And please do not try to persuade me switching browser, just provide help, otherwise please do not bother to reply!

    Thank you.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 3,274
    Win10
       #2

    Have you tried using the string below -other examples are shown on the following page (you can even try the linux version)

    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; WOW64; rv:54.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/73.0

    What is the latest user agent for Firefox? - WhatIsMyBrowser.com

    Although I have to tell you that I tried that User Agent string (amongst others) in IE 11, and although the tab it was attached to recognized it as Firefox 73 on Windows 10 at the whatismybrowser.com site , attaching it to the Vodafone.Gr site still showed the ' message to Choose/Use Another Browser images ? ' .
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 31,680
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #3

    spapakons said:
    Other sites, such as Vodafone Greece, are even worse by denying to load at all unless I open them in another browser such as Firefox. I want to use Internet Explorer 11 instead, so I tried to open the Developer settings and change the user agent in Firefox or Chrome, but apparently I did not do that correctly, all the affected sites still detect I run IE 11. Can you please guide me into changing the user agent properly?
    No, you are doing it correctly. However Vodafone Greece seems to be using more than just the User Agent String to detect IE11.

    I have tested that the F12 Developers Tools is successfully changing the user agent string in IE11 here: https://www.microsoft.com/software-d...d/windows10ISO but If I then go to Vodafone Greece here: Vodafone | Τηλεόραση, Internet, Σταθερή & Κινητή still says it's not compatible

    Maybe it is HTML5 support that the site is checking, not just the user agent string. IE11's support is poor....

    Changing the User Agent in Internet Explorer 11-image.png

    Test yours here: HTML5test - How well does your browser support HTML5? I suspect that these may be the key IE11 incompatibilities for those websites...

    Changing the User Agent in Internet Explorer 11-image.png Changing the User Agent in Internet Explorer 11-image.png
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 3,514
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Yes, I saw that too. User agent changes successfully but cannot trick Vodafone or YouTube.
      My Computer


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:52.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums