How to Move/Switch from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge - EaseUS

With Microsoft ending its support for the Internet Explorer on June 15, 2022, many old fans of the IE browser may want to know IE end of life, what do I do. Some of them may also wonder how to move IE essentials like favorites, accounts and passwords, Downloads, etc., to a new browser.

On this page, we'll show you how to effectively move everything from the Internet Explorer to the new Edge browser on your own. So let's get started here. 

Should I Switch from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge?

To answer this question, you should first learn what is Microsoft Edge first. The new Edge browser was designed and first released in 2015 as a successor to the Internet Explorer browser.

The Edge is now shipped with Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating systems. Most old Windows operating systems are still using Internet Explorer. However, when IE goes out of life without security updates and tech support, smart IE users would try to find ways to shift their essentials from IE to Edge or other browsers.

To protect your personal and business properties, it's advised that you transfer from the Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge or other browsers. So the answer to "Should I switch from IE to Edge" is Yes.

You may refer to this page to learn more details about Edge: 

Why Move from Internet Explorer to Edge? What Are the Benefits?

Although Microsoft has claimed Edge as a successor to replace Internet Explorer, some Windows users are still not quite sure about this.

Here is a list of reasons that will explain why it is necessary to move from Internet Explorer to Edge:

• The Internet Explorer is outdated and no longer supported after June 15 2022.5.26.
• The performance of Internet Explorer is not as qualified as other new browsers.
• The Internet Explorer is not compatible with new Windows 10 and Windows 11.
• IE may contain security risks.

Aside from the above-listed reasons, you'll also gain the listed benefits here by moving your belongs from IE to Edge:

• More new features, better browser performance.
• Continuous tech support.
• Low-security risks.
• Higher compatibility.

Microsoft Edge supports most Windows operating systems, including Windows 11/10/8.1/7 and Windows Server 2022/2019/2016/2012/2012 r2/ 2008 r2.

So how do I move from Internet Explorer to Edge? Microsoft has got your needs covered. Let's got and get the resolutions for migrating everything from IE to Edge.

How to Move from Internet Explorer to Edge [Full Guide Here]

Here in this part, we'll cover all possible and efficient solutions to help you successfully move IE content, including favorites or bookmarks, saved accounts and passwords, browsing history, settings, etc., to Edge.

#1. Import Internet Explorer Data (Everything) to Microsoft Edge On One PC

Microsoft Edge is a powerful browser, and it enables you directly shift favorites/bookmarks, passwords, and even histories, etc., from the Internet Explorer to Edge.

Here are the details:

Step 1. Launch Microsoft Edge on your PC, and click the 3 dots at the top-right menu, then select "Settings".

Sign in to Edge and Internet Explorer with your account and password.

Step 2. Select "Profile" and click "Import browser data".

Step 3. Click "Choose what to import" under the Import from other browsers section.

Step 4. Select the source browser - Microsoft Internet Explorer to import data from, and choose what to import:

• Favorites or bookmarks
• Saved passwords
• Personal info
• Payment info
• Browsing history
• Settings
• Open tabs
• Extensions

Step 5. Click "Import" and wait for the process to complete.

Note that you should close all open tabs on your source browser so to ensure the migration is complete and successful. Otherwise, you may not completely move everything from IE to Edge on your computer.

#2. Move Internet Explorer Data to Edge from PC to PC

This guide will show you how to switch IE data, including favorites, passwords, etc., from an old PC to Edge on a new computer. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Export Internet Explorer data on source PC:

Export Favorites from IE:

• Open IE browser, select "View favorites, feeds, and history".
• Under Add to favorites menu, select "Import and export...".
• Select "Export to a file", click "Next".
• Select the folder to export your Favorites and select "Next".
• Browse a location to save the exported file, click "Export" and "Finish".

Export Saved Passwords from IE:

• Open PowerShell as administrator.
• Type the commands here in PowerShell and hit Enter:

• Type ExportPassword and hit Enter.
• Type notepad %temp%\wincreds.csv and hit Enter.

Wait for the CSV file to open, and replace the first line content to let Edge recognize IE passwords:

• Change "UserName" to "username"
• Change "Resource" to "url"
• Change "Password" to "password"

Step 2. Transfer IE Data - Favorites and Passwords to New Computer

To simplify the process, you can use an external USB drive to copy and transfer the exported IE favorites HTML file and the password CSV file to a new computer.

Step 3. Import IE Favorites and Passwords to Edge on New PC

Import IE Favorites to Edge:

• Run Edge browser on the new computer.
• Connect the external storage device to the PC and click the 3 dots on the top right menu.
• Click "Settings" > "Profiles" > "Choose what to import".
• Now, select "Favorites or bookmarks HTML file".

• Click "Choose file" and select the IE favorites HTML file, click "OK".

Wait for the process to complete.

Import IE passwords to Edge:

• Open Edge browser, go to Settings > Profiles > Choose what to import.
• Select "Password CSV file".
• Click "Choose file" to browse and open the CSV file and let Edge to import all the passwords.

Bonus Tip: How to Move IE/Edge Downloads to Another Location or to a New PC

After you move the IE favorites and passwords to the new Edge browser, the last content you may want to move could be the Downloads folder of IE or Edge.

Here are the guides that you may try:

#1. Move IE/Edge Downloads to New Location or New PC with Automated Tool

EaseUS Todo PCTrans, with its file transfer features, can efficiently move your data, files, folders, programs, etc., to a new PC. Here is how you can use it to change the IE or Edge Downloads location:

1. Change IE/Edge Downloads Location

Step 1. Open EaseUS Todo PCTrans on your computer. Click "Large File Cleanup", then click "Start" button to go on. This feature enables you to transfer files from one drive to another or move data from one disk to another.  

Step 2. Choose the hard drive or disk you want to scan for files.

Step 3. When the scan completes, files larger than 20M will be listed. Select the target files to transfer and set the target location as you need. Then, click the "Move" button to the next step. 

Step 4. Confirm the transfer operation again and click the "Move" button to start the process. When the file transfer finishes, you will get enough free space on the source drive/disk. 

2. Transfer IE/Edge Downloads to A New PC

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Todo PCTrans on both old and new computers. Click the "PC to PC" on the main screen to continue.

Step 2. Choose the right transfer direction.

"New": Transfer data from old PC to current new PC.

"Old": Transfer data from current old PC to remote PC.

Step 3. Connect the two PCs on the same LAN by entering the password or verification code of the target PC. Choose the right transmission direction and click "Connect" to continue.

The verification code is on the right top of the "PC to PC" main screen on the target computer. Turn on button behind Connection Verification.

Step 4. Go to "Files" section, select the individual files you need to move.

Step 5. And, click the "Transfer" button to begin the data migration. Wait for the transferring finishes. The time of the process varies based on the size of the files.

#2. Change the Download Location of Edge

Step 1. Launch Edge browser, click the 3 dots on the top right menu, and click "Downloads". 

Step 2. Click the 3 dots on the Downloads window, and select "Downloads settings".

Step 3. Click "Change" below the Downloads section.

Then browse to select a new location for Edge to save the downloaded items.

#3. Move The IE Downloads Folder to New the Location

Step 1. Open IE browser, go to Downloads > Settings > Location.

Step 2. View the location of the Downloads of the IE browser.

Step 3. Copy and move the downloaded items to the new location you've changed on your PC.

IE Ends, You Can Move to Edge or Other Browsers to Continue with Your Digital Life

Though the Internet Explorer is getting its end of life, your digital life has just started.

This page collects the complete guides and resolutions that you can follow the one that works the most to successfully move Internet Explorer favorites, settings, passwords, etc., to Edge on your own.