What Version of Internet Explorer Do I Have?

This article explains how to know what version of Internet Explorer you have installed and why it's important. There are two ways to do this: through Internet Explorer itself and via Command Prompt. These instructions apply to Windows Vista and newer.

How to Find the Version Number With Internet Explorer

The easiest way is to check the version number from the About Internet Explorer dialog box:

1. Open Internet Explorer.​ 

   If you're on Windows 11/10 and are actually looking for the version number of the Edge browser, see the section at the very bottom of this page for instructions on doing that.

2. Select the gear icon or use the Alt+X keyboard shortcut.​

   Older versions of Internet Explorer, as well as newer versions that are configured in a certain way, show a traditional menu. If so, select Help instead.

3. Choose About Internet Explorer.

4. The major version of IE, like Internet Explorer 11, is obviously apparent thanks to the big logo that has the version appended.

   The complete version number that you're running can be found next to Version under the logo.

How to Use a Command to Locate the IE Version Number

Another method is to enter the following command in Command Prompt to check what Windows Registry says about the Internet Explorer version:

reg query "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer" /v svcVersion

The result should read something like this, where in this example, 11.706.17134.0 is the version number:

svcVersion REG_SZ 11.706.17134.0

How to Make Sure IE Is Updated

Now that you know what version of Internet Explorer you have, you need to determine if updating IE is the next step.

Internet Explorer isn't just a browser, it's also the way in which Windows itself communicates with the internet to, for example, download patches to be installed via Windows Update. Keeping it updated is important, then, even if you don't use it to surf the web.

What About Microsoft Edge?

Remember that Edge isn't the same as Internet Explorer. Here's how to check its version number:

1. Select the three dots (...) at the top right.

2. Go to Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge.

3. Look for the Edge version number on the right side of the screen.

Another way to get to this screen is from the browser's settings. Search for version to quickly find Edge's full version number.

There's also a PowerShell command that will display the Edge version number:

(Get-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Edge\BLBeacon -Name version).version

If you prefer Command Prompt, use reg query:

reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Edge\BLBeacon /v version

Why the Version Number Is Important to Know

Knowing the version number is helpful so you don't waste your time updating if you don't need to. It's also useful so you know which tutorials to follow when you're trying to diagnose a problem, or maybe so you can communicate that version number to someone that's helping you solve a problem with the browser.