It’s Spring 2025. You might think everyone is browsing the web with the latest version of Chrome, Safari, or Firefox these days—but that’s not always the case. In fact, we recently had a surprising visit from someone using Internet Explorer 9.0. Yep, IE 9, which was released in 2011 and officially discontinued by Microsoft years ago, is still making rare appearances on the web.
This unexpected visit inspired us to dive deeper into what browsers users are really using to visit websites today, how it affects your site’s performance and accessibility, and whether you still need to worry about optimizing your site for these legacy browsers.
The Curious Case of Internet Explorer 9 in 2025
Let’s start with the shocker: Internet Explorer 9.0. Microsoft officially ended support for Internet Explorer 9 on January 12, 2016, and fully retired the Internet Explorer brand on June 15, 2022. That means no security updates, no patches, and definitely no modern web standards.
So, why are some users still clinging to it?
Usually, it’s due to outdated systems, enterprise environments with legacy software, or users who just never got the memo to upgrade. But while it’s extremely rare (think less than 1% of web traffic), it still pops up once in a while—like it did for us this week!
Most Popular Browsers in 2025
To give you a clearer picture, here’s a breakdown of typical browser usage by percentage based on recent global trends and what we’ve seen on our own sites:
- Google Chrome – ~65%
Chrome is the dominant browser, thanks to its speed, extension library, and frequent updates. - Apple Safari – ~18%
Safari is the default browser on iPhones, iPads, and Macs, which helps boost its numbers. - Mozilla Firefox – ~4%
Still a fan favorite among developers and users who value privacy and customization. - Microsoft Edge – ~4%
Edge has grown since it moved to a Chromium base, but it’s still trailing far behind Chrome. - Opera & Others – ~2%
Smaller browsers like Opera or Brave have niche audiences. - Internet Explorer – <0.5%
Outdated and phased out—but not completely invisible.
How to Check Which Browsers Are Visiting Your Website
Want to know what browsers your visitors are actually using? You can find this data in your website analytics platform. For example, if you use Google Analytics (analytics.google.com), go to Audience > Technology > Browser & OS to view a breakdown by browser and device. This helps you decide where to focus your optimization efforts and see if any legacy browsers—like Internet Explorer—are still popping up in your traffic.
If you’re on an UltimateWB web hosting plan or UltimateWB Cloud plan, you can also view browser usage stats through AWStats in your cPanel hosting control panel.
Should You Optimize for Internet Explorer?
Short answer: Not really.
Unless you’re specifically serving an organization still reliant on legacy internal systems—like older enterprise platforms that haven’t transitioned—you’re better off focusing your development resources elsewhere. Even most government agencies have moved on from IE due to its security vulnerabilities and lack of support. Supporting IE can involve outdated coding practices and polyfills that bloat your site and slow it down for everyone else.
But it is worth making sure your site doesn’t completely break in IE. If you can gracefully degrade some features without adding too much overhead, that’s a win. With UltimateWB, you don’t have to think about it much — we’ve got the backend and ongoing updates covered to keep your site compatible with modern browsers and evolving web standards.
Optimizing for Modern Browsers
When optimizing your site for users, browser compatibility is still something to keep in mind—even with modern browsers. Here are a few tips:
- Test on all major browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge. Especially on different operating systems (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android).
- Use modern, standardized code — HTML5, CSS3, and ECMAScript 6+ are now widely supported across major browsers. That’s the foundation UltimateWB is built on, so if you’re using it, you’re already aligned with current best practices. If you’re using a different platform, or just want to double-check your site’s code quality, the free W3C Markup Validation Service is a great tool to help you identify and fix any markup issues.
- Avoid browser-specific hacks: These often break later and are not future-proof.
- Use feature detection, not browser detection: Design your site to check whether a specific feature is supported, and then adapt gracefully if it’s not. This ensures users get the best possible experience, no matter what browser they’re using.
- Fallbacks and progressive enhancement: Always design for the most basic experience, and enhance it for modern capabilities. That’s how the UltimateWB built-in WebP converter tool works, for example – if a user’s browser doesn’t support the WebP image format, it automatically falls back to the standard JPG or PNG image.
- Responsive design is a must: Mobile browsing is huge—don’t forget that mobile users access your site through Safari, Chrome, Samsung Internet, and others. We make this easy with the UltimateWB built-in Responsive app, available in the Styles Manager.
Final Thoughts
It’s kind of wild to think that in 2025, someone is still browsing the web with a browser from over a decade ago—but it’s a good reminder that when you run a website, you never know who might show up.
At UltimateWB, we believe in building websites that are fast, accessible, and optimized for all users—whether they’re browsing with the latest version of Chrome or stuck in the time machine with IE 9. And with the right tools and practices, you can do the same for your own site.
Want to build a website that’s optimized for real-world visitors—no matter what browser they’re using? Check out UltimateWB for the features, flexibility, and control you need.
Got a techy/website question? Whether it’s about UltimateWB or another website builder, web hosting, or other aspects of websites, just send in your question in the “Ask David!” form. We will email you when the answer is posted on the UltimateWB “Ask David!” section.
