How to Configure the IE Mode Site List in Edge for Enterprise on Windows 11

Many organizations still rely on legacy web applications that require Internet Explorer. Microsoft Edge includes Internet Explorer mode to run these older apps without leaving the modern browser. Configuring the IE Mode site list ensures that specific URLs automatically open in IE mode rather than modern rendering. This article explains how to create, deploy, and manage the site list for Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 devices.

What Is IE Mode and Why Use a Site List

Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge lets you run legacy ActiveX controls, Browser Helper Objects, and older document modes within a modern browser tab. Without a site list, users must manually enable IE mode for each site, which wastes time and creates configuration drift. A site list tells Edge which URLs should automatically switch to IE mode, ensuring consistent behavior across all devices. The site list is an XML file that you host on a web server and reference through a Group Policy or Intune policy.

Prerequisites for this configuration include:

• Microsoft Edge version 77 or later on Windows 11
• Administrative access to create Group Policy Objects or Intune configuration profiles
• A web server or network share accessible via HTTPS from all target devices
• Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition for Group Policy management

Steps to Create and Deploy the IE Mode Site List

Follow these steps to build the XML site list, host it, and apply the policy to your Windows 11 devices.

Step 1: Create the XML Site List File

Open Notepad or any text editor. Create a new file with the following structure. Replace the example URLs with your actual legacy application addresses.

1. Define the site list root element
   Start with <site-list version="1">. Add a <created-by> element with your organization name and a <last-modified> timestamp.
2. Add each site entry
   For every legacy URL, create a <site> block. Include <url> with the full domain or path, <compat-mode> set to IE8Enterprise or IE7Enterprise as needed, and <open-in> set to IE11.
3. Close the file and save
   End with </site-list>. Save the file as sites.xml. Use UTF-8 encoding without BOM.

Example XML content:

<site-list version="1">
  <created-by>YourCompany IT</created-by>
  <last-modified>2025-01-15T10:00:00Z</last-modified>
  <site>
    <url>https://legacyapp.company.com</url>
    <compat-mode>IE8Enterprise</compat-mode>
    <open-in>IE11</open-in>
  </site>
  <site>
    <url>https://oldportal.company.com/reports</url>
    <compat-mode>IE7Enterprise</compat-mode>
    <open-in>IE11</open-in>
  </site>
</site-list>

Step 2: Host the Site List File

Place the sites.xml file on a web server that supports HTTPS. Use a server that all Windows 11 devices can reach without authentication, or configure authentication if your environment requires it. The URL must be accessible directly without redirects. For example: https://configserver.company.com/edge/sites.xml.

Step 3: Configure the Group Policy Setting

On a domain-joined Windows 11 machine, open the Group Policy Management Console. Create or edit a Group Policy Object linked to the organizational unit containing your target devices.

1. Navigate to the Edge policy path
   Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge. If you do not see Microsoft Edge templates, download and install the Edge ADMX files from Microsoft.
2. Enable the Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List policy
   Double-click Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List. Set it to Enabled. In the Options box, enter the full URL to your sites.xml file, for example https://configserver.company.com/edge/sites.xml.
3. Apply the policy
   Click OK. Link the GPO to the correct OU. Run gpupdate /force on a test device to verify the policy applies.

Step 4: Verify IE Mode Is Working

Open Microsoft Edge on a managed device. Navigate to one of the URLs listed in your site list. The address bar should show the IE mode icon (a small gear icon). Right-click the page and select Open in Internet Explorer mode to confirm the rendering engine. You can also type edge://compat in the address bar to see the active site list and verify that your entries appear.

Common Issues and Limitations

Even with a correctly configured site list, you may encounter problems. Here are the most frequent ones and how to resolve them.

Site List Not Applying After Policy Update

If Edge does not recognize the site list, check that the policy is applied. Open Edge and go to edge://policy. Look for InternetExplorerIntegrationLevel set to 1 (IEMode) and InternetExplorerIntegrationSiteList showing your URL. If missing, run gpupdate /force and restart Edge. Also verify the XML file is accessible from the device by opening the URL in a browser.

Legacy Application Still Opens in Modern Mode

This usually happens when the URL in the site list does not exactly match the URL the user enters. Use wildcards in the site list to cover subdomains. For example, use https://company.com instead of https://app.company.com. Also ensure that the <compat-mode> value matches the application requirement. Test with IE8Enterprise first, then switch to a lower mode if needed.

Site List File Changes Not Refreshing

Edge caches the site list for up to 24 hours by default. To force a refresh, close all Edge windows and restart the browser. You can also set the InternetExplorerIntegrationSiteListRefreshInterval policy to a lower value, such as 60 minutes. Note that too frequent refreshes can increase network load.

Group Policy vs Intune: Deployment Method Comparison

Item	Group Policy (ADMX)	Microsoft Intune
Management console	Group Policy Management Console	Microsoft Intune admin center
Device requirement	Domain-joined Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise/Education	Windows 11 enrolled in Intune or Autopilot
Policy setting name	Configure the Enterprise Mode Site List	Internet Explorer integration site list URL
Refresh interval	Default 90 minutes, configurable	Default 8 hours, configurable
Site list format	XML file hosted on HTTPS server	Same XML file hosted on HTTPS server
Target scope	Organizational units	Azure AD groups or device groups

Both methods use the same XML site list file. Choose Group Policy for on-premises environments and Intune for cloud-managed or hybrid devices.

After deploying the site list, test a representative set of legacy applications. Monitor Edge logs at edge://compat for any blocked or failed entries. If an application still requires manual IE mode, add its URL to the site list and refresh Edge. For advanced scenarios, consider using the IE mode troubleshooting guide on Microsoft Learn to debug specific ActiveX controls or document mode issues.