Internet Explorer was originally developed for Windows, meaning it cannot be installed directly on Linux systems. However, it is possible to use workarounds to run it on Linux. One method is through wine, a program that allows Windows applications to run on Linux. This provides a more direct solution than setting up a full Windows virtual machine.
ies4linux is a tool that simplifies the installation of Internet Explorer using wine. It automates the process, allowing different versions of Internet Explorer to run on Linux distributions like Ubuntu. This method is particularly useful for users who need to run or test web applications that require Internet Explorer.
This approach allows for a lightweight and efficient setup. Instead of running an entire Windows operating system in a virtual machine, ies4linux lets you use wine to quickly install and use specific versions of Internet Explorer. Follow the steps below to install Internet Explorer on your Linux system.
Steps to install Internet Explorer on Linux using ies4linux:
- Open your terminal.
- Install wine and cabextract.
$ sudo apt update && sudo apt install --assume-yes wine cabextract
This will ensure that the necessary dependencies are installed for running Internet Explorer on Linux.
- Download the ies4linux installer script.
$ wget http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/downloads/ies4linux-latest.tar.gz --2019-08-27 16:08:05-- http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/downloads/ies4linux-latest.tar.gz Resolving www.tatanka.com.br (www.tatanka.com.br)... 69.163.217.24 Connecting to www.tatanka.com.br (www.tatanka.com.br)|69.163.217.24|:80... connected. HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK Length: 332341 (325K) [application/gzip] Saving to: `ies4linux-latest.tar.gz' 100%[======================================>] 332,341 277K/s in 1.2s 2019-08-27 16:08:07 (277 KB/s) - `ies4linux-latest.tar.gz' saved [332341/332341]
The script automates the process of installing Internet Explorer using wine.
- Extract the installer script.
$ tar -xf ies4linux-latest.tar.gz
- Run the installer script and follow the provided instructions.
$ ies4linux-*/ies4linux
This command will start the installation process. Follow the on-screen prompts to continue.
Other options for installer:
$ ies4linux-*/ies4linux --full-help Usage: ./ies4linux [OPTIONS] This script downloads and automatically installs multiple versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer on Wine. Without any option, IEs4Linux will: - install IE6 - install Adobe Flash 9 - create icons on Desktop and Menu - use folder: /home/user/.ies4linux You can configure other things: --install-ie55 Install IE5.5 in BASEDIR/ie55/ --install-ie5 Install IE5 in BASEDIR/ie5/ --install-corefonts Install MS Core Fonts (corefonts.sf.net) --no-flash Don't install Adobe Flash Player 9 --no-ie6 Don't install IE 6 --no-desktop-icon Don't create an icon in Desktop --no-menu-icon Don't insert icon on Menu --full-help Display all possible options Configurations: --locale LOCALE The locale for the installation [EN-US] --wget-flags FLAGS Extra flags for wget [-c ] --list-locales Display all possible locales and exit Directories: --basedir BASEDIR Base location for installs [/home/user/.ies4linux] --bindir BINDIR Location of your bin folder [/home/user/bin] --downloaddir DLDIR Where downloads will go [BASEDIR/downloads] Other options: --no-gui Don't show gui, perform an automatic installation --gui gtk|kommander Force use of a specific user interface --no-color Don't show colors --debug Run in DEBUG mode --help / -h Display help with simple options Beta options: --beta-install-ie7 Install Internet Explorer 7 (BETA INSTALLER!) IEs4Linux can do other useful (?!) things: --install-ie1 Install IE 1.0 --install-ie15 Install IE 1.5 --install-ie2 Install IE 2.0
- Select the Internet Explorer versions you want to install.
You will have the option to choose versions such as IE5, IE6, or even IE7.
- Configure advanced options if needed.
- Launch Internet Explorer from the appropriate script in your ~/bin folder.
$ ~/bin/ie6
Depending on the versions installed, you may have launch scripts for IE5 and IE7 as well.

Mohd Shakir Zakaria is a cloud architect with deep roots in software development and open-source advocacy. Certified in AWS, Red Hat, VMware, ITIL, and Linux, he specializes in designing and managing robust cloud and on-premises infrastructures.
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