What is Internet Explorer CSS?

Internet Explorer (IE) was Microsoft's web browser that used proprietary CSS properties and filters to achieve effects that weren't yet standardized. These included special filters for gradients, shadows, opacity, and transformations that only worked in IE. While IE is now discontinued, many legacy websites still contain this outdated CSS code that needs modernization.

Why modernize IE CSS?

Modern browsers use standardized CSS properties that are more efficient, maintainable, and widely supported. Converting IE-specific CSS to modern standards ensures your website works across all current browsers, improves performance, and makes your code easier to maintain and update.

Tool description

The IE CSS Modernizer automatically converts legacy Internet Explorer CSS code to modern, standards-compliant CSS. It identifies IE-specific properties, filters, and hacks, then replaces them with their modern CSS equivalents that work across all current browsers.

Features

  • Automatic conversion - Detects and converts IE-specific CSS syntax to modern standards
  • Filter translation - Converts IE filters (gradients, shadows, opacity) to standard CSS
  • Hack removal - Identifies and removes IE-specific CSS hacks and workarounds
  • Vendor prefix updates - Replaces outdated vendor prefixes with current standards
  • Instant preview - Shows converted CSS immediately for easy comparison
  • Copy functionality - Quick copy of modernized CSS to clipboard

Use Cases

  • Legacy website maintenance - Update old websites that were designed for IE
  • Code migration - Modernize CSS during website redesigns or platform migrations
  • Browser compatibility - Ensure CSS works across all modern browsers
  • Code cleanup - Remove outdated IE-specific code from stylesheets
  • Learning tool - Understand how IE CSS translates to modern standards
  • Quality assurance - Verify that legacy CSS has modern equivalents

Common IE CSS Conversions

The tool handles various IE-specific CSS patterns:

  • Alpha filters → opacity property
  • Gradient filters → linear-gradient() or radial-gradient()
  • Shadow filters → box-shadow property
  • Matrix filters → transform property
  • IE conditional comments → Modern feature detection
  • Star hack (*) → Standard properties
  • Underscore hack (_) → Standard properties
  • IE6/7 specific selectors → Modern selectors