How to Fix Microsoft Edge Not Printing in IE Mode (Internet Explorer Compatibility Mode)

Microsoft Edge won’t print from an older workplace site, even though the page opens in IE mode. That’s frustrating when you need a printout now. Microsoft documents IE mode and Edge’s printing feature separately, so getting IE mode to work and fixing a print failure can require different checks.

Fix #1: Confirm the Page Opened in IE Mode

Symptoms: The older site opens, but its print button does nothing. The page may also look different from what coworkers see.

Why it happens: IE mode applies to sites set up to use it. Opening a site in Edge alone doesn’t mean it’s in IE mode.

• Open the affected page in Edge. Look for the Internet Explorer icon beside the address bar. The icon usually indicates the page is in IE mode, though its exact look and position can change between Edge versions or on managed setups. Microsoft’s IE mode instructions describe it.

• If the icon is missing, enter edge://settings/defaultBrowser in Edge’s address bar. Under Internet Explorer compatibility, check whether Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode (IE mode) is available. If you can change it, select Allow and restart Edge.

• On an applicable non-Enterprise device running Edge version 141 or later, find Internet Explorer mode pages. Select Add a page, enter the affected site’s address, and select Add. Reload the page. This option may be missing or controlled by your organization on a managed computer.

Verify: Check for the Internet Explorer icon again, then try printing. If the icon still doesn’t appear on a work computer, give IT the site address. Ask whether the site belongs in the organization’s IE mode configuration.

Quick Diagnosis: Find Where Printing Fails

Keep the same printer selected for these tests. The results point to the next fix.

Test	Result	Where to look next
Print the affected IE mode page	It alone fails	The page or its site print button
Print another page from Edge	Both Edge pages fail	Edge printing or its printer selection
Print from another application, such as Word	That also fails	The printer, connection, or driver
Print to a different available printer	One printer alone fails	That printer or its network connection

If the print dialog won’t open or freezes on every Edge page, use general Microsoft Edge printing troubleshooting. The steps below focus on the affected IE mode site. Microsoft recommends comparing pages and applications to narrow down Edge print problems.

Common Issues and Solutions

Fix #2: Open Printing Through Edge

Symptoms: The website’s Print button does nothing, or Ctrl + P opens a dialog but produces no usable printout.

Why it happens: A site’s own print button may work differently than Edge’s built-in print command, depending on how the site is built. Edge’s print dialog also lets you check the selected printer.

• Cancel any open print attempt.
• On the affected page, select Settings and more (the three-dot menu) > Print.

• If that doesn’t help, try Ctrl + P. You can also right-click the page and select Print if that option appears.
• In the print dialog, select the intended printer before selecting Print. Check the preview if Edge shows one.

Verify: Print a short page or one page of the document. If all three methods fail on this site, compare pages in Fix #3. Microsoft documents Edge’s print controls.

Fix #3: Compare the Affected Website With Another Edge Page

Symptoms: One IE mode page prints blank, loses content, or never sends a job. Other pages appear normal.

Why it happens: Graphics, fonts, code, or styling on a page can interfere with printing.

• Leave the affected page open so you can return to the same content.
• Open another website or online document in a new Edge tab.
• Print that second page to the same printer using Settings and more > Print.

• If the second page prints, return to the affected site. Try printing a different page or document there.
• If Edge offers Immersive Reader for the affected page, try printing from that view. It strips page styling, so it isn’t available on many pages and may leave out some page-specific content.

Verify: If other Edge pages print but one site page doesn’t, record that page’s address and what happens. The site’s support team or your IT team can use the comparison to check its print layout or print button. If no Edge page prints, move to Fix #4.

Fix #4: Select the Correct Printer and Test Another Application

Symptoms: The print dialog opens, but the job goes to the wrong device, stays queued, or never reaches your network printer.

Why it happens: Edge may have a different printer selected than you expect. If another application can’t print either, the problem extends beyond IE mode.

• Open Print in Edge and check the selected printer.
• Choose the printer you want, then try the page again.

• Open another application, such as Word, and print a short document to that same printer.
• If possible, try a different available printer from Edge.

Verify: If Word prints to the intended device but Edge doesn’t, first repeat the test on another Edge page (Fix #3). If only the IE mode site fails, continue with Fix #5; if every Edge page fails, use the general Edge printing guide linked above.

If Word also fails, check whether the printer is connected and ready before changing Edge settings. For a network printer, tell IT its displayed name and whether other people can print to it. Mention if your PC uses a USB Wi-Fi adapter or dock to connect to the network. That detail can help IT trace an intermittent fault.

Fix #5: Restart Edge and Install Available Updates

Symptoms: Multiple Edge pages fail to print, or the configured site no longer starts in IE mode.

Why it happens: Microsoft lists outdated Windows or Edge software as a possible reason IE mode doesn’t start. Restarting Edge is a basic troubleshooting step that clears the current browser session before another test, though it isn’t guaranteed to resolve a specific IE mode or printing issue.

• Close all Edge windows.
• Reopen Edge and load the affected site.
• Check for Windows updates through Settings > Windows Update on Windows 11, or Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update on Windows 10.

• In Edge, open Settings and more > Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge to check for an available update. Restart Edge if prompted.

Verify: Reopen the site, confirm the Internet Explorer icon appears, and print a short page. If IE mode still doesn’t start on a managed computer, ask IT to check the site configuration.

Fix #6: Check the Printer Driver When Printing Fails Outside Edge

Symptoms: The same printer fails from Edge and another application, or jobs from both stay queued.

Why it happens: A printer connection or driver problem can affect every application, including Edge’s IE mode pages.

• Confirm the printer is powered on and connected as expected.
• If it’s a network printer, check that your Windows PC is connected to its network. A loose Cat6 Ethernet cable, a dropped Wi-Fi connection, a disconnected dock, or an unavailable print server can explain a printer that disappears between attempts.
• Get the latest appropriate driver only from the printer manufacturer’s official site or Windows Update, and follow its installation instructions. On a managed PC, don’t replace a centrally deployed driver yourself; ask IT, since driver changes may need approval and can affect other apps.
• Retry the short document from the other application before returning to Edge.

Verify: Once the other application prints, retry the IE mode page. If the printer still fails everywhere, keep checking its connection or driver. Changing the site’s IE mode settings is unlikely to fix that result. See Microsoft’s Edge print troubleshooting for broader printer checks.

Fix #7: Ask IT to Check Managed Printing Settings

Symptoms: Printing is unavailable on a work computer, an IE mode setting can’t be changed, or a network printer fails only for certain users or devices.

Why it happens: Your organization can control which sites open in IE mode and how Edge prints. Edge policies include PrintingEnabled and UseSystemPrintDialog, but neither is a universal fix for a network-printer failure. If PrintingEnabled is disabled, Edge blocks printing entirely, so that’s worth checking first; UseSystemPrintDialog only switches Edge to the Windows system print dialog instead of its own preview. IT needs to compare your test results with the organization’s settings. See Microsoft’s IE mode deployment documentation and Edge policy reference.

• Note the affected site’s address and whether the Internet Explorer icon appears.
• Record what happens with the site’s Print button, Settings and more > Print, and Ctrl + P.
• Record whether a second Edge page and another application print to the same printer.
• Give IT the printer’s displayed name, whether it’s a network printer, any exact error text, and whether coworkers have the same issue.
• Ask IT to check the site’s IE mode configuration, the print server and print queue, your permissions on the printer, authentication, the driver, the connection, and applicable Edge or Group Policy settings.

Verify: After IT makes a change, repeat the same page and application tests. The results show whether it fixed the IE mode site alone or printing more broadly.

Error Messages and Symptoms at a Glance

No single error message identifies every IE mode printing problem. Copy the exact wording you see when you report a failure.

What you see	What it can mean	First check
No Internet Explorer icon beside the address bar	The page may not be in IE mode	Use Fix #1
The website’s print button does nothing	The site’s print action may be failing	Open Edge’s Print command in Fix #2
A blank or incomplete print preview	The affected page may not print correctly	Compare another page in Fix #3
The wrong printer appears in the dialog	The current printer selection needs checking	Use Fix #4
The job stays queued from multiple applications	The printer, connection, or driver may be involved	Use Fix #6
A printing control is unavailable on a work PC	An organization setting may be involved	Give IT the results from Fix #7

If an error dialog appears, copy its message exactly. “Printer error” may leave out wording IT needs to tell a printer problem from an Edge restriction.

Configuration Mistakes to Check

The site address is not configured for IE mode. On an applicable non-Enterprise device, compare the address under Internet Explorer mode pages with the page that fails. On a managed device, ask IT to check its site configuration. Look for the Internet Explorer icon on the page you have open.

The print dialog targets another printer. Read the printer name each time you retry. A job sent to the wrong printer can look like a failed attempt.

The tests use different printers. Select the same printer for the IE mode page, another Edge page, and another application. Otherwise, the results can’t reliably show whether that printer is the problem.

A managed control is treated as a personal setting. If an IE mode or printing option is unavailable on a work PC, report it to IT. Don’t assume you can change an organization policy in Edge’s settings.

Getting Help

For a workplace site, send IT the site address, whether the Internet Explorer icon appears, and the printer name. Include the exact error text or symptom and the results from another Edge page and application. Say whether it’s a network printer and whether coworkers are affected. IT can use those details to check the site list, connection, driver, and applicable policies.

For broader Edge printing trouble, use Microsoft’s print troubleshooting page. If printing works elsewhere and only one older site fails, contact the site’s support team or your help desk. Give them the affected page address and describe what appears in print preview.

Prevention Tips

• Keep Windows and Edge updated, especially if a configured IE mode site stops opening in IE mode.
• Check the Internet Explorer icon before treating a site problem as an IE mode issue.
• Check the selected printer when moving between office, home, and network printers.
• Keep a short record of which page and application printed. It can help diagnose a recurring workplace issue.

Wrapping Up

Fix #2 is the quickest check when the site’s Print button fails. If another application also can’t print, use Fix #6 to check the printer connection or driver. If only a managed site fails, give IT your test results so they can check its configuration and policies.