Can we rebuild IE Tab?
Build a Chrome extension like IE Tab — a IE Tab alternative you own.
Thinking about trying to build your own IE Tab? While you can build almost any productivity Chrome extension, creating a true alternative to this tool isn't feasible inside standard extension frameworks. It depends entirely on embedding the obsolete Windows Trident engine using a local native binary bridge.
The listing record
| Name | IE Tab |
| Store rating | 4.3 / 5 · 19K ratings |
| Users | 4M+ |
| Store listing | Chrome Web Store ↗ |
| Analyzed | 1 September 2026 |
What IE Tab does
IE Tab exactly emulates Internet Explorer, and enables you to load your web pages with different versions of IE (IE7 - IE11) IE Tab requires a paid subscription after the free trial. A trial is included so you can verify compatibility before purchasing. FULLY SUPPORTED IN WINDOWS 11 AND AFTER INTERNET EXPLORER IS REMOVED IN FEBRUARY 2023. Please note that IE Tab for Windows does require the use of a separate executable, ietabhelper.exe. You can read more about that in the FAQ below.
What the store says
★ 4.3 from 19K ratings · 4M users
Pulled live from the Chrome Web Store listing at analysis time.
Can PlugThis rebuild IE Tab?
“You cannot run the legacy Internet Explorer rendering engine inside standard extension APIs.”
IE Tab relies on a native Windows binary (ietabhelper.exe) hosting the legacy Trident/MSHTML ActiveX WebBrowser control via Native Messaging. Chrome extensions run inside a modern Chromium sandbox and cannot natively render pages using Internet Explorer's retired engine without external platform binaries.
Why build your own IE Tab alternative
- Learn why browser sandboxing prevents arbitrary native engine hosting
- Avoid running third-party native executables on your local OS
- Explore modern alternatives like Chrome/Edge native IE Mode policies
What it costs vs what you'd save
The original: Requires a paid subscription after a free trial, though specific pricing amounts are not listed.
Your version: Instead of paying a recurring subscription, organizations often manage legacy needs directly via native Edge IE Mode group policies.
The starter prompt
Build a Chrome extension that detects URLs matching a configurable list of legacy intranet sites and displays a banner advising the user to launch them in Microsoft Edge's native IE Mode, with an easy click-to-copy button for the URL.Build it with PlugThis →
Features you could add that IE Tab doesn't have
Because you own the code, these are a follow-up prompt away — tap one to add it to the prompt above.
- Edge IE Mode Redirector — Automatically open specified legacy URLs in Microsoft Edge using native IE Mode instead of Chrome.
Questions about rebuilding IE Tab
Why can't PlugThis replicate IE Tab directly?
Chrome extensions cannot embed external rendering engines. IE Tab uses a companion Windows .exe to invoke the MSHTML ActiveX control, which falls outside web extension capabilities.
Is there a free built-in browser alternative?
Yes. Microsoft Edge includes a built-in 'IE Mode' that renders legacy pages using the IE engine natively without requiring third-party helper executables or subscriptions.
How to build it yourself
- 1Open PlugThis and start a new build
Head to PlugThis and start a new Chrome extension. You're describing a IE Tab alternative you'll own outright — no store subscription.
- 2Paste the starter prompt
Paste the starter prompt above. PlugThis expands it into a full Manifest V3 extension — popup, content scripts, and service worker included.
- 3Review, tweak, and load it
Review the generated code, ask for tweaks in plain English, then download and load the unpacked extension in Chrome to try it.
- 4Publish it (optional)
When you're happy, publish your IE Tab alternative to the Chrome Web Store — or just keep it as a private tool for yourself.
Build your own IE Tab alternative
Describe it in plain English. PlugThis generates the full Manifest V3 Chrome extension in about two minutes.
Build it with PlugThis →More teardowns
We run the same teardown on any Chrome extension — what it does, whether a self-built alternative holds up, and the prompt to make one. Tear down another extension, or see the extensions we've actually rebuilt and filmed — real build times, real prompts, real recordings.
Sources & verification
- All facts pulled live from the Chrome Web Store listing ↗.
- The verdict is drafted by the PlugThis teardown engine — an opinion about buildability, not affiliation with IE Tab.
- Written by PlugThis, which builds Chrome extensions from plain-English prompts.
Published and last updated 1 September 2026. Figures reflect the Chrome Web Store listing on that date and may have changed since.