Enterprise Mode (Windows) - Configure IE 11 to Run Websites that Require Certain Compatibility Mode Settings
Customers who visit older University applications or websites may need to run them in Enterprise Mode for Windows.
What is Enterprise Mode:
Enterprise Mode, a compatibility mode that runs on Internet Explorer 11
on Windows 8.1 Update, Windows 7 devices, and Windows 10, lets websites render using a
modified browser configuration that’s designed to emulate either
Windows Internet Explorer 7 or Windows Internet Explorer 8, avoiding the
common compatibility problems associated with web apps written and
tested on older versions of Internet Explorer.
Applicable Use:
Enterprise Mode allows IT Professionals to target specific websites that may need to run with certain compatibility mode setting. These websites can be defined in a Site List file that contains the compatibility mode settings that are specific for each website. This allows only the specified websites to run in Enterprise Mode.
The following University Enterprise Applications require this feature:
Travel Expense Management (travelexpense.admin.uillinois.edu)
Tracker Electronic i9 (uillinois.trackeri9.com)
Upside Contract (upside.apps.uillinois.edu)
Illinois Contract System (contracts.apps.uillinois.edu)
1. To turn on Enterprise Mode for only the local user: Open a registry editor, like regedit.exe and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\
-or-
To turn on Enterprise Mode for all users on the PC: Open a registry editor, like regedit.exe and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\
3. In the right-side pane, create a new string "Enable" and leave its value empty as shown in the following:
4. Now when you access IE11, in the Tools Bar, you will have the Option for "Enterprise Mode".

Turn on Enterprise Mode SiteList using registry:
-
To turn on the SiteList for only the local user: Open a registry editor, like regedit.exe and go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\EnterpriseMode
.-or-
To turn on SiteList for all users on the PC: Open a registry editor, like regedit.exe and go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\EnterpriseMode
. -
Edit the
SiteList
registry key to point to where you want to keep your Enterprise Mode site list file. For example:-
HTTP location: “SiteList”=”http://localhost:8080/sites.xml”
-
Local network: "SiteList"="\\network\shares\sites.xml"
-
Local file: "SiteList"="file:///c:\\Users\\<user>\\Documents\\testList.xml"
All of your managed devices must have access to this location if you want them to be able to access and use Enterprise Mode and your site list. For information about how to create and use an Enterprise Mode site list, see Use the Enterprise Mode Site List Manager tool.
-
Turn on Enterprise Mode SiteList with Group Policy (Global Machine Policy):
-
Open your Group Policy editor and go to the Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Use the Enterprise Mode IE website list setting.
Turning this setting on also requires you to create and store a site list. For more information about creating your site list, see the Use the Enterprise Mode Site List Manager tool topics.
-
Click Enabled, and then in the Options area, type the location to your site list.
-
HTTP location: “SiteList”=”http://localhost:8080/sites.xml”
-
Local network: "SiteList"="\\network\shares\sites.xml"
-
Local file: "SiteList"="file:///c:\\Users\\<user>\\Documents\\testList.xml"
All of your managed devices must have access to this location if you want them to be able to access and use Enterprise Mode and your site list. For information about how to create and use an Enterprise Mode site list, see Use the Enterprise Mode Site List Manager tool.
NOTE: Approximately 65 seconds after Internet Explorer 11 starts, it looks for a properly formatted site list. If a new site list if found, with a different version number than the active list, IE11 loads and uses the newer version. After the initial check, IE11 won’t look for an updated list again until you restart the browser. After the list is downloaded, it's stored locally on your employee’s computers so if the centralized file location is unavailable, they can still use Enterprise Mode.
NOTE: Enterprise Mode XML SiteList schema v.1 supports Windows 7, 8.1, and 10. Enterprise Mode XML SiteList schema v.2 only supports Windows 10.