25 Colorful IE Icons for UI Kits and Web ProjectsInternet Explorer (IE) remains a part of web history, and sometimes you need to reference it in UI kits, documentation, legacy-support notices, or design mockups. Using colorful, modernized IE icons helps you acknowledge legacy browsers while keeping designs lively and consistent. This article showcases 25 colorful IE icon concepts, explains where and how to use them, and gives practical tips for integrating them into UI kits and web projects.
Why use colorful IE icons?
- They bridge the gap between legacy recognition and modern aesthetics, making notices or toggles less jarring.
- Improve visual hierarchy: color highlights important compatibility information without relying solely on text.
- Brand recognition: most users still recognize the IE ring/“e” mark; color can make it fit into your design system.
Design considerations
When creating or choosing colorful IE icons, keep these design principles in mind:
- Maintain recognizable elements (the “e” and the orbiting ring) so the icon remains identifiable.
- Use a limited palette consistent with your brand or UI kit.
- Provide high-contrast variants for accessibility (WCAG AA minimum for icon foreground/background).
- Offer multiple file formats: SVG for scalability and easy styling, PNG for legacy support, and icon fonts if you use them.
- Include monochrome/outline versions for minimal UIs and colorful versions for more expressive designs.
Use cases
- Browser compatibility banners and notices.
- UI kits and component libraries to indicate supported/unsupported browsers.
- Documentation, onboarding flows, and help centers.
- Error pages or feature detection fallbacks.
- Retro- or nostalgia-themed projects that reference older browser eras.
The 25 colorful IE icon concepts
Below are 25 ideas for colorful IE icons. Each concept lists the suggested color approach, best use case, and a short styling note.
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Classic Blue Gradient IE
- Colors: Blue-to-light-blue gradient
- Use: Generic browser badge
- Note: Soft shadow for depth.
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Flat Pastel IE
- Colors: Pastel palette (mint, peach, lavender)
- Use: Friendly onboarding screens
- Note: No gradients; simple shapes.
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Neon Outline IE
- Colors: Electric cyan outline on dark background
- Use: Night-mode UIs or gaming sites
- Note: Glow effect around the ring.
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Material-Style IE
- Colors: Primary color with subtle elevation shadow
- Use: Android-style design systems
- Note: Drop shadow per Material guidelines.
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Duotone IE
- Colors: Two contrasting tones (e.g., navy + coral)
- Use: Minimalist hero sections
- Note: Use duotone masks in SVG.
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Flat Square Badge IE
- Colors: Single bold color filling a rounded square
- Use: App icons, buttons
- Note: Use white “e” for contrast.
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Glassmorphism IE
- Colors: Frosted glass with blur and light tint
- Use: Modern dashboards
- Note: Needs backdrop-filter support.
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Retro 90s IE
- Colors: Bright saturated neons and gradients
- Use: Nostalgia themes
- Note: Add pixel-snap or halftone texture.
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Monochrome Color-Accent IE
- Colors: Grey icon with one colorful accent stroke
- Use: Subtle UI indicators
- Note: Accent matches brand color.
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Rainbow Ring IE
- Colors: Multi-color orbiting ring
- Use: Inclusive or celebratory contexts
- Note: Animate the ring slowly on hover.
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Soft Shadow Long-Shadow IE
- Colors: Warm gradient with long shadow
- Use: Promotional materials
- Note: Keep shadow angle consistent with UI.
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Metallic Chrome IE
- Colors: Silver-blue metallic sheen
- Use: Premium product pages
- Note: Use highlights and reflections.
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Minimal Line IE
- Colors: Single-stroke outline in bold color
- Use: Toolbars and compact UIs
- Note: Provide 24px and 16px variants.
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Badge with Tooltip IE
- Colors: Colored badge plus subtle tooltip background
- Use: Inline compatibility notes
- Note: Ensure tooltip contrast.
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Isometric IE
- Colors: 3D isometric shading with colorful faces
- Use: Illustrative hero images
- Note: Use SVG groups for depth.
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Watercolor Brush IE
- Colors: Hand-painted watercolors inside the ring
- Use: Artistic sites and portfolios
- Note: Export as high-res PNG for fidelity.
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Pixel-Art IE
- Colors: Limited palette, chunky pixels
- Use: Retro game UI or playful designs
- Note: Provide pixel-perfect grid.
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Emoji-Style IE
- Colors: Vibrant, glossy with subtle face or wink on the “e”
- Use: Social apps, stickers
- Note: Avoid over-cluttering small sizes.
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Gradient Duo-Border IE
- Colors: Inner fill + gradient border contrasting each other
- Use: Modern marketing pages
- Note: Border thickness should scale.
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Pattern-Fill IE
- Colors: Fill the “e” or ring with a repeating pattern (dots/stripes)
- Use: Playful branding elements
- Note: Use SVG patterns for scalability.
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Outline with Colored Background Spot
- Colors: Thin outline icon over a colorful circular spot
- Use: Compact UI chips
- Note: Keep spot size consistent.
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Low-Poly Geometric IE
- Colors: Triangulated gradient facets
- Use: Tech or design-centric sites
- Note: Export SVG for crispness.
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Colored Shadow IE
- Colors: Monochrome icon with a colored offset shadow
- Use: Hero headings and banners
- Note: Align shadow offset with brand style.
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Animated Spinning Ring IE
- Colors: Subtle gradient ring animation
- Use: Loading states or interactive demos
- Note: Provide reduced-motion alternative.
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Badge with Version Ribbon IE
- Colors: Icon with a colorful ribbon (e.g., “IE11”)
- Use: Documentation or support pages
- Note: Make ribbon hideable for compact UI.
File formats and export sizes
- Provide these at minimum: SVG (master), PNG (1x, 2x, 3x), and a vector source (AI, Figma).
- Recommended pixel sizes: 16, 24, 32, 48, 64, 128.
- For icon fonts: include .woff2 and .woff.
Accessibility checklist
- Ensure icon contrast meets WCAG AA against its background.
- Provide descriptive alt text (e.g., “Internet Explorer icon — IE11 support”).
- Avoid conveying critical information with color alone; pair with text labels.
- Offer static alternatives and reduced-motion versions for animations.
Integration tips for UI kits
- Add icons to your design tokens: color variables, spacing scales, and accessible sizes.
- Create component variants: filled, outline, small, large, animated.
- Document purpose and usage guidelines in your kit to avoid misuse.
- Use CSS variables to swap color themes easily.
Licensing and attribution
If you’re using third-party icon sets, verify licenses (SIL, MIT, CC0 are preferable). For custom work, include a small license file in the asset package describing permitted uses.
Example CSS snippet (SVG inline coloring)
.ie-icon { width: 32px; height: 32px; fill: var(--icon-fill, #1e90ff); transition: transform .15s ease; } .ie-icon:hover { transform: translateY(-2px); } Final notes
Colorful IE icons let you acknowledge legacy browsers without sacrificing design quality. Pick styles that match your brand voice, provide accessible alternatives, and include multiple formats and sizes so the icons work across contexts.
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