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Guide to testing on Old browsers

Guide to testing on Old browsers

sahil jagga1213 14-Aug-2020

As a tester, we often prefer using the latest version of the browsers for testing. We often forget that using older versions of these browsers has its own importance. Testing your application on all possible browser versions leads to uniform user experience on a diverse, ever-growing range of browsers and its version. On top of that, screen size, screen resolution, OS version, and browser versions all change constantly. These changes are a major factor as they contribute to how someone is viewing content. It is an important practice in testing to understand diversified user experiences and act accordingly.

Why Do We Need To Test On Older Browsers?

Let’s take an example where you are using some latest version of a browser while developing the website. When the website is finally released to the end-user, there may be a chance that people are still comfortable using the older version of the browser and not the one you used. This could lead to inconsistent behaviour across versions as developers are no longer making yearly updates but instead instituting continuous integration with updates by the hour or day. So with every code change there comes a risk that any of those browser/version combinations may not respond according to expectations.

To provide consistent behaviour across all versions, testing is a must on all the previous stable versions of the browser. It is needed for comparing the functionality and UI designs across multiple versions. In this case, not ensuring that the website is compatible with older versions might lead to a significant loss in traffic and revenue. Additionally, bad UX can also lead to negative reviews for a brand, resulting in a less than desirable reputation in the market.

There are situations where the organization is solely dependent on some specific browser version from years and due to that, it becomes your responsibility to test the application across multiple supported versions to maintain your reputation in the market. The more browser versions you cover the more inclusive your site will be for a variety of visitors. This can be analysed using Google analytics.

While about half of the user accessing the internet will be on popular browsers such as Chrome and Firefox, the bugs will mainly be saturated in high-risk browsers like Internet Explorer. You could not direct a user who is experiencing issues to switch their browser and download different browser all together. It’s more likely that the user will be unwilling to switch browsers just to properly view your website and hence will just leave your page and switch to a different browser.

People feel that it is an age-old practice, but it is always best to test how a website or application looks in every browser (and versions). After all, some minor modifications to make your website browser compatible with different Html and CSS might not be a huge task but it will have a substantial impact on your user experiences. The easiest way to ensure zero interruptions in your website traffic and revenue is to test on old browser versions as frequently as possible. Another reason to test your application on older browsers such as the Internet Explorer is many companies have achieved relevant federal certifications such as FDA and more, by using the older versions of IE. Now, upgrading their systems to a modern browser would compel the companies to apply for a new federal certification. Believe me, this number is very huge!!

How To Test Your Website on Old Browsers?

To test your website on old browsers, you can opt for a cloud-based cross-browser testing tool such as LambdaTest. Using these tools are cheaper and faster than the alternatives. To test your website on LambdaTest, visit www.lambdatest.com.

Go to Real-Time testing

Enter your website name:

Select the browsers on which you want to test:

Run the test and the website will open on the browsers you chose with the resolution and OS.

Not only the deprecated browsers, but you can also choose from a long list of old browser versions so that no user misses from your coverage.

Apart from testing on desktop browsers, you can also test your website on mobile browsers as well.

Although Real-time testing tests the website as if you are currently working on the browser, LambdaTest also offers an option to perform responsive testing as well as screenshot testing in its online tool.

LambdaTest provides the user with detailed test logs and saved screenshots and videos so that the tester can analyze how his tests performed and share easily with his team.

Old browsers are of similar importance in the market today as any new browser. Just these simple four quick steps can start your testing on LambdaTest’s free account or a subscribed premium account.


Updated 14-Aug-2020
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