What is ActiveX?
If you’re here, you probably came across a website or application that asked you to enable or install ActiveX, and you’re wondering what that means — especially in 2025, when most web technologies have long moved on.
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ActiveX was a Microsoft technology used mainly in Internet Explorer to run small programs (called controls) directly inside the browser. These were widely used in online banking, corporate systems, and government websites to handle things like PIN code dialogs, secure file access, or digital signatures.
ActiveX controls were widely used in corporate environments—especially in online banking and internal business portals. They enabled features such as secure transaction tools, PIN-entry dialogs, digital signatures, and reporting. Beyond business, ActiveX also enabled multimedia playback, animations, and document viewing inside the browser via plugins like Flash.
However, ActiveX is now considered obsolete. Microsoft has fully retired Internet Explorer as of June 2022, and most modern web environments no longer support or require ActiveX.
Do you still need ActiveX in 2025?
In short: almost certainly not.
ActiveX only worked in Internet Explorer, which is now officially unsupported and insecure. Modern browsers like Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari do not support ActiveX at all.
However, if you are maintaining a legacy system—especially in corporate or governmental IT infrastructure—you may still occasionally run into websites or apps that require ActiveX. In those rare cases, using a virtual machine or Windows compatibility mode with an older version of IE might be necessary. But this should only be done in isolated and secure environments.
More importantly, ActiveX is a major security risk. Hackers historically exploited ActiveX to spread spyware or malicious software. Therefore, if you must use it, it’s crucial to configure it with maximum caution.
How to configure or disable ActiveX (if you’re still using it)
If you’re working with a legacy Windows system that still runs Internet Explorer, here’s how to manage ActiveX settings:
- Open Internet Explorer.
- Click the gear icon, choose “Internet Options”, and navigate to the “Security” tab.
- Click the “Custom level…” button.
- In the security settings window, disable:
- “Download unsigned ActiveX controls”
- “Script ActiveX controls not marked as safe for scripting”
Set “Prompt” for all other “ActiveX controls and plug-ins” settings.
- Switch the zone from “Internet” to “Trusted sites” and repeat these settings.
- Add only necessary, verified URLs to the trusted list by clicking “Sites” under the zone settings.
What to use instead of ActiveX in 2025?
In 2025, nearly all ActiveX use cases are handled by modern, secure web technologies:
- JavaScript + HTML5: Fully replaces legacy controls and enables interactive web features without plugins.
- WebAssembly (Wasm): Allows high-performance applications to run in the browser.
- Progressive Web Apps (PWA): Let web applications behave like native desktop or mobile apps.
- Web APIs: Securely handle multimedia, authentication, and document viewing without needing extensions.
Although Adobe Flash once served as a partial replacement, Flash was officially discontinued in 2021 and is no longer supported.
You can safely build and browse modern websites without relying on ActiveX or any of its outdated alternatives.