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The history behind the most colorful Internet Explorer (IE) icons centers on Microsoft’s evolution through the Aero design era, skeuomorphic trends, and the infamous Windows Vista rebrand. While early versions of the browser relied on basic blue tones or simple earth graphics, the mid-2000s introduced radical experiments with deep gradients, glossy textures, and vivid color contrasts.

Here is the history of how Microsoft turned its iconic logo into its most colorful and visually complex iterations. The 2003 “Glossy Purple” Prototype

Before sticking to a strict corporate blue, Microsoft designers experimented with unexpected hues to reflect the burgeoning “Web 2.0” digital culture.

The Design: A lowercase blue “e” treated with a distinct, glossy purple tint.

The History: Designed during a transitional period in 2003, this iteration closed the standard open-ended orbit line into a solid, continuous loop. It added an experimental “candy-coated” sheen to test how icons would look as monitor resolutions drastically improved. The 2005 Windows Vista Beta Candy Icon

This version represents the absolute peak of color saturation and glass-like lighting effects in the browser’s history.

The Design: A bright, fully translucent purple-blue letter with a closed, solid-line neon orbit.

The History: Released exclusively for beta versions of Windows Vista (such as build 5270), this short-lived icon only lasted a few months in 2004–2005. It was a product of the “Icon Rococo Style”—a design movement focused on hyper-realism, deep gradients, and intense color logic. The 2006 Yellow Orbit (Internet Explorer 7 & 8)

This became the most famous and widely deployed colorful variant, completely shifting the identity of the browser.

The Design: A deep sky-blue “e” paired with a highly contrasting, vivid yellow-gold orbital ring.

The History: Launched on October 18, 2006, alongside Windows Vista and IE7, this design formally rebranded the app to Windows Internet Explorer. Designers swapped the original blue-and-white ring for a sharp yellow gradient to give the icon a distinct 3D pop against the backdrop of the new translucent Windows Aero desktop theme.