To be able to use SharePoint 2010 end users only need a web browser. However, the choice of browser will affect the experience of using SharePoint. Lots of functions are available in all browsers, however there are exceptions where the feature uses Active X technology. This technology has only ever been available in Internet Explorer and means that some of SharePoint's functionality is lost when using non-IE browsers.

Browser support for SharePoint Server 2010 can be divided into three different levels, as follows:

Supported

A supported Web browser is a Web browser that is supported to work with SharePoint Server 2010, and all features and functionality work.

Supported with known limitations

These are non-Internet Explorer browsers such as FireFox, Safari and Chrome. They are supported for use with SharePoint but some functionality is missing in these browsers such as opening documents directly in Office applications ( although viewing and editing office documents within the browser is fully supported, as is downloading and editing). Documentation on how to resolve these issues is readily available from Microsoft.

Not tested

A Web browser that is not tested means that its compatibility with SharePoint Server 2010 is untested, and there may be issues with using the particular Web browser. SharePoint Server 2010 works best with up-to-date, standards-based Web browsers.

Source: Microsoft Techdoc April 7 2011