To rearrange tool bar components

1. Move the mouse to the cross-hatched pattern on the bar you wish to move. Note that the mouse pointer turns into a hand.
2. Drag the bar to its new location on the tool bar. A blue highlighting box indicates the size and placement of the bar in its new location.

• You can only move the tool bar components (the Favorites, Button, and Address Bars) within the tool bar.

To resize tool bar components

1. Move the mouse to the cross-hatched pattern on the bar you wish to resize. Note that the mouse pointer turns into a hand.
2. Drag the bar.

• You cannot drag the left-most bars to resize them. You must resize the adjacent bar.
• When you reduce the size of a bar, some buttons are hidden.

To change options for displaying a page

1. On the Edit menu, choose Options.
2. Click the Browser Display tab.
3. Change settings as needed.

Tips

• These settings affect all pages you view. If you want to show or hide the button, favorite, address, or status bars for a particular window only, use the View menu.
• You can create and add your own animation icons to Internet Explorer using the Microsoft Icon Animator.

Related Topic
Change the media displayed on a page

To change the media displayed on a page

1. On the Edit menu, choose Options.
2. Click the Web Content tab.
3. In the Multimedia area, choose the options you want.

Tips

• To see the colors that the author of the page specified, make sure Allow Page To Specify Colors is selected.
• To see background images and hear background sounds, make sure that both Show Pictures and Play Sounds check boxes are selected.

To change the font size used to display text on a page

1. On the View menu, point to Text Size.
2. Choose the font size you want.

To change the default font size for all pages

1. On the Edit menu, choose Options.
2. Click the Browser Display tab.
3. Choose a default font size from the Text Size pull-down menu.

Tips

• Some pages will use their own font sizes instead of the size you specify.
• You can also change your font size by clicking the Larger and Smaller buttons on the tool bar.

Related Topic
Changing the fonts used to display text on a page

To change the fonts used to display text on a page

1. On the Edit menu, choose Options.
2. Click the Font tab.
3. Choose a character set from the Font Encoding pull-down menu. The language kit for the specified character set must be installed.
4. On the Proportional Font and Fixed-Width Font pull-down menus, choose the fonts you want.

Tips

• If you want to change the character set for the page your are currently viewing only, on the View menu, point to Font Encoding, and then choose the character set you want.
• Some pages will use their own fonts instead of the ones you specify. You can prevent this by deselecting Allow Page To Specify Fonts on the Web Content page in the Options dialog box.
• To use your Internet Config font settings, select the Use Internet Config Settings check box.
• Some Internet sites send different pages depending on what language your browser is set to. If you are accessing one of these sites, set the Language pull-down menu to the language you would like to see.

Related Topic
Changing the font size used to display text on a page

To change the cache options

1. On the Edit menu, choose Options.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. In the Cache area, change the amount of disk space to use for the disk cache.

Tips

• The disk cache is the space on your hard disk that stores pages as you view them. When you click a hyperlink, a page is downloaded from the Internet (or local hard disk) to your Cache folder.
• Choose Once Per Session if the sites you visit change often. Choosing this option can slow down browsing between viewed pages (pages stored in the Cache folder) because Internet Explorer checks to see if a page has changed when you return to it.
• Choose Never if the sites you visit do not change often. Choosing this option can speed up browsing because viewed pages (pages stored in the Cache folder) are not updated. If you want to view possible updates when this option is selected, choose Refresh from the View menu.
• If you want to start with a fresh cache list, click Empty.
• If you want to change the name and location of your Cache folder, click Change.

Related Topic
Seeing where you've been
Browsing viewed pages faster

To set security options

1. On the Edit menu, choose Options.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. Select which alerts you want to see.

Tip

• A secure site is indicated by a lock icon in the status bar at the bottom of the browser window. If you do not see the status bar, on the View menu, choose Status Bar.

Security on the Internet: Overview

The Internet works by sending information from computer to computer until the information reaches its destination. So, when data is sent from point A to point B, every computer in between has an opportunity to look at what's being sent. This can pose a security problem.

For example, suppose you are looking at a clothing catalog on the World Wide Web, and you decide to buy a shirt. This requires that you type certain facts into an order form, including your credit card number. You know the clothing company in question is reputable, so you type your credit card and other information, and then send the completed form. Your information passes from computer to computer on its way to the clothing company. Unfortunately, one of the computers in between has been infiltrated by criminals who watch the data passing through that computer until they see something interesting—such as your credit card number.

How often does something like this happen? It's hard to say, but the important thing is, it's technically possible. And, as the Internet grows, it's bound to happen more and more.

How does Microsoft Internet Explorer help to protect you and your data? Many Internet sites are equipped to prevent unauthorized individuals from seeing the data sent to or from those sites. These are called "secure" sites. Because Internet Explorer supports the security protocols used by secure sites, you can send information to a secure site with safety and confidence. (When you are viewing a page from a secure site, Internet Explorer displays a "lock" icon in the status bar.)

Related Topic
Changing the options for displaying a page

To configure your computer for Internet access by using a proxy server

1. Obtain the proxy system address from your network administrator.
2. On the Edit menu, choose Options.
3. Click the Proxy tab.
4. Specify the proxy address and any other information supplied by your system administrator.

• Microsoft Internet Explorer works only with proxy servers that are compliant with the CERN proxy server standard. It does not work with ANS proxies or with servers using SOCKS security.