Internet Explorer Tips


Increasing Viewing Space - Submitted 1/31/97
Changing the Directory for the Internet Explorer Cache - Added 1/15/97
Changing the Title Bar of the Internet Explorer - Added 1/15/97
Changing the Internet Explorer, Mail and News Bitmap - Added 1/15/97
Using Other Mail Packages with Internet Explorer - Added 1/2/97
Viewing Drives with IE 3.0 - Submitted 10/17/96
Changing your Favorites Location - Added 10/6/96
Internet Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts - Added 9/28/96
Adding IE3.0 Bookmarks to the Start Menu - Submitted 9/15/96
Adding Custom Links and Applications to Internet Explorer 3.0 Toolbar - Added 9/7/96
Adding your HTML Editor to the Internet Explorer 3.0 Toolbar - Added 8/16/96
Organizing Internet Explorer 3.0's Favorites - Added 8/16/96
Changing the Internet Explorer 3.0's ToolBar Background - Added 8/16/96
Re-Setting Internet Explorer to Save rather than Open Files Downloaded - Added 7/14/96
Turning off the underline of hot links in Internet Explorer 3.0 - Added 6/29/96
Starting the Internet Explorer with no initial Start Page - Added 4/21/96
Keeping Control of URL Bookmarks - 1/8/96


Increasing Viewing Space

Submitted 1/31/97

To get more viewing space in for web browsing, just go to Options and uncheck Text labels and Links.
Click OK then highlight the bottom of the toolbars and shift them up.

Submitted by Herman Chan


Changing the Directory for the Internet Explorer Cache

Added 1/15/97

By default, the Internet Explorer creates four directories Cache1-4 where it places all the HTML pages, graphics, AVI's etc that you view
If you want to move this location or even have only one cache that points to a directory of your choice:

  1. Start Regedit
  2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Internet Settings / Cache / Path / Path1-4
  3. Change the value of the paths to a single location or any location of your choice
  4. You can even just have PATH1 and delete the other three
  5. The next time you start the Internet Explorer, the cache files will only be placed in the directories of your choice

This can be useful if you want to delete the files often. You can then just delete the files in the single directory


Changing the Title Bar of the Internet Explorer

Added 1/15/97

By default, the title bar on the Internet Explorer says Microsoft Corporation Internet Explorer
To change this to the text of your choice:

  1. Start Regedit
  2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE / Microsoft / Internet Explorer / Main
  3. Change the value of the string Window Title to be the new text you want displayed

Changing the Internet Explorer, Mail and News Bitmap

Added 1/15/97

If you want to change the bitmap that is in the upper right hand corner:

  1. Start Regedit
  2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Internet Explorer \ Toolbar
  3. Make a new String Value named BrandBitmap
  4. Give it a value of the BMP file you want to use
  5. You can include the full path
  6. The size should be approximately 32x32 but the tool bar will grow to accommodate the size
  7. This will change the bitmap that is used for Internet Explorer, Internet Mail and Internet News

Using Other Mail Packages with Internet Explorer

Added 1/2/97

To change the Internet Explorer to use another e-mail package than Exchange when sending mail:

  1. Open a Folder
  2. Select View / Options and then File Types
  3. Go to URL:MailTo Protocol
  4. Click on the Edit button
  5. Highlight Open and click on the Edit button again
  6. Under Application used to perform action: enter the path and program for your e-mail application
  7. You may need additional switches depending on your e-mail program
  8. If you are concerned about going back to Exchange again, copy the existing setting to a file. You can then paste this back again if needed.

Viewing Drives with IE 3.0

Submitted 10/17/96

You can go to you hard drive or run applications by typing their path into the Internet Explorer address bar.
For example try typing C:\ into the address bar and watch what happens. Is this signs of things to come from IExplorer?

Note from Bob: - You can also view resources on servers the same way.
For the URL enter a UNC such as \\server\share

Submitted by Mark Leavesley
[email protected]


Changing your Favorites Location

Added 10/6/96
You might want to change the location where the Internet Explorer looks for your store Favorite sites.
This can come in useful if you have multiple operating systems (Windows95 and NT 4.0) and want to share
the save set of Favorites or you simply want to have greater control over where you favorites are stored.

  1. Start Regedit
  2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
  3. Double click on Favorites in the right hand panel
  4. Enter the new location
  5. Click on the OK button
  6. Do the same for the User Shell Folders section a few lines down
  7. Close Regedit
  8. Create the directory you just pointed to
  9. Copy any existing Favorites to that location
  10. Be sure to include all folders
  11. Start the Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts

Added 9/28/96

Here are a few IE keyboard shortcuts:


Adding IE3.0 Bookmarks to the Start Menu

  1. Open the taskbar settings menu
  2. Click advanced.
  3. Create a new folder named Bookmarks.
  4. Start Explorer and go to the folder c:\windows\Favorites. This is the IE3.0 bookmark file.
  5. Select the Bookmarks and Folders you want in the start menu.
  6. Select copy.
  7. Switch back to the Taskbar properties menu and paste to the bookmarks file.
  8. If you have a dial-up account and have autodial setup, clicking on a bookmark from the Start menu will start IE, connect to your provider and load the page.

Submitted by Dan Rode
[email protected]


Adding Custom Links and Applications to Internet Explorer 3.0 Toolbar

Added 9/7/96

Along the toolbar are several default links, Best of the Web, Today's Links etc.
To change the URL and description to your preference:

  1. Start Internet Explorer 3.0
  2. Select View / Options
  3. Click on the Navigation tab
  4. Click on the down arrow by Page
  5. Select Quick Link #1-5
  6. In the Name box, type the name you would like to see on the toolbar
  7. In the Address box, enter the URL. If it is the current page, click on the Use Current button
  8. To add an application, simply type in the full path and application. To run it, click on the button, select Open It and then Yes
  9. If you have more changes, click on the Apply button
  10. You will see the change to your toolbar immediately
  11. Click on the OK button when you are finished

Michael Millican has another addition I never would have thought of.
Make one of these links point to a hard drive (C:\, D:\)
When you click on it, you get an Explorer type view of that drive.
He uses it to create folders on the fly to download software into.


Adding your HTML Editor to the Internet Explorer 3.0 Toolbar

Added 8/16/96
You can add your favorite HTML Editor, or any other program, to the Internet Explorer 3.0 toolbar.

  1. Open up any folder
  2. Select View / Options
  3. Select File Types
  4. Scroll down until you can select Internet Document (HTML)
  5. Click in the Edit button
  6. Under the Actions section at the bottom click on the New button
  7. For the Action: type the word Edit
  8. For the Application used to perform action: you can enter the path for your application or browse

The next time you start the Internet Explorer 3.0, a Edit icon will be on the toolbar.
If you selected your HTML editor, when you click on that icon, your editor will be started and will load the current web page.


Organizing Internet Explorer's Favorites

Added 8/16/96
An easy way to organize all your Favorite web sites is to hold the Shift key down
while selecting Favorites / Organize Favorites.
This will show you all the sites and folders. It makes it easy to move sites and create new folders.


Changing the Internet Explorer's ToolBar Background

Added 8/16/96
If you want to change the background on your Internet Explorer 3.0 toolbar:

  1. Start IE 3.0
  2. Go to View / Options
  3. Click on the General tab
  4. Uncheck Background Bitmap
  5. Exit the Internet Explorer
  6. Start Regedit
  7. Go to HKey_Current_User / Software / Microsoft / Internet Explorer / Toolbar
  8. Double-click on Back Bitmap
  9. Enter the path and filename for the BMP file you want to use
  10. Re-start Internet Explorer 3.0

Re-Setting Internet Explorer to Save rather than Open Files Downloaded

Added 7/16/96

When you try and download a .EXE file with Internet Explorer, you are prompted to "Always ask before opening this type of file".
If you uncheck this box, the next time a EXE file is about to be downloaded, you will not be prompted and the file will automatically be opened.
You also do not see the "Always ask..." box again so you can uncheck it.
To reset Internet Explorer back again:

  1. Start Regedit
  2. Go to Hkey_Classes_Root \ exefile
  3. Change the EditFlags value from d8 07 01 00 to d8 07 00 00

Turning off the underline of hot links in Internet Explorer 3.0

Added 6/29/96

Internet Explorer 3.0 has no setting for turning off underline of hot links.
It can be done in the registry. In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
change the value of "Anchor Underline" to "no".

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\TypedURLs
has the URLs which appear when you click the arrow in the Address window.


Starting the Internet Explorer with no initial Start Page

Added 4/21/96

By default, the Internet Explorer always loads a startup page.
This can add time starting the program, especially with a modem.

To start with no Startup Page:

  1. Open the Registry Editor
  2. Search for The Internet
  3. This should bring you to {FBF23B42 ...
  4. Click on the + signs until you get to Shell / Open / Command
  5. Double-Click on the (Default) in the right panel.
  6. Add -nohome after the IEXPLORE.EXE.
  7. For Example: C:\Program Files\Plus!\Microsoft Internet\IEXPLORE.EXE -nohome
  8. Restart the Internet Explorer and it will come up to a blank URL.

Keeping Control of URL Bookmarks

Submitted 1/8/96

  1. Create Folder called Bookmarks
  2. Rom the Internet Explorer or Netscape, Right click on a Web page and select "create shortcut"
  3. Copy these from Desktop location to Bookmarks folder
  4. Drop Bookmarks Folder onto Start Button (into Start folder)
  5. Now you can click on Start and then on Bookmarks and you have alphabetical list of Bookmarks

Submitted by Eric Smith
[email protected]


If you would like to add your Tips, please e-mail me.
Be sure to include your name and e-mail address so credit can be given.


If you have any additions or comments, please

mailto:[email protected]