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Computer Support For Individuals And Small Business |
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5/23/11 |
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IE 9 Doesn't Look Like IE 8?#! |
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For users of Windows Vista and Windows 7, Internet Explorer is now being upgraded automatically to Internet Explorer 9 (originally released earlier this year) through Windows Update. In many ways it is an improvement over IE 8.
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The upgrade includes a significant change to the interface. The main reason it has been modified is to provide more screen space for the web page being viewed. However, during the Windows Update upgrade process, the interface settings from IE 8 (or a prior version) are not necessarily transferred to IE 9 and the interface initially appears in its default configuration.
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It can be modified, but some functions are not so obvious. Here are answers to some of the common questions we have experienced regarding the appearance of Internet Explorer 9.
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Where are my Favorites? – In the default configuration of IE 9 there are three small icons in the upper right corner of the window. The first is a house (Home), the second is a star (favorites, feeds, and history), and the third is a gear (Tools - explained below). Favorites can be accessed by clicking the star. The conversion to IE 9 should have saved your Favorites from the previous version of Internet Explorer.
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Can my Favorites remain open on the left like IE 8? – Yes. One of the options in IE 8 was to have the Favorites continually available when IE 8 was open. This can be duplicated in IE 9. Open the Favorites by clicking on the star on the upper right as described above. When the Favorites window opens click on the arrow pointing to the left in the upper left of the Favorites window. This will pin the Favorites window to the left side of IE 9. As long as you don’t close the Favorites window, or click the star, it will remain available the next time you open IE 9.
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What is the “gear” icon in the upper right? – The gear icon, labeled “Tools” when you hover the pointer over it, is not the same as the Tools menu item. Rather it provides shortcuts to various functions such as Print, Zoom, Manage Add-ons, and various others. It can also be actived by holding down the Alt key and pressing X (Alt+X).
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Where is the Search box? – The search box has been combined with the URL box. Just type what you are searching for into the URL box and click the Search (magnifying glass) icon on the far right end of the URL box to search with your default search provider (such as Google, Yahoo!, etc.)
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Where are the menu items such as File, Edit, View, etc.? – This refers to the “Menu Bar.” To bring this up on a one-time basis just press the “Alt” key. To have it come up every time you open IE 9, right-click at the top of the IE 9 window and click just to the left of “Menu bar.”
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How do I add buttons at the top to go directly to specific websites? – This refers to the “Favorites Bar.” To open it, right-click at the top of the IE 9 window and click just to the left of “Favorites bar.” It should appear immediately and then automatically the next time you open Internet Explorer. The current website can be added to the Favorites bar by clicking on the star with the arrow in it at the left of the Favorites bar.
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Where are the print, help, and other icons I had before? – This refers to the “Command Bar.” To activate it, right-click at the top of the IE 9 window and click just to the left of “Command bar.” It should appear immediately and then automatically the next time you open Internet Explorer.
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How do I get the Status Bar back at the bottom? - Right-click at the top of the IE 9 window and click just to the left of “Status bar.” You may have to close and restart IE 9 for this to become effective.
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In IE 8 the tabs were in a separate row. In IE 9 they are on the same row as the URL box. How do I put them back in a separate row? - Right-click at the top of the IE 9 window and click just to the left of “Show tabs on a separate row.”
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How do I refresh the screen? – IE 8 had an icon with two arrows, one pointing up and one down, to the right of the URL box. In IE 9 it is a open circle with an arrow on one end, similar to that used by other major browsers. It is located on the far right end of the URL box. Click it to refresh the screen.
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