How to customize Internet Explorer 8

[EricTheRed]

Internet Explorer 8 offers many customization features, the better to adjust its interface and ergonomics to your habits. Discover five settings very useful.


Remove the menu bar

The menu bar has no interest in IE8. It clutters the space and is useful for access to the former option that is called very rarely. In addition, a simple keyboard shortcut is enough to get them back when we really need.

- Open Internet Explorer 8
- Click the right button on a blank area of the toolbar of IE8
- Uncheck the Bar menu in the menu
- From now on, to reappear menus, simply press the [Alt] key.

Note:
Remember that almost all the options in the menu bar can be accessed via the command bar to the right of navigation tabs.

[EricTheRed]

Leave more room for tabs

Command bar, which gives access to the essential functions of IE8, is set to ease its grip by beginners and old users of IE6.

After a few days of use, it is no longer necessary to keep this bar with all these labels explanatory but cumbersome.

We can then ask IE8 to display a command bar simplified, reduced to simple icons. The space advantage and then released to the tab bar.

- Open Internet Explorer 8
- Click the right button on a blank area of the command bar.
- In the context menu, deploy Customize
- Select the option View that as icons


Iconified bookmark

Over time, the bar of your favorite links eventually overflow, can not show on screen all the shortcuts you've placed.

The solution is to display only icons of these sites rather than their language, especially that each site publishes his personal representative icon. Moreover, if one has lost sight of what is one of the shortcuts, simply point the mouse over a bubble to get detailed help.

- Open Internet Explorer 8
- Click the right mouse button on Favorites icon
- In the context menu, deploy Custom widths titles
- Select Icons only

[EricTheRed]

Icons more readable

If you work with a high definition screen, icons in IE8 may seem too small and tired eyes out.

Fortunately, a setting can make the interface more pleasing to the eye in one click:

- Open Internet Explorer 8
- Click the right button on a blank area of the toolbar
- In the context menu, deploy Customize
- Select Use large icons

Move the Stop and Refresh icons

To avoid handling errors and match the address bar of a more ergonomic, it is possible to change the position of the buttons [Stop] and [Refresh].

- Open Internet Explorer 8
- Click the right button on a blank area of the toolbar
- Extend the Customize submenu
- Select the Display Refresh and Stop buttons to the address bar

[PhineasBoggs]

Icons more readable

If you work with a high definition screen, icons in IE8 may seem too small and tired eyes out.

Fortunately, a setting can make the interface more pleasing to the eye in one click:

- Open Internet Explorer 8
- Click the right button on a blank area of the toolbar
- In the context menu, deploy Customize
- Select Use large icons

Move the Stop and Refresh icons


To avoid handling errors and match the address bar of a more ergonomic, it is possible to change the position of the buttons [Stop] and [Refresh].

- Open Internet Explorer 8
- Click the right button on a blank area of the toolbar
- Extend the Customize submenu
- Select the Display Refresh and Stop buttons to the address bar

Nice idea. No "use large icons" No Display Refresh and Stop buttons to the address bar. Also, that is not American English as we do not display to, we dispay ON. Further, my edition gives me a choice to "Show Stop and Refresh buttons before Address Bar"

I want the icons with the Back and Forward UNDER them, and I don't want to have to move my cursor all the way up to the top of the screen on such little real estate. I LIKE my IE7 settings and they work for me. The teeny buttons aren't for me. I like having file/edit etc. on the tope with the large buttons under that.

Is there any way to recapture these icons or am I SOL? Is my only option to return to IE7? GRrrr.

[FlashX]

This is how you can customize your Favorites bar in IE8:

1. Drag the webpage icon from the Address bar to the Favorites bar
2. Drag a link from a webpage directly to the Favorites bar
3. Click the Add to Favorites button, and then click Add to Favorites Bar

You can add whichever link you want by using these steps.

[PhineasBoggs]

This is how you can customize your Favorites bar in IE8:

1. Drag the webpage icon from the Address bar to the Favorites bar
2. Drag a link from a webpage directly to the Favorites bar
3. Click the Add to Favorites button, and then click Add to Favorites Bar

You can add whichever link you want by using these steps.

I think you misunderstood. My question is how to restore the drop down menu to the top of the page, and the Forward and Back buttons to the size they were in IE7 with the text underneath.

The more I use IE8 the more I like IE7.

[Aseem Sheik]

To activate your installed toolbars right-click on the toolbar area and choose the third-party toolbar you want to appear. Most web browsers use a different display of toolbars with the menu bar on top and the address bar below which is also the default display in all windows and applications in the Windows operating system. The Internet Explorer 8 Favorites bar replaces the Links toolbar from previous versions of Internet Explorer, and hosts not only your favorite links, but also feeds and WebSlices. There is however no option to customize Internet Explorer toolbars in the browser itself. For those of you that would like these buttons to appear on the left side of the address bar, you can do so by clicking “Customize” and then “Show Stop and Refresh Buttons before Address Bar”.

[PhineasBoggs]

Thanks for replying.

Unfortunately, your post, while apparently accurate, is not related to my question.

Please don't waste readers' time by posting just for the sake of posting--read the question first and then respond relevantly or not at all.

I have uninstalled IE8 and switched to Firefox.

[meesterpaul]

Is there a way to reduce the wasted space in the header bars in IE 8? I don't need a 5 inch long box for URLs and another 6 inches for a search box. I'd like to cram my tabs, bars, search and url boxes onto one lline. I'm stunned that reviews of IE8 don't seem to motive the waste of real estate deicated to therese bars, top and bottom oof the page.
Ty,
PT

[PhineasBoggs]

I agree. We should be able to have our toolbars according to our personal taste and preferences. I like a lot of real estate and I like it a certain way for me, you like it completely different: almost no real estate. And we're BOTH RIGHT!

Why does MS decide we can no longer think or work the best way for US, and demand we do it the way of some programmer? Even schools are teaching brain-based learning, and we are all taught about learning and working differences.

MS believes in the principle of the Bed of Proscrutes . . . make us all fit someone else's bed by cutting off our feet or stretching us.

Pfui. I'm back to IE6 where I still had rights and privileges. At some point, I figure either MS or Foxfire will restore our privileges and allow us to sleep and work in peace.

[meesterpaul]

The Fn+F11 option is good. It shoves the header to the top where they pull down with a touch.
Also, one of the tools bars toggles with ALT. Keyboards shortcuts p[osted elsewhere on this site had more good options.,