How to Configure the Active Desktop

You can use the Active Desktop to make your desktop act like your own personal Web page. You can display pieces of your favorite Web sites directly on your desktop and keep them up-to-date automatically. You can easily customize the Active Desktop at any time.

This article describes how to configure the Active Desktop. The following topics are discussed:

• How to enable and disable the Active Desktop
• How to add an Active Desktop item to the desktop
• How to make a Web page the desktop wallpaper

How to Enable and Disable the Active Desktop

To enable the Active Desktop, right-click an empty area on the desktop, point to Active Desktop, and then click View As Web Page (a check mark appears). To disable the Active Desktop, click View As Web Page to clear the check mark.

How to Add an Active Desktop Item to the Desktop

An Active Desktop item is simply a Web page. It can contain active content that can change, such as a stock ticker or a weather map. To add an Active Desktop item, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
2. Click the Web tab, and then click New.
3. If you want to use an Active Desktop item from the Desktop Component Gallery on Microsoft's Web site, click Yes. If you want to use a Web site as an Active Desktop item, click No, and then either type the Web address for the Web site you want to use, or click Browse to search your hard disk.

How to Make a Web Page the Desktop Wallpaper

To make a Web page the desktop wallpaper, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
2. On the Background tab, click Browse.
3. In the Browse dialog box, click HTML Document.
4. Search for the .htm or .html file on your hard disk that you want to use, and then click Open.
5. Click OK.

NOTE: You can also right-click any graphic in a Web page, and then click Set As Wallpaper to make that graphic the desktop wallpaper.

How to Delete an Active Desktop Item from the Desktop

To delete an Active Desktop item, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
2. Click the Web tab.
3. Click appropriate Web site, and then click Delete.
4. Click Yes to confirm deletion.
5. Click OK.

NOTE: For Internet Explorer 4, this deletes all subscription content. For Internet Explorer 5, this deletes all content from the "Items to Synchronize" box.