HOW TO: Use Group Policy to Configure Advanced Settings for Internet Explorer in Windows Server 2003

This article describes how to use Group Policy to implement advanced settings in Microsoft Internet Explorer. This article assumes that you have successfully implemented Group Policy settings in your Windows Server 2003 environment.

When you configure Internet Explorer on client computers by using Group Policy, you can customize the Advanced settings and some of the Temporary Internet Files settings that are not available by default.

How to Use Group Policy to Set Advanced Settings in Internet Explorer

To customize advanced settings in Internet Explorer, make sure that Group Policy is set to Preference mode. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in. To do this:
   
   1. Click Start, click Run, type mmc in the Open box, and then click OK.
   2. On the File menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in.
   3. Click Add.
   4. Click Group Policy Object Editor, and then click Add.
   5. Click the target Group Policy object (GPO). The default GPO is Local Computer. Click Browse to select the GPO that you want, and then click Finish.
   6. Click Close, and then click OK.
2. In the console tree, expand the GPO, expand User Configuration, and then expand Windows Settings.
3. Right-click Internet Explorer Maintenance, and then click Preference Mode.
   
   The Advanced folder appears under Internet Explorer Maintenance in the console tree.

If a policy is already defined, you must click Reset Browser Settings before you can put this policy in Preference mode. When you reset the browser settings, any policy settings that are specified to that Group Policy are reset.

NOTE: Preference mode settings are set by an administrator. However, you can change these settings after the policy is applied (for example, your home-page setting or settings on the Advanced tab). After the policy is applied to a client computer, you can change your home page and advanced settings.

If the administrator does not want users to change the settings, the administrator can apply a restriction by using the Administrative templates in the GPO.

An administrator must also combine GPOs, an organizational unit, a user, or a computer by implementing both a Preference mode and a Maintenance mode GPO.

For more information about how to use Group Policy to administer Internet Explorer, see Internet Explorer Maintenance Help. To do so, right-click Internet Explorer Maintenance in the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in, and then click Help.