How to optimize Internet Explorer

Configuration settings in Windows Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Internet Explorer 8 may cause one or more of the following issues:

• You experience performance problems in Internet Explorer.
• You receive an error message in Internet Explorer. For example, you receive an "Internet Explorer cannot display the Web page" error message.
• Internet Explorer stops responding.

This article describes how to optimize or reset Internet Explorer in Windows Vista to resolve these issues.

To resolve these issues, use the following methods in the order in which they are presented.

Method 1: Clear cached data in Internet Explorer

To determine whether a performance issue or an error message is caused by corruption in the temporary Internet files or in other cached information that is used by Internet Explorer, you must clear cached data. To do this, follow these steps:

Internet Explorer 7

1. Open Internet Explorer 7.
2. Click Tools, and then click Delete Browsing History.
3. In Delete Browsing History, click Delete All.
4. Click to select the Also delete files and settings stored by add-ons check box, and then click OK.

Internet Explorer 8

1. Open Internet Explorer 8.
2. Click Safety, and then click Delete Browsing History.
3. In Delete Browsing History area, click Delete.

A progress bar is displayed to indicate that the browsing history is being cleared. After this process is complete, test Internet Explorer to verify that it works correctly. If issues still occur, try Method 2.

Method 2: Reset security settings for Internet Explorer

If you configure security settings to be too restrictive, you may prevent Internet Explorer from displaying certain Web sites. To determine whether an issue is caused by overly restrictive security settings, revert to default security settings. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click Tools, and then click Internet Options.
3. Click the Security tab.
4. Click Reset all zones to default level, and then click OK.

After you do this, test Internet Explorer to verify that it works correctly. If issues still occur, try Method 3. 

Note If this method does not resolve the issue, you can restore Internet Explorer to its previous security level.

Method 3: Run Internet Explorer in "No Add-Ons" mode

Internet Explorer add-ons, such as ActiveX controls and browser toolbars, are used by some Web sites to provide an enhanced browsing experience. An error may occur if an add-on is damaged or if an add-on conflicts with Internet Explorer. To determine whether the error is caused by an add-on, run Internet Explorer in "No Add-Ons" mode. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then type Internet Explorer in the Start Search box.
2. Click Internet Explorer (No Add-Ons). Internet Explorer opens without add-ons, toolbars, or plug-ins.
3. Test Internet Explorer to verify that it works correctly. If issues still occur, try Method 4. 

If no errors occur, the problem is caused by one of the add-ons that typically load together with Internet Explorer. In this case, use one of the following options.

Option 1: Reset Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer to its default configuration. This step will also disable any add-ons, plug-ins, or toolbars that are installed. Although this solution is quick, it also means that, if you want to use any of those add-ons in the future, they must be reinstalled. To reset Internet Explorer settings, use Method 4. 

Option 2: Use the Manage Add-ons tool to determine which add-on is causing the issue

Use the Manage Add-ons tool in Internet Explorer to individually disable each add-on to determine which add-on is causing errors. To do this, follow these steps:

Internet Explorer 7

1. Open Internet Explorer 7.
2. Click Tools, point to Manage Add-ons, and then click Enable or Disable Add-ons.
3. In the Show box, select Add-ons that have been used by Internet Explorer to display all add-ons that are installed on the computer.
4. For each item in this list, select the add-on, and then click Disable under Settings.
5. When you have disabled all the items in this list, click OK.
6. Exit and then restart Internet Explorer 7.
7. If issues do not occur, repeat steps 1 through 3.
8. Click Enable for a single add-on.
9. Repeat steps 6 through 8 until you determine which add-on causes errors to occur.

Internet Explorer 8

1. Open Internet Explorer 8.
2. Click Tools, and then click Manage Add-ons.
3. On the Show drop-down menu, select All add-ons to display all add-ons that are installed on the computer.
4. For each item in this list, select the add-on, and then click Disable in the Information window.
5. When you have disabled all the items in this list, click OK.
6. Exit and then restart Internet Explorer.
7. If issues do not reoccur, repeat steps 1 through 3.
8. Click Enable for a single add-on.
9. Repeat steps 6 through 8 until you determine which add-on causes errors to occur.

After you have used this process to determine which add-on is causing errors, you can disable that add-on. Or, you can uninstall the software that installs the add-on. We also recommend that you contact the software vendor that provided the add-on for additional troubleshooting and support.  

For more information about add-ons in Internet Explorer, see the following article in Windows Help:

Method 4: Reset Internet Explorer settings

To determine whether a performance issue or an error message is caused by configuration settings, reset Internet Explorer to its default configuration. This was its state when Windows Vista was originally installed.

To have us reset the Internet Explorer settings for you, go to the "Reset Internet Explorer for me" section. To reset the Internet Explorer settings yourself, go to the "Let me reset Internet Explorer myself" section.

Reset Internet Explorer for me

To reset Internet Explorer settings automatically, click the Reset Internet Explorer  button or link. Click Run in the File Download dialog box, and follow the steps in the Fix it wizard.


Note This Fix it tool should be run on Windows Vista. If you are using Windows 7, go to Method 5.

Note This wizard may be in English only; however, the automatic fix also works for other language versions of Windows.

Note If you are not on the computer that has the problem, you can save the automatic fix to a flash drive or to a CD, and then you can run it on the computer that has the problem.

Next, go to the "Did this fix the problem?" section.

Let me reset Internet Explorer myself

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click Tools, and then click Internet Options.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. Under Reset Internet Explorer Settings, click Reset.

Did this fix the problem?

Check whether the Internet Explorer settings are reset. If the Internet Explorer settings are reset, you are finished with this section. If the Internet Explorer settings are not reset, you can contact support.

For more information about the changes that occur when you reset the Internet Explorer settings, see the following articles in Windows Help:

Method 5: Internet Explorer troubleshooters in Windows 7

By default, Windows 7 has the following two Internet Explorer troubleshooters:

1. Internet Explorer Performance
2. Internet Explorer Safety

Run Internet Explorer troubleshooters

1. Close all programs.
2. Click Start
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   , and then click Control Panel.
3. Click Find and Fix Problems under System and Security.
4. Click View All on the task pane on the left.
5. Click Internet Explorer Performance.
6. Click Next in the dialogue box.
7. The troubleshooter will run and fix all identified issues automatically. Click Close.

After you run the "Internet Explorer Performance" troubleshooter, start Internet Explorer to see whether the issue is fixed. If the issue still occurs, run the ‘Internet Explorer Safety’ troubleshooter by using the same steps as mentioned earlier