How to improve browsing performance in Internet Explorer

This article describes how to improve browsing performance in Internet Explorer.

The most common cause of poor performance in Internet Explorer is large pictures, sounds, videos, or other multimedia files that appear or are played automatically when you access a Web page. If you are using a slow connection to access the Internet, these files may take a long time to appear or be played.

To improve browsing performance in Internet Explorer, you can prevent pictures, sounds, videos, and other multimedia files from appearing or being played automatically when you access Web pages. To do so, use the appropriate method.

Internet Explorer versions 5, 5.5, and 6

1. Start Internet Explorer, and then click Internet Options on the Tools menu.
2. On the Advanced tab, click to clear one or more of the following check boxes in the Multimedia area:
   • Show Pictures (prevents pictures from appearing automatically)
   • Play Sounds (prevents sounds from being played automatically)
   • Play Videos (prevents videos from being played automatically)
   • Play Animations (prevents animations from being played automatically)
   
   
3. Click Apply.
4. Disable the AutoComplete feature for forms and passwords:
   1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
   2. Click the Content tab, and then click AutoComplete.
   3. Click to clear the Forms and User names and passwords on forms check boxes, click OK, and then click OK.
5. Click the Security tab, and then click Custom Level.
6. Click Disable for one or more of the items in the following Active Content areas:
   • ActiveX Controls and Plug-ins (prevents Internet Explorer from automatically using items that show active content)
   • Java (prevents Internet Explorer from viewing Java programs automatically)
   • Scripting
   
   NOTE: If you disable ActiveX, Java, and scripting, you may not be able to view Web sites that use these features.
   
   
7. Click OK, and then click OK.

Internet Explorer 4.x

1. Start Internet Explorer, and then click Internet Options on the View menu.
2. On the Advanced tab, click to clear one or more of the following check boxes in the Multimedia area:
   • Show Pictures (prevents pictures from appearing automatically)
   • Play Sounds (prevents sounds from being played automatically)
   • Play Videos (prevents videos from being played automatically)
   
   
3. Click Apply.
4. Click the Security tab, click Custom, and then click Settings.
5. Click Disable for one or more of the items in the following Active Content areas:
   • ActiveX Controls and Plug-ins (prevents Internet Explorer from automatically using items that show active content)
   • Java (prevents Internet Explorer from viewing Java programs automatically)
   • Scripting
   
   NOTE: If you disable ActiveX, Java, and scripting, you may not be able to view Web sites that use these features.
   
   
6. Click OK.

Internet Explorer 3.x

1. Start Internet Explorer, and then click Options on the View menu.
2. On the General tab, click to clear one or more of the following check boxes in the Multimedia area:
   • Show Pictures (prevents pictures from appearing automatically)
   • Play Sounds (prevents sounds from being played automatically)
   • Play Videos (prevents videos from being played automatically)
   
   
3. Click the Security tab, and then click to clear one or more of the following check boxes in the Active Content area:
   • Allow Downloading Of Active Content (prevents Internet Explorer from loading animations and other multimedia files automatically)
   • Enable ActiveX Controls And Plug-ins (prevents Internet Explorer from automatically using items that show active content)
   • Run ActiveX Scripts (prevents ActiveX scripts from running automatically)
   • Enable Java Programs (prevents Internet Explorer from viewing Java programs automatically)
   
   NOTE: If you disable ActiveX, Java, and scripting, you may not be able to view Web sites that use these features.
   
   
4. Click OK.

Windows and System settings

You can also modify some Windows and system settings that may help improve browsing performance in Internet Explorer. The following methods may help improve browsing performance in Internet Explorer.

Hard disk optimization

You can use the Disk Cleanup tool to free some hard disk space. Additional disk space may help improve browsing performance for Internet Explorer.

For additional information about the Disk Cleanup tool and how to free hard disk space, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: You can also use ScanDisk to check the hard disk for problems that may be using disk space. To use ScanDisk:

1. Make sure the hard disk is not running in MS-DOS Compatibility mode. To check this:
   1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
   2. Double-click the System icon, and then click the Performance tab.
   3. In the Performance status box, check for items that show MS-DOS Compatibility mode. For additional information about troubleshooting MS-DOS Compatibility mode issues, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
      130179  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/130179/ ) Troubleshooting MS-DOS compatibility mode on hard disks
2. Click Start, click Run, type scandisk in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Click the drive you want to scan, and then click Start

Windows virtual memory

Allow Windows to manage the virtual memory on your computer. To enable virtual memory:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click System, click the Performance tab, and then click Virtual Memory.
3. Click Let Windows manage my virtual memory settings. (Recommended).
4. Click OK, click Close, and then click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.
   
   For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   128327  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/128327/ ) How Windows 95 manages virtual memory

Video adapter driver and resolution

Updating your video adapter driver or lowering the display resolution may help improve browsing in Internet Explorer. Check with the manufacturer of your video adapter to obtain the latest driver for the adapter. To lower the display resolution:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Display icon, and then click the Settings tab.
3. In the Screen Area box, click a lower resolution, and then click OK.

For additional information about preventing sounds and videos from being played in Internet Explorer, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For additional information about a related topic, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: