Accessibility in Internet Explorer 8

screenshot of Internet Explorer window open with accelerator button and menu displayed

The Internet is easier to see and explore with accessibility settings and features in Internet Explorer 8. Internet Explorer 8 lets you select text and move around a Web page with the keyboard, makes it easier to copy and paste text from Web pages, and lets you zoom in on a Web page. Enhanced keyboard access can also be found in the toolbar buttons, search box items, address bar, and tabs.

Accessibility Features in Internet Explorer 8

Select text and move around a Web page with the keyboard Rather than using a mouse to select text and move around within a Web page, you can use standard navigation keys on your keyboard—HOME, END, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, and the arrow keys. This feature is called Caret Browsing and is named after the caret—or cursor. This makes it easier to select, copy, and paste text to another document with a keyboard instead of a mouse.

Simplify common tasks with Accelerators Make tasks like copying, navigating, and pasting easier by using accelerators to save time and keystrokes. Accelerators help you quickly perform tasks without navigating to other Web sites to get things done. Highlight text from any Web page, and then click on the blue Accelerator icon that appears above your selection to obtain driving directions, translate and define words, email content, or search.

Zoom in on a Web page Zoom lets you enlarge or reduce the view of a Web page. Unlike changing font size, zoom enlarges or reduces everything on the page, including text and images.

Choose colors used on Web pages Make Web pages easier to see by changing the text, background, link and hover colors. Internet Explorer 8 supports the system link color, so high contrast mode and color preferences you have chosen in Windows will work in Internet Explorer too.

Choose font, colors, and advance accessibility formatting options Under Tools/Internet Options, you can choose your own font style, size, and colors for links and Web pages, or choose advanced accessibility formatting options that let you use your own customized style sheet.

Choose advanced settings Make Web pages easier to see and work with by adjusting accessibility settings for browsing, multimedia, printing, alternative text, and more in Tools/Internet Options.

Find text on a Web page As you type words into the text box, the matching words are highlighted on the Web page, making it easy to quickly scroll the page and see all the instances of the words you're searching for.