Release notes
See the Internet Explorer 8 release notes.
Internet Explorer 8 frequently asked questions
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How do I uninstall Internet Explorer 8?
For Windows Vista users:
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
In the upper-left of the window, make sure you click on Control Panel Home so that Classic View is not active.
Click Uninstall a program from the lower-left of the window, OR from under the program section.
Click View installed updates from the upper-left of the window.
Wait a few seconds for all your updates to appear on the list, then scroll down the listing and highlight Windows Internet Explorer 8.
Click Uninstall from the top of the window to remove Internet Explorer 8.
For Windows XP Users:
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
Click Add or Remove Programs.
Make sure there is a check mark in the Show updates box in the upper-middle of the window.
Scroll down the list and highlight Internet Explorer 8, then click Remove to uninstall.
How do I make Internet Explorer my default web browser?
Click on Tools from the toolbar in Internet Explorer 8 and select Internet Options. Then select the Programs tab from the top of the window to access the default browser settings. You can even choose to be alerted if Internet Explorer is not your default browser. Click OK to save your changes.
Internet Explorer is telling me that it cannot display the webpage. What do I do now?
There are many reasons that Internet Explorer could be encountering this issue. Some examples are connectivity to your ISP, a firewall blocking your connection, or your networking device not functioning properly.
Please visit our support site for instructions on how to troubleshoot this issue.
If you cannot navigate to this page, or do not have another computer in your home that can navigate to the site, you can contact Microsoft Support to assist with this issue.
Where is the file menu bar? How do I add it?
To maximize website viewing, the File menu may be hidden by default. Most menu options can be accessed from the toolbar. You can make the Menu Bar (File, Edit, View, Etc.) appear by clicking the Tools menu, located near the upper right of the screen, and then Toolbars and then Menu Bar.
Where is the email button?
The email button is located on the Internet Explorer toolbar. Click this button and Internet Explorer will open your default mail application.
How do I email from within Internet Explorer?
Highlight the webpage content you wish to send and click on the Accelerator button that appears next to your selected content.
Select Email with Live Mail to send via Live Mail if you use that service. You may have to login to Live Mail before you send.
You can also use other web-based mail services, as long as those companies have enabled an Accelerator for emailing within Internet Explorer 8.
How do I add more Accelerators in Internet Explorer 8?
To find more Accelerators from the Accelerator fly-out menu, select More Accelerators then Find more Accelerators to view a page of available Accelerators.
Note: More and more web service companies will be building Accelerators for Internet Explorer 8 in the coming months, so check the Find more Accelerators option from time to time for updates.
How do I change my homepage?
Navigate to the website you'd like to use for your homepage. Then, click the down arrow next to the Home icon on the Internet Explorer 8 toolbar and select Add or Change Home Page. Now you can select whether you want to Use this webpage as your only home page, or Add this webpage to your homepage tabs. Click Yes to save your changes.
How do I launch Internet Explorer? Where is the icon to launch Internet Explorer?
Internet Explorer 8 can be launched by clicking the familiar "e" icon on your desktop, or by clicking the Start button from the lower-left of your screen, then the Internet Explorer 8 icon from the Start menu. If you do not see these items, you may not have Internet Explorer installed. See How do I install Internet Explorer 8 above for installation help.
Where are my favorites? How do I add favorites?
When you install Internet Explorer 8 all your favorites will be moved to the Favorites Center on the far left side of the toolbar. To add a website to your Favorites, navigate to that website and click the Favorites button, then Add to Favorites to add the site. You can also manage your favorite websites from the Favorites Center, along with Feeds and History. To keep the Favorites Center visible at all times, click the Pin the Favorites Center icon to the right of the Favorites Center to pin it open.
How do I add/remove toolbars? And/or add-ons?
To add a toolbar, click Tools, then Toolbars from the Command bar or right-click on the Command bar to see a list of toolbar options. You can activate or deactivate a number of Internet Explorer toolbars from this menu option. You can even Lock the Toolbars to make Internet Explorer 8 show the same toolbars each time you use the browser.
To add or remove Add-ons, click Tools from the Command bar and select Manage Add-ons from the drop-down menu. From this menu you can view and manage a list of different Add-on Types you've got installed in the browser. To add more, click on the Find more providers... option at the bottom of the window. To delete an Add-on, highlight the one you wish to remove and select Remove, or select Disable if you wish to leave it installed but make it inactive.
How do I delete browsing history? How do I clear my temp/cookies/browsing history/etc?
There are a few ways you can clear your tracks in Internet Explorer 8
Proactively with InPrivate Browsing - Internet Explorer 8 provides you with a choice over when your browsing habits are being recorded.
Begin InPrivate Browsing by opening a new tab and selecting Browse with InPrivate from the menu on the page. You can also begin InPrivate browsing by opening a new page and selecting InPrivate Browsing from the Saftey button on the Command bar. Once you complete this action, Internet Explorer 8 will launch a new browser session that won't record any information, leaving no evidence of searches or webpage visits. To end your InPrivate Browsing session, simply close the browser window.
Reactively with Enhanced Delete Browsing History
Now you can choose to preserve cookies and temporary Internet files for sites in your Favorites folder, thereby enabling those websites to remember user preferences and display faster while you browse. This added functionality helps you protect your information while ensuring the functionally and ease-of-use of your trusted favorite sites.
To clear your tracks after you've browsed click Safety from the Command bar and select Delete Browsing History from the menu to open up a page of options. From here you can choose a number of options to keep your browsing private. Place check boxes next to the items you wish to remove and click Delete to cover your tracks.
Where is the favorites bar? How do I get the favorites bar to appear?
The Favorites bar appears on the far left side of the toolbar next to the Favorites button. To keep the Favorites bar visible at all times, click Tools, then Toolbars from the Command bar and select Favorites Bar. Also, you can activate or deactivate a number of Internet Explorer toolbars from this menu option. You can even Lock the Toolbars to make Internet Explorer 8 show the same toolbars each time you use the browser.