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Browse the Mobile Web with Internet Explorer

You can browse the Web on your phone while on the go. The Web browser lets you visit your favorite Web sites or search the Internet while away from your computer. You can also find and download mobile applications, ring tones, music, or other media.

To use the Web browser, you must have an Internet connection using GPRS, proxy, VPN, or dial-up. In most case, your wireless carrier or network administrator has already set up an Internet connection on your device. If necessary, you can obtain connection setup information for most of these connection types from your Internet service provider (ISP) or network administrator.

These how-to instructions are for touch screen and non-touch screen phones with Windows Mobile 5. To find help and how-to for Windows Mobile 6 and later versions, go to the main Help & how-to section.

Not sure what type of phone or version of Windows Mobile you have? Identify your Windows Mobile phone.

5.0 Touch Screen5.0 Non-Touch Screen

Connect to the Internet

Change connection options

  • On the Home screen, tap Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Tap Menu > Tools > Options.
  • Tap Connections.
  • Do one of the following:
    • To allow Internet Explorer to select network settings, select Automatically detect settings.
    • To manually choose network settings, in Select network, select the network to which Internet Explorer should connect.
  • Click Done.

Open Internet Explorer Mobile

  • On the Home screen, tap Start > Internet Explorer.

Favorites

Add a favorite

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, go to the page you want to add.
  • Tap and hold the page, and tap Add to Favorites.
  • Confirm or change the name and select a folder for storing the favorite.

Add a folder in Favorites

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap Menu > Favorites >Add/Delete tab.
  • Tap New Folder. Enter a name for the folder, and tap Add.

Delete a favorite or folder

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap Favorites > Add/Delete tab.
  • Select the item you want to delete, and tap Delete.

View favorites

  • From the Home screen, tap Internet Explorer.
  • Tap Menu > Favorites.
  • On the Open tab, tap the page that you want to view.
Note
If a favorite link is dimmed or you receive a message that the page is not available, you must download the page to your device through synchronization or connect to the Internet.

Navigate the Internet

Send a link via e-mail

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, go to the page you want to send.
  • Tap Menu > Tools > Send Link via E-mail.
  • Tap Text Messages or Outlook E-mail.
A new message is created with the page address inserted in the message body.

View the History list

  • The History list contains links to Web sites visited in previous days and weeks.
  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap Menu > History.
  • Do any of the following:
    • To view a page, tap it.
    • To change the information displayed in the History list, tap the sort list (labeled Page Title by default).

Clear the History list

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap Menu > Tools > Options > Memory tab.
  • Tap Clear History.
Tip
To change the number of days that links are stored the History list, change the number in the day(s) box.

Download and save a file from the Web

Saving a file or program and opening it later allows you to take precautions such as checking the file with a virus scanner or disconnecting from the Internet before you open the file or run the program.
  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, go to the page that contains the file you want to save.
  • Tap the file, and tap Save As.
  • In the Name box, enter a new name for the file.
  • Do any of the following:
    • In the Folder list, tap the folder where you want to save the file.
    • In the Location list, select where you want to store the file: Main memory or Storage card.
  • When finished, tap OK.

Delete temporary Internet files

Some Web content is stored as you view it to speed up the display of pages you frequently visit or have already seen. Internet files are also stored on your computer when you make Web pages available for offline browsing. You may want to delete these files to free storage space.
  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap Menu > Tools > Options > Memory tab.
  • Tap Delete Files.
  • All pages stored on your device, including offline favorites content, will be deleted.

Choose a Home page

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap Menu > Tools > Options > General tab.
  • Do one of the following:
    • To use the displayed page as your Home page, tap Use Current.
    • To use the default Home page, tap Use Default.
Tip
To go to your Home page, tap Menu > Home.

Copy text from a Web page

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap and hold the page, and tap Select All Text.
  • Tap and hold the page, and tap Copy.

Save a picture from a Web page

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap and hold the picture, and tap Save Image.
  • Do one of the following:
    • To save the picture in My Pictures on your device, tap Yes.
    • To save the picture in another location such as a storage card, tap Save As.

Change cookies and security settings

Internet Explorer Mobile supports the protocols used by Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). A connection that uses SSL helps you to send personal information more safely.

Cookies are small files containing information about your identity and preferences so that a page can tailor information to your needs. The page sends the file, and it is stored on your mobile device.

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap Menu > Tools > Options > Security tab
  • Select the check boxes for the options you want, and click OK.
Tip
To prevent Internet Explorer Mobile from accepting any cookies, clear the Allow cookies check box.

Display

Change how Web pages fill the screen

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap Menu > View.
  • Tap one of the following:
    • One Column. Arranges the content into one column that is as wide as the screen. This means that you will rarely have to scroll horizontally.
    • Default. Maintains a layout similar to what you see on a desktop computer, but it makes items smaller and arranges the content so that you can see most of it without having to scroll horizontally.
    • Desktop. Keeps the same layout and size as on a desktop computer, which will require both horizontal and vertical scrolling.

Change the size of text on Web pages

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap Menu > Zoom, and tap the size you want.

Show or hide pictures on Web pages

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap Menu > View > Show Pictures.

    A check mark next to Show Pictures indicates that pictures will be displayed on Web pages.

View a page in full screen mode

  • In Internet Explorer Mobile, tap Menu > View > Full Screen.

Connect to the Internet

Change connection options

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Menu > Tools > Options.
  • Click Connections.
  • Do one of the following:
    • To allow Internet Explorer to select network settings, select Automatically detect settings.
    • To manually choose network settings, in Select network, select the network to which Internet Explorer should connect.
  • Click Done.

Open Internet Explorer Mobile

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.

Favorites

Add a Web page to the Favorites list

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • To go to the page you want to add, click Menu > Address Bar, enter the address, and click Go.
  • Click Menu > Add to Favorites.
  • Confirm or change the name and Web page address.
  • In Folder, select a folder for this favorite.
  • Click Add.
Tip
A quick way to add favorites to your phone is to synchronize with your PC using ActiveSync. For more information, see ActiveSync Help on your PC.

View favorites

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Favorites.
  • Select a favorite and click Go.
Note
If a favorite link is dimmed or you receive a message that the page is not available, you must download the page to your device through synchronization or connect to the Internet.

Delete a favorite or folder

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Favorites.
  • Select the favorite to delete.
  • Click Menu > Delete.
  • Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

Edit a favorite

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Favorites.
  • Select the favorite to edit.
  • Click Menu > Edit.
  • Make your changes and click Done.

Create a new folder in Favorites

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Favorites.
  • Click Menu > Add Folder.
  • In Name, enter a name for the folder.
  • Click Add.

Move a favorite to a folder

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Favorites.
  • Select the favorite to move.
  • Click Menu > Edit.
  • Under Folder, scroll to the folder to which you want to move the favorite.
  • Click Done.

Navigate the Internet

Go to a Web page

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Menu > Address Bar.
  • Enter the address, and click Go.

Clear history, cookies, or temporary files

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Menu > Tools > Options.
  • Click Memory.
  • Select the type of memory to clear.
  • Click Clear, click Yes, and then click Done.

Go to a Web page in the History list

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Menu > History.
  • Select the Web page, and click Go.

Send a link via e-mail

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Go to the Web page you want to send.
  • Click Menu > Tools > Send Link via E-mail.
  • Select Text Messages or Outlook E-mail.
A new message is created with the page address inserted in the message body. You may be charged by your service provider to send a text message.

See Use Text Messaging for more information.

Display

Change Web page display options

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Menu > View.
  • Select one of the following:
    • One Column. Arranges the content into one column that is as wide as the screen. This means that you will rarely have to scroll horizontally.
    • Default. Maintains a layout similar to what you see on a desktop computer, but it makes items smaller and arranges the content so that you can see most of it without having to scroll horizontally.
    • Desktop. Keeps the same layout and size as on a desktop computer, which will require both horizontal and vertical scrolling.

Change the size of text on Web pages

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Menu > Zoom and select the size you want.

Show or hide pictures on Web pages

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Menu > View > Show Pictures.
    A check mark next to Show Pictures indicates that pictures will be displayed on Web pages.

View a page in full screen mode

  • On the Home screen, click Start > Internet Explorer.
  • Click Menu > View > Full Screen.
Tip
To exit full screen mode, press one of the SOFT KEYs, and then click Menu > View > Full Screen to cancel the selection.
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