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Customized Browser Settings

Customized Browser Settings 

Most web surfers are unaware that they can customize their browser settings.  This page shows you tips on how to adjust settings for both Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator browsers.  Be aware than some features will not work on every browser and readers are advised to check the Help Menu or the home page of the browser.

Internet Explorer:

Customizing the Toolbar: 

The toolbar at the top of the browser offers a number of particular functions.  To organize this better, you can group these tools in a more acceptable manner.   Though web browsers come with a number of default tools already in place, you can add, remove or rearrange these tools to better fit your needs. 

Steps:  Right-click the Toolbar > Customize.  This brings up the Customize Toolbar Menu.  From here you can select from options like Page Forward/Back and Full Screen.  Separators allow you to group particular blocks of tools together. 

Adjusting the Icons:

There are two major things that can be done with the toolbar icons on IE:  enlarge or reduce, and adding or removing labels.  In the Customize window, you have the option of doing both. 

Steps:  Select size of labels from the Customize Window.  To disable the text labels on the icons you can click the Remove button under Text Labels.  This, combined with reducing the size of the icons, will greatly decrease the size of the toolbar. 

Customizing Links:

The links bar is an often unused area of the browser window that can also be adjusted.  From this bar, one can set links to commonly used sites and use them as a shortcut.

Steps:  To delete links in the bar, right click on an unwanted link > Delete.  To add a link, go to the web page you would like to add, then drag and drop (while holding down the left mouse button) the Internet Explorer icon  located on the top left side of the screen to the links bar.  To arrange links in the bar, click and drag them along the bar. 

Adjusting the Location of Bars:

Each bar in the tool area can be relocated.  With this option you can even combine bars to free up more space.  With these steps, you can streamline your browser to get a greater viewing field, or adjust it so that it is easier to read and use.

Steps:  To move a bar into a new position, click and drag from the ‘tab line’ located to the right of a bar.  This line will always be at the left of a given tool bar, even after it is moved.  In order to combine bars, drag one bar into the center of another and adjust for size.

Netscape Navigator:

Netscape works quite differently from Internet Explorer in regards to adjusting and manipulating the tools you can use.  Most of these preferences can be accessed through the Edit option on the toolbar. 

Adjusting the Tool Icons:

Steps:  Go to the Edit menu and select Preferences.  Select Appearance under the category window to bring up the appearance screen.  From here you can adjust the tools to be in pictures only, text only or pictures and text. 

Adjusting the Bookmarks: 

The Bookmarks function is one of the most useful features in this browser because it categorizes your personal favorites.  From here, you can add, delete, organize and file the most commonly used web pages that you visit.

Add a Bookmark:

Steps:  Go to the web site you wish to add.  Click the Bookmark button located to the left of the address bar.  Once you do this, the link to that web site will be at the bottom of the bookmark page.

Delete a Bookmark:

Like Internet Explorer, there are pre-programmed bookmarks in your browser.  Some of these may not be useful to you so you can reorganize them to your liking. 

Steps:  Click the Bookmark button and then the Edit Bookmarks option.  From here a new screen will list all the bookmarks you have listed, both in the folders and unclassified.  To remove a bookmark, highlight it and then press the “delete” key on your keyboard.

Organize Bookmarks:

To group your web sites better, you can create new files or change the characteristics of old files from the Edit Bookmarks option. 

Steps:  Do the same steps as if you were going to delete a bookmark.  Once the list screen comes up, you can move bookmarks by clicking and dragging them.   If you want to create a folder, you can use File > New Folder and it will appear at the bottom of the screen.  From there you can rename it, reposition it and place your bookmarks into it.

Adjusting the Toolbars:

Just like Internet Explorer, you can adjust your bars to reposition them, but only horizontally.

Closing and Opening a Toolbar: 

This option is designed to add additional viewing space for browsing.    This is an option in Netscape that IE does not have.

Steps:  Click on the left panel of the toolbar.  This will minimize it.  To return it to its original size, just click it again.

Special thanks to Jeff Drake, USC Honors Program for the information on this page.