How do browser add-ons affect my computer?

Published 12/05/2004 17:23   |    Updated 23/04/2008 14:10

Add-ons, also known as ActiveX controls, browser extensions, browser helper objects, or toolbars, can improve your experience on a website by providing multimedia or interactive content, such as animations. However, some add-ons can cause your computer to stop responding or display content that you don't want, such as pop-up ads.

 

If you suspect that browser add-ons are affecting your computer, you might want to disable all add-ons to see if that solves the problem.

To disable all add-ons temporarily

• Right-click the Internet Explorer icon on the desktop, and then click Start Without Add-ons.
• If you do not have an Internet Explorer icon on the desktop, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click Internet Explorer (No Add-ons).

 

If disabling all add-ons solves the problem, you might want to use Add-on Manager to disable all add-ons permanently and then turn on add-ons only as you need them. To disable an add-on, follow the steps below.

To disable add-ons in Add-on Manager

1. Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Internet Explorer.
2. Click the Tools button, click Manage Add-ons, and then click Enable or Disable Add-ons.
3. In the Show box, click Add-ons that have been used by Internet Explorer to display all add-ons installed on your computer.
4. Click the add-on you want to disable, and then, under Settings, click Disable.
5. Repeat step 4 for every add-on you want to disable. When you are finished, click OK.

 

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