How do browser add-ons affect my computer?

Applies to all editions of Windows Vista. Which edition of Windows Vista am I using?

The information in this Help topic applies to Windows Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Internet Explorer 8.

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
	• Click the Start button , 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 Manage Add-ons 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 by using Manage Add-ons

1. Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Internet Explorer. 2. Do one of the following: • In Internet Explorer 8, click the Tools button, and then click Manage Add-ons. • In Internet Explorer 7, click the Tools button, point to Manage Add-ons, and then click Enable or Disable Add-ons. 3. Do one of the following: • In Internet Explorer 8, under Show, click All Add-ons. • In Internet Explorer 7, in the Show list, click Add-ons currently loaded in Internet Explorer. 4. Click the add-on you want to disable, and then do one of the following: • In Internet Explorer 8, click Disable. • In Internet Explorer 7, under Settings, click Disable. 5. Repeat step 4 for every add-on you want to disable. When you are finished, click Close in Internet Explorer 8, or click OK in Internet Explorer 7.

See also

• When to trust a website
• Internet Explorer add-ons: frequently asked questions