Hey, where'd my Favorites button go?
Getting to know the new look of Internet Explorer 7
By Sandi Hardmeier
From 1995 to 2001, as Internet Explorer matured from versions 1 through 6, the graphical user interface didn't change very much. Most of the buttons remained where they were, so that each time we upgraded Internet Explorer the web browser looked and felt familiar.
Internet Explorer 7, introduced in late 2006, fundamentally changed how Internet Explorer looks and feels. The primary goal, according to Microsoft, has been to simplify the interface, moving away from the "buttons for everything" philosophy. The new interface emphasizes the most commonly used features and moves occasionally used tools to the side.
Having worked with many users of Internet Explorer 7 since its release to the public, I've noticed that many people have the same questions as they become accustomed to the new interface. So, let's have a look at some of the bigger changes to Internet Explorer 7 and the new ways of doing things.
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| Internet Explorer 6—chock full of buttons |
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| Internet Explorer 7 clears the clutter to make way for tabs and a Search box |
Put that on my tab
Internet Explorer 7 is the first version of the browser that includes tabbed browsing, which allows you to open multiple webpages within a single Internet Explorer window. Thanks to this improvement, my taskbar is no longer cluttered by lots of copies of Internet Explorer running at the same time.
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| Use tabs to open multiple webpages within the same Internet Explorer window |
You can open a new tab at any time by clicking on the New tab button in the toolbar and then typing the address of the site you want to visit in the Address box. You can also press CTRL as you click a link to open it in a new tab. To close a tab, click the Close button 
that appears on the right side of the selected tab.
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| New tab button |
In my opinion, the killer feature of tabbed browsing in Internet Explorer 7 is Quick Tabs. I was first shown this feature during a July 2005 visit to Microsoft, and I knew even back then that this was a brilliant idea. Quick Tabs is a special view within Internet Explorer that shows a thumbnail (miniature version) of every webpage that you have open. To open this view, click the Quick Tabs button 
to the left of the row of tabs. From here, you can click any thumbnail to jump straight to that page. By right-clicking a thumbnail, you can refresh individual pages or all pages, and you can close tabs.
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| Are your sites getting lost among the tabs? No problem—Quick Tabs will help you find them |
For more information about using tabs, see Tabbed browsing: frequently asked questions.
Where are the History and Favorites buttons?
Internet Explorer 7 combines the History and Favorites buttons into a single button 
. This one button opens the Favorites Center, which is used to switch between the Favorites, History, and Feeds lists without having to bounce back and forth on the screen. The lists will remain open until you select an entry, although you can lock the pane into position by clicking the Pin button 
.
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| Switch between the Favorites, Feeds, and History lists by clicking the buttons at the top of the Favorites Center |
I recommend that you take the time to organize your favorites and RSS feeds into folders. This allows you to open all the links in any folder as a tab group. To open a tab group, point to a folder in the Favorites or Feeds list, and then click the Open in tabs button 
to the right of the folder name. All of the webpages or RSS feeds will open on separate tabs.
To add a new favorite, click the Add to Favorites button 
, and then click Add to Favorites. In the Name box, type a name for the favorite, and then click Add.
Where's the Search button?
The Search button has been replaced by the Search box in the top right corner of the screen. To search the web, simply type the phrase you wish to search for, and then press ENTER or click the Search button 
.
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| Search box |
By default, the Search box provides results using Live Search—unless you've upgraded from Internet Explorer 6. In that case, Internet Explorer 7 carries forward your search provider setting. Of course, you can easily specify a different default search provider, and you can add as many search providers as you want to the drop-down list to the right of the Search box.
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| To repeat a search with a different search provider, click the arrow to the right of the Search box |
Previous versions of Internet Explorer restricted users to a preselected group of search providers. Using a search engine outside of this group required editing several registry keys—which is not something the average user was eager to do. Fortunately, Internet Explorer 7 makes it possible to choose any search provider that you want.
| To add a search provider |
| | 1.
| Click the arrow to the right of the Search box. | | 2.
| Click Find More Providers. Internet Explorer opens a webpage with a list of the most popular search providers. | | 3.
| Click the search provider you would like to add. If the search provider you want isn't listed, follow the instructions in the Create Your Own box. | | 4.
| If you want the provider that you just added to be used by default when searching from the Address box or Search box, select the Make this my default search provider check box. | | 5.
| Click Add Provider. |
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Where are the menus?
In Internet Explorer 6, the Menu bar (the toolbar with the File, Edit, View, Favorites, Tools, and Help menus) was the main place to access most commands. In Internet Explorer 7, you can choose whether to show or hide the Menu bar. To turn it on or off, click the Tools button, and then click Menu Bar. If you turn the Menu bar off, you can still display it temporarily at any time by pressing ALT.
Most of the commands from the Menu bar also appear in small groups on the Command bar (the bar that includes the Home button 
). For example, to access printing options, you can click the arrow next to the Print button 
. Most commands from the Tools menu appear under the Tools button.
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| Welcome to the redesigned Command bar, now with menus |
Where are the Go, Refresh, and Stop buttons?
The Go and Refresh buttons have been combined into one dynamic button located to the immediate right of the Address box. While you're typing in the Address box, you'll see the Go button. Otherwise, the Refresh button appears. The Stop button appears to the right of this combined button.
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| The Go and Refresh buttons have been combined into one dynamic control, with the Stop button as a neighbor |
Where can I get Internet Explorer 7?
Internet Explorer 7 is included with Windows Vista, and is offered to Windows XP users as a high-priority update through Automatic Updates. You can also download it from the Internet Explorer 7 website.
Besides its improved interface, Internet Explorer 7 includes a host of other features that make it well worth the upgrade (see my column Better browsing: Internet Explorer 7 offers improved security and productivity). Please give it a go, and feel free to ask for help in the Internet Explorer community
online as you become accustomed to the new Microsoft web browser.
On a lighter note…
I first saw this movie about Internet Explorer 7 about a year ago, and its charm remains. It's cleverly done and worth a look.
About the author
Sandi Hardmeier is a Microsoft MVP specializing in Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, and Windows Mail. She is the IT coordinator for a mid-sized law firm, as well as the creator of www.ie-vista.com, the first dedicated Internet Explorer 7 support site to go live on the Internet.
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