- Clear Your Cache
- Change the Size of Your Cache
- Delete Cookies
- Don't Display Graphics
- Turn Off the SmartScreen Filter
- Disable RSS Feeds
- Remove Third-Party Toolbars and Add-Ons
- Change Your DNS Service
Remove Third-Party Toolbars and Add-Ons
Some of what slows down Internet Explorer are add-ons to the main program. These auxiliary programs require more computing power than the browser does by itself, and sometimes access third-party websites that require additional downloads. You can speed up your browsing by disabling the least essential of these add-ons.
Likewise, many websites like to install their own toolbars for Internet Explorer. While these toolbars might make using those sites easier (a one-button affair, in many cases), they also put an extra load on Internet Explorer, which can make your browsing seem sluggish.
To remove unwanted toolbars and add-ons from Internet Explorer 9, follow these steps:
- Click the Tools (gear) button and select Manage Add-Ons.
- When the Manage Add-Ons window appears, go to the Add-On Types section and select Toolbars and Extensions.
- Click the add-on or toolbar you want to remove, then click the Disable button.
Determining which add-ons to keep and which to disable is mainly a matter of trial and error; there are no universal recommendations. The key is whether you frequently visit sites that use a particular add-on; if not, you might as well disable it -- and help speed up your browsing!