Features of Internet Explorer

Here are some of the most important features of the IE Web browser –

User Interface: Internet Explorer had a simple and familiar interface. It included a menu bar, navigation buttons (like back, forward, refresh, and stop), an address bar where you could type the URL of a website, and a favorites bar where shortcuts to frequently visited sites could be stored. This made navigating the web straightforward and user-friendly.

Favorites and Bookmarks: This feature allowed users to save their favorite websites in a dedicated folder called “Favorites.” You could easily organize these bookmarks into folders, making it simpler to manage and access sites you visited often.

Security Features: Internet Explorer included several built-in security features to protect users from malicious websites and downloads. These features included a pop-up blocker to stop unwanted advertisements, a phishing filter to warn against suspicious websites, and settings to manage privacy and security levels. Over the years, Microsoft added more advanced features like SmartScreen Filter, which helped detect and block malicious websites and downloads before they could cause harm.

Compatibility with Windows: As a Microsoft product, Internet Explorer was deeply integrated with the Windows operating system. This meant that it could leverage various Windows features, like updating through Windows Update and offering support for ActiveX controls. ActiveX allowed developers to create interactive content, but it also posed security risks, which were addressed in later versions of IE and Windows.

Browsing History: Internet Explorer kept a detailed record of all the websites you visited, which could be accessed through the history menu. This was useful for returning to a previously visited site without remembering the exact URL. Users could also clear their browsing history for privacy reasons.

Add-ons and Extensions: Although not as extensive as those available for browsers like Firefox or Chrome, Internet Explorer supported add-ons and extensions. These could enhance the browser’s functionality, such as adding toolbars, ad blockers, and other utilities that extended what you could do with IE.

Internet Explorer (IE) is a web browser developed by Microsoft. First released in 1995 as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95, it became a essential part of the Microsoft family of operating systems. For many years, Internet Explorer was the dominant browser in terms of usage, mainly because it was the default browser on Windows machines, the most widely used desktop operating system.

Internet Explorer became popular because it was bundled with the Windows operating system, which had a dominant market share. Its integration with Windows and features like ActiveX controls gave it an edge over competitors.