Using the Internet Explorer 8 Add-on Manager
This information applies to Windows Internet Explorer 8.
You can view and manage your toolbars and extensions, search providers, Accelerators, and InPrivate Filtering lists by using Manage Add-ons.
Opening Manage Add-ons
To open Manage Add-ons, follow these steps:
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Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button 
, and then clicking Internet Explorer.
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Click the Tools button, and then click Manage Add-ons.
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From here, you can view or manage any of the following add-on types:
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Toolbars and Extensions. View, enable, or disable toolbars, ActiveX controls, browser helper objects (BHOs), and browser extensions.
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Search Providers. View, change defaults, and add or remove search providers. You can also prevent programs from changing your default search provider.
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Accelerators. View, change defaults, and add or remove Accelerators.
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InPrivate Filtering List. View status and manage your list of blocked websites.
Manage Add-ons displays add-on information in columns that you can choose to show or hide. Some add-on types have more columns than are displayed by default. To show or hide additional columns, follow these steps:
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Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Internet Explorer.
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Click the Tools button, and then click Manage Add-ons.
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Under Add-on Types, click a category.
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Right-click any of the column headings, and then point to Columns to see the list of available columns.
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Click the column you want to add.
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Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each additional column you want to add.
The following tables explain the columns that are available for each of the add-on types listed in Manage Add-ons:
Toolbars and Extensions
|
This column
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Displays this information
|
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Name
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The friendly name of the add-on.
|
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Application
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The name of the program that the add-on is working with. This will always be Internet Explorer.
|
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Publisher
| |
The name of the company or website (if known) that published or created the add-on.
|
|
Status
| |
Indicates whether the add-on is enabled or disabled. Note that enabled add-ons are not always running or in memory, such as when an add-on has not been used during your browsing session.
|
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Type
| |
Identifies the kind of add-on, such as a browser helper object (BHO) or ActiveX control.
|
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Last Accessed
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The date and time the add-on was last used. For add-ons such as ActiveX controls, this often is the date and time you opened your current browsing session.
|
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File Date
| |
The date and time the file containing the add-on was created.
|
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Used
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The number of times that the add-on has been accessed by Internet Explorer or a website.
|
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Blocked
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The number of times that the add-on was prevented from running.
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Class ID
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A unique identifier for each add-on that is used by Internet Explorer and Windows.
|
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File
| |
The file name of the add-on, which typically has a .DLL extension.
|
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In Folder
| |
The folder where the add-on file is stored on your computer.
|
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Version
| |
The publisher's version number. If you are having problems with an add-on or control that might be out of date, it can be helpful to compare this number with the latest version number on the publisher's website.
|
|
Load time
| |
The average amount of time in seconds that an add-on took to load and finish initializing, based on the last 10 load times. Add-ons load when a new window or tab is opened.
|
Search Providers
|
This column
| |
Displays this information
|
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Name
| |
The name of the search provider that appears in the Internet Explorer search box.
|
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Status
| |
The default search provider.
|
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Listing order
| |
The order in which search providers appear when you click the search box or the arrow next to the search box.
|
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Search suggestions
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Indicates whether the search provider offers search suggestions. These are related search terms that the provider is offering.
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Search address
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The web address where your search terms will be sent.
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Suggestions address
| |
The web address where a given search provider will send what you’re typing to retrieve search suggestions.
|
Accelerators
|
This column
| |
Displays this information
|
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Name
| |
The name that is displayed on the Accelerator menu and new tab page.
|
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Address
| |
The address the Accelerator will go to when you select it.
|
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Category
| |
The type of service that the Accelerator provides to your copied text, such as Blog, Define, Map, or Translate.
|
|
Status
| |
Indicates whether an Accelerator is the default for the category, and whether it's enabled or disabled.
|
InPrivate Filtering List
|
This column
| |
Displays this information
|
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Status
| |
Indicates whether a web address is blocked or allowed.
|
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Address
| |
The address of content that is being shared across multiple websites.
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File
| |
The file name of the content being shared.
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