How to Improve Browsing Performance in Internet Explorer

ID: Q153790

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

This article describes how to improve browsing performance in Internet Explorer.

MORE INFORMATION

The most common cause of poor performance in Internet Explorer is large pictures, sounds, videos, or other multimedia files that appear or are played automatically when you access a Web page. If you are using a slow connection to access the Internet, these files may take a long time to appear or be played.

To improve browsing performance in Internet Explorer, you can prevent pictures, sounds, videos, and other multimedia files from appearing or being played automatically when you access Web pages. To do so, follow these steps:

Internet Explorer 5.0

1. Start Internet Explorer, and then click Internet Options on the 

   Tools menu.
2. On the Advanced tab, click one or more of the following check 
   boxes in the Multimedia area to clear them:

    - Show Pictures (prevents pictures from appearing automatically)
    - Play Sounds (prevents sounds from being played automatically)
    - Play Videos (prevents videos from being played automatically)
    - Play Animations (prevents animations from being played automatically)
3. Click Apply.

4. Click the Security tab, and then click Custom Level.

5. Click Disable for one or more of the items in the following 

   Active Content areas:

    - ActiveX Controls And Plug-ins (prevents Internet Explorer 
      from automatically using items that show active content)
    - Java (prevents Internet Explorer from viewing Java programs 
      automatically)
    - Scripting
4. Click OK and then click OK.

Internet Explorer 4.0

1. Start Internet Explorer, and then click Internet Options on the View 

   menu.
2. On the Advanced tab, click one or more of the following check boxes in 
   the Multimedia area to clear them:

    - Show Pictures (prevents pictures from appearing automatically)
    - Play Sounds (prevents sounds from being played automatically)
    - Play Videos (prevents videos from being played automatically)
3. Click Apply.

4. Click the Security tab, click Custom, and then click Settings.

5. Click Disable for one or more of the items in the following Active 

   Content areas:

    - ActiveX Controls And Plug-ins (prevents Internet Explorer from
      automatically using items that show active content)
    - Java (prevents Internet Explorer from viewing Java programs
      automatically)
    - Scripting
4. Click OK.

Internet Explorer 3.0

1. Start Internet Explorer, and then click Options on the View menu.

2. On the General tab, click one or more of the following check boxes in 

   the Multimedia area to clear them:

    - Show Pictures (prevents pictures from appearing automatically)
    - Play Sounds (prevents sounds from being played automatically)
    - Play Videos (prevents videos from being played automatically)
3. Click the Security tab, and then click one or more of the following 
   check boxes in the Active Content area to clear them:

    - Allow Downloading Of Active Content (prevents Internet Explorer
      from loading animations and other multimedia files automatically)
    - Enable ActiveX Controls And Plug-ins (prevents Internet Explorer
      from automatically using items that show active content)
    - Run ActiveX Scripts (prevents ActiveX scripts from running
      automatically)
    - Enable Java Programs (prevents Internet Explorer from viewing Java
      programs automatically)
4. Click OK.

REFERENCES

For additional information about stopping sounds and videos from being played in Internet Explorer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q153775
   TITLE     : How to Not Play Sounds and Videos in Internet Explorer
Additional reference words: 3.00 4.00 
Keywords          : msiew95 win98 kbfaq
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: March 19, 1999