In Internet Explorer 8, you can tweak settings that help you display web pages faster.  It means a better surfing experience.

Here are a few tips with step-by-step tutorial for each to display web pages faster.

Internet Explorer 8 Tip #1: Start with a Blank Page

Each time you start Internet Explorer 8, it displays the default page.  So, you’ve to wait until the page displays to access another site.  Or, you’ve to press the Stop button, delete the URL and then type a new address.  All these are time consuming.  And, think of doing these steps each time you start Internet Explorer 8.  There’s has to be a better way to access the web page you want, right?  There is!

If you don’t want to view the default site each time you start Internet Explorer 8, let it display a blank page instead.  It helps to type in your URL immediately and access the page you want faster.

Step-by-step tutorial on displaying a blank page:

STEP 1: Start Internet Explorer 8.

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STEP 2: Click Tools > Internet Options (Fig. 2-1).  The Internet Options dialog displays (Fig 2-2).

Fig. 2-1 Click Tools > Internet Options

Fig. 2-2 The Internet Options dialog

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STEP 3: Click the Use Blank button (Fig. 3-1).   Internet Explorer 8 replaces the existing text in the “Home page” box with the text “about:blank” (Fig. 3-2).

Fig. 3-1 Click the Use Blank button

Fig. 3-2 Internet Explorer replaces the existing text in the “Home page” box

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STEP 4: Click OK (Fig. 4-1).

Fig. 3-3 Click the OK button

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Internet Explorer 8 Tip #2: Start with more than one Default Web Page

Do you want to keep the default home page and also automatically display another web page, each time you start Internet Explorer 8?  It’s possible!  Furthermore, you can set Internet Explorer 8 to display by itself a number of pages in different tabs at startup!!

Step-by-step tutorial on displaying multiple web pages when you start Internet Explorer 8:

STEP 1: Start Internet Explorer 8
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STEP 2: Click Tools > Internet Options (Fig. 2-1).  The Internet Options dialog displays (Fig 2-2).

Fig. 2-1 Click Tools > Internet Options

Fig. 2-2 The Internet Options dialog

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STEP 3: Type the URL of pages you want Internet Explorer 8 to display, on startup, in the “Home page” box (Fig. 3-1).

Fig 3-1 Type the URL of the pages in the “Home page” box

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STEP 4: Click OK (Fig. 4-1).

Fig 4-1 Click the OK button

TIP: Do you like a web page you’re viewing and want to display it each time you start Internet Explorer 8?  Use STEP 2.  Then, click the Use Current button.  Internet Explorer 8 adds the page’s URL to the “Home page” box
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Internet Explorer 8 Tip #3: Say NO to Graphics

Do you wish to view only the text content in a web page and not the graphics on it?  If yes, you can turn-off the display of graphics.  Such a trick makes Internet Explorer 8 display a web page faster.  In the picture placeholder, you see a small square with some symbols rather than the image.  

If you do want to view a graphic after the page displays, right-click on the square.  From the pull-down menu, select Show Picture.  And, presto the picture displays!

Step-by-step tutorial on not displaying graphics in web pages:

STEP 1: Start Internet Explorer 8
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STEP 2: Click Tools > Internet Options (Fig. 2-1).  The Internet Options dialog displays (Fig 2-2).

Fig. 2-1 Click Tools > Internet Options

Fig. 2-2 The Internet Options dialog

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STEP 3: Click the Advanced tab (Fig. 3-1).

Fig. 3-1 Click the Advanced tab

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STEP 4: Scroll the Internet options dialog till you see the Multimedia category.  Uncheck the Show Pictures checkbox (Fig. 4-1).

Fig. 4-1 Uncheck the Show Pictures checkbox

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STEP 5: Click the OK button (Fig. 5-1).

Fig. 5-1 Click the OK button

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Internet Explorer 8 Tip #4: Allocate more Hard Disk Space

Everyday you access the same web pages and that too many times a day, right?  Internet Explorer 8 temporarily stores pages that you view often on your hard disk.  The next time you want to view the same page, Internet Explorer 8 first checks if the page is on your PC.  If the web page does exist on it, Internet Explorer 8 then compares the page with the same one on the server.  If there’s a match, Internet Explorer 8 pulls the page from your hard disk rather than the server.  The web page, therefore, loads faster.

In brief, the more disk space you allocate, the more the number of web pages Internet Explorer 8 can get from the disk.  It all means more pages can display faster.  Be aware, however, that if you allocate a larger disk space to Internet Explorer 8, other programs may find the space insufficient to work.

Step-by-step tutorial on allocating more hard disk space:

STEP 1: Start Internet Explorer 8
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STEP 2: Click Tools > Internet Options (Fig. 2-1).  The Internet Options dialog displays (Fig 2-2).
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STEP 3: In the options for “Browsing History”, click the Settings button (Fig. 3-1).  The Temporary Internet Files and History Settings dialog displays.

Fig. 3-1 Click the Settings button

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STEP 4: In the “Disk space to use field”, increase the value (Fig. 4-1).

Fig. 4-1 Increase the disk space value

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STEP 5: Click the OK button (Fig. 5-1).

Fig. 5-1 Click the OK button

QUIZ – How to Display Web Pages Faster in Internet Explorer 8?

1.  Which is the first menu and command sequence to set Internet Explorer 8 to start with a blank page, each time you start the browser?

1.  View > Go To > Home Page
2.  Tools > Manage Add-ons
3.  Tools > Internet Options
4.  View > Encoding > Auto Select

2.  If you want to make the page you’re viewing the default page, which is the menu and command sequence?

1.  View > Style > Default style
2.  Tools > Internet Options > Use default
3.  Tools > Internet Options > Use blank
4.  Tools > Internet Options > Use current

3.  When you set Internet Explorer 8 to display many pages when you start it, the pages display in:

1.  Multiple windows
2.  Multiple frames
3.  Multiple tabs
4.  Duplicate tabs

4.  How to display a picture if you’ve turned-off the display of pictures in Internet Explorer 8?

1.  Right-click on the picture icon; select Show Picture
2.  Double-click on the picture icon
3.  Right-click on the picture icon; select Go to My Pictures
4.  Check the Show Pictures checkbox in the Internet Options dialog

5.  Which button under which category you have to click to increase or decrease the value of disk space, in the Internet Options dialog, in Internet Explorer 8?

1.  Settings button under the Tabs category
2.  Settings button under the Browsing history category
3.  Settings button under the Search category
4.  Option to change the disk space is not available in the Internet Options dialog

Answer Key:

1.  3
2.  4
3.  3
4.  1
5.  2

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