All this week, we’ve been exploring the tweaks you can make to your Internet connections and browsers when you access Internet Options in Windows. Here’s what you may have missed:
Just click the article name to read.
Part 3: Connections & Programs
Today, we’re moving on up to Advanced options. Access those by clicking the Advanced tab. Once again, some options affect only Internet Explorer while others will affect your whole system and other browsers.
The option to Use software instead of GPU rendering is meant to fix an issue that IE sometimes had rendering some graphics. Accessibility options allow you to enable caret browsing (use arrow keys) and reset the text and zoom levels in Internet Explorer.
Under Browsing, you’ll see a lot of options for Internet Explorer, though there is one that may apply to other programs. If you’re getting script errors while using the Internet, make sure the box next to Disable script debugging (other) is ticked.
You’ll also find options to hide that button in Internet Explorer that encourages you to open Edge instead.
If you’re experiencing jumpy scrolling in IE, you’ll want to make sure the box next to Smooth scrolling is checked. You’ll also find options for HTTP and International connections, most of which won’t come up often for the average user.
Under Security, there are options that can affect your whole system, such as allowing active content from CDs to run or allowing software without a valid signature to install. Enabling Enhanced Protected Mode restricts Internet Explorer access to areas of your PC where private information is stored.
We discussed how checking the boxes next to SSL and TLS can help with connection errors earlier in the week. You can read that article by following this link:
https://cynmackley.com/2019/06/23/cant-connect-securely-error/
You can undo any changes you’ve made by clicking on REstore advanced settings. If you find IE has become unusable, you can attempt to reset it by clicking on Reset.
If there are any options in here that I’ve skipped over that you’re curious about, let me know and I’ll get a bit more in-depth.
I am using Windows 7. The “Play system sounds” under my Advanced tab reminded me of something I did many years ago in the office where I worked. It was dial-up days, and we had only one computer connected to the Internet. Everyone used it for that purpose, and we did everything else on our own machines. That machine was turned on each day by whoever had to use it first.
I fixed it so that the opening default Windows sound was replaced by a woman who was cackling hysterically and the shutting down sound was replaced by snoring. It was amusing to watch the reactions of various bosses and employees, and most of us got a kick out of it.
However, the boss who was the office manager did not find it amusing. Since he didn’t know how to get the default sounds back, he removed the speakers attached to the computer.