Add and remove Internet Explorer 8 add-ons

Like most Web browsers, Internet Explorer 8 has add-ons. But sometimes you may want to get rid of them, even if just temporarily. IE 8 has made it easier to disable and enable your add-ons. Here's how to do it.

Let's say you have the Google Toolbar running in IE 8. You should see an X to the left of the toolbar. It's the familiar X that usually means you can close something. In this case, you'd be right to guess that. Click that X and you'll disable the toolbar.

Now that can be dangerous if other add-ons rely on the one you're disabling. So IE 8 gives you a lovely list of any dependent add-ons and the option to disable them at the same time. Once you've made your selections, press the Disable button and the add-on will disappear.

What if you want it back?

Go to tools and select Manage Add-ons.

Select the type of add-on, in our example from above, it would be a toolbar.

Scroll down until you find your toolbar. And press enable.

IE 8 will suggest re-enabling any related add-ons you disabled earlier. Press enable again, then press close.

In the case of the toolbar, even though I had enabled it, it still didn't show up. I had to go to View, select toolbars and select the Google Toolbar to make it viewable.

If you want to browse through all the add-ons available for IE 8, visit www.ieaddons.com.

[HlLLARY CLITON]

I went the easy route and removed IE8

[essabooe]

[bonz_99]

Yes, Hillary--me too--back to IE7

[miaminica]

Tom,

You can simply click the "X" on the toolbar to close it/disable it. If you want to bring it back, just right-click an empty part of the toolbar area and select the toolbar. No need to go to addons manager.

[bozecubbies]

GEE.WOW..........FASCINATING........... but it still does not gid rid of the fact that it is HORRIBLY USELESS WHEN IT COMES TO SPEED,infact its downright PATHETIC!!!!!!!

[bozecubbies]

GEE.WOW..........FASCINATING........... but it still does not gid rid of the fact that it is HORRIBLY USELESS WHEN IT COMES TO SPEED,infact its downright PATHETIC!!!!!!!

[browsingfl]

boze, maybe you should trade in the pentium II processor for something that can run IE8. It took a whole minute for you to post the same comment twice! To everyone else, try it before you take someone else's word for it. And on a more serious note, make sure you have the latest updates for your machine. That could be why boze is having problems.

[veldrane]

microsoft and GM have a lot in common. they are huge companies that tell their customers what they want ...

[veldrane]

Firefox FTW !!!!! not to mention its add-on system, memory and download management and better security :)

[ahmedfakarany]

I want to get explorer 8

[JackSnick]

Thank you.

I was having a problem after downloading Service Pak2 for Vista 64 bit (business).
My 32 bit Internet Explorer would not load properly. It would start to load and then shut down.

This section helped me to understand how to get to the addons and turn them off / on.
ie 32 bit not only successfully loads now, I was able to turn on the selected addons I need for the specific application that I required, and that works!

[Had_it_2009]

I hate you f-ing retards at Microsoft. I've had it. God I hope you fix this gd add-on bs bar. You stupid idiots. frig'n Moron. All I want to do is my *#&@ work, and your ingenious bar is annoying the hell out of me ... so much that I would take time out just to complain because you just hit a nerve. I feel like twitching every time I see that mf bar pop up ... AGAIN. I don't have time for this *# $#. If I could come up to Washington and wring all of y'all scrawny little necks I wouldn't hesitate. It is seriously making me twitch just seeing that da$# thing pop up ... EVERY TIME .... EVERY FREAK"N TIME.

[Had_it_2009]

breath in ... breath out ... switching to chrome

[rubenrox]

Google Chrome for life! The era of Microsoft is coming to an end! Chrome OS will render Windows OS useless!!

[bangsp85]

How to add new add-ons creat by myself to Internet Explorer 8? Please help me.
Best regards,