IE9 Tweaker Plus: Customize Internet Explorer 9
Customizing Internet Explorer 9 with IE Tweaker Plus
For users of Internet Explorer 9, a helpful utility known as IE Tweaker Plus is available. This program facilitates the adjustment and personalization of over 27 browser settings.
Furthermore, it enables the creation of tailored IE9 shortcuts that can automatically launch the browser in InPrivate browsing mode.
Installation and Launch
IE9 Tweaker Plus requires no formal installation process. Simply extract the contents of the downloaded .zip archive (available via the link at the end of this article) and execute the .exe file by double-clicking it.
Should the User Account Control dialog appear, confirm the action by selecting 'Yes' to proceed.
Note: The User Account Control dialog may not be displayed, contingent upon your current UAC configuration.
Tweaking Browser Settings
Upon execution, the IE9 Tweaker Plus v2.0 interface will be presented. The upper portion of the window allows modification of settings impacting the browser’s visual presentation and browsing functionality.
This section also provides the capability to define a custom homepage, which will be detailed later in this guide.
The lower section of the interface is dedicated to altering security and personal settings. If you frequently utilize InPrivate mode, shortcuts can be established for both the desktop and the Start menu, automatically initiating IE in this privacy-focused mode.
To designate the URL for the page to load within InPrivate mode, click the 'InPrivate Homepage' button located in the Security/Personal section.
Enter the desired URL for your InPrivate homepage within the provided edit box. Confirm your changes by clicking 'Apply', then 'Close'.
Note: To restore the InPrivate mode homepage to its default setting, select the 'Default Page' option.
Creating InPrivate Mode Shortcuts
To generate a desktop shortcut for launching IE in InPrivate mode, click 'InPrivate Desktop Shortcut'. Similarly, a Start menu shortcut can be created by clicking 'InPrivate StartMenu Shortcut'.
A dialog box will prompt you to select the path to Internet Explorer. The default path should be pre-selected. If necessary, manually choose the correct path.
Subsequently, select the 'iexplore.exe' file and click 'Open'.
A shortcut will then be added to your desktop, enabling automatic launch of Internet Explorer 9 in InPrivate mode.
Customizing Your Homepage
IE Tweaker Plus also empowers users to design a personalized homepage for IE, and other browsers. You can incorporate up to 18 website links, alongside a search box, into your custom homepage.
Initiate the homepage creation process by clicking 'Create A Custom Homepage' within the Appearance/Browsing section.
The 'HomePage Maker' application will open. To add a website to your homepage, input a descriptive name in the 'Enter a Name to display' field and the corresponding URL in the 'Choose or Enter a URL' field.
Click 'Add' to incorporate the site into your homepage. Repeat this process for each website you wish to include.
Note: A drop-down list of predefined URLs is accessible by clicking the down arrow on the 'Choose or Enter a URL' field.
Further customization options include altering the background color or selecting a custom background image for your homepage.
Adjust the font settings as desired, and choose a search engine to integrate into your homepage, if preferred. To automatically designate this as your homepage, check the 'Set Internet Explorer Homepage' box.
Click 'Create' to finalize and generate your homepage.
The resulting 'Homepage.htm' file will be saved within the 'Webpage Files' folder, located in the directory containing the IE9 Tweaker Plus executable.
Note: To apply this custom homepage to other browsers, manually copy the full file path of 'Homepage.htm' and input it as your homepage setting within each browser’s configuration.
Applying and Resetting Settings
To implement the modifications made within IE Tweaker Plus, click 'Apply'. Once completed, click 'Close'.
To revert all settings back to their default configurations, click 'IE Defaults' and then 'Apply'.
You can download IE9 Tweaker Plus from http://www.thewindowsclub.com/tweak-internet-explorer-9-with-ie-9-tweaker-plus.