Web Browser Tips

Setting Your Homepage

A homepage is the page that a browser opens by default each time it is launched. The publishers of browser programs set the default homepage to one which focuses your eyeballs on their advertisements.

The default homepage, however, is not set in stone and you can make any web page on the Internet website your homepage. You can also make your homepage a webpage created by yourself on your computer containing links to your favorite Internet destinations.

There are several ways to set a browser's homepage, but the most straightforward method is to open the page you want and then instruct the browser to use that page as the homepage.

Here's how:

Google Chrome

1. In Chrome, display the page you want for your homepage
2. Click the "Customize and Configure Chrome" tool to the right of the address bar
3. Click on "Settings"
4. In Settings, find the "On start-up" section
5. In "On start-up", click in the radio button that says "Open a specific page or set of pages."
6. Click "Set Pages"
7. In the dialog box that appears, click on "Use current pages"
8. While you're in the Start-up section, be sure to activate "Show Home Button"
9. Close "Settings"

The Home button appears to the left of the URL files and you can click on it at any time to display your homepage.

Firefox

1. In Firefox, display the page you want as your homepage
2. Open the Firefox menu at top left of program window
3. Click on "Options"
4. Click on "General"
5. In the "Startup" panel click on "Use current pages"
6. Click OK

Internet Exploder

1. In Internet Exploder display the page you want as your homepage
2. Click "Tools" on the menu bar
3. On the Tools menu, click "Internet Options"
4. Click on the "General" tab
5. In the "Home Page" section, click on "Use Current"
6. Click OK

Opening Links in New Windows/Tabs

Try this: instead of left-clicking on links, right-click them and then click on "Open in New Window" or "Open in New Tab" in the shortcut menu.

There are a several advantages to this method:

• When following links in a search engine results page, you can more easily return to the results
  
  
• You can open and queue up as many links as you want simultaneously
  
  
• Opening pages in separate windows or tabs lets you begin reading pages right away while others load in the background, saving time and frustration - especially on a slow Internet connection

Use Keyboard Shortcuts in Your Browser

In browsers, just as in application programs, the keyboard is often the fastest and easiest way to issue commands. Try your browser's keyboard shortcuts.

• Internet Explorer kb shortcuts
  
  
• FireFox kb shortcuts