Browser Issues

Browser Issues

Google Chrome:

Chrome is a web browser from Google that is becoming popular due to its speed and simple design. It easily integrates with other Google services and includes features for privacy, security, and web apps.

Introduction

Google Chrome is a free web browser from Google. With its clean design and advanced features, Chrome has quickly become one of the most popular web browsers worldwide. In this lesson, we'll talk about the features of Google Chrome, how to download and install Chrome to your computer, and how to sign in to Chrome using a Google Account.

Chrome's features

Chrome has several different features that make it easy to browse the Web. Learn more about some of Chrome's features below:

• Speed: Since Chrome was designed with web applications in mind, performance with websites like Gmail and Facebook is especially fast and reliable.

• Security: Chrome has a variety of tools to help keep you safe online. Chrome is constantly updating, so you're always protected from the latest malware and phishingscams. For example, Chrome will show you a warning whenever you visit a page that is potentially dangerous.

• Customization: While Chrome's design is simple, the Chrome Web Store makes it easy to customize Chrome with webapps, themes, and extensions.

• Translation: Whenever you visit a website in a foreign language, Chrome will automatically offer to translate the page to your native language. This feature isn't always perfect, but it opens the door to millions of websites that you might never have visited otherwise.

 

 

 

Browsing in Chrome

Chrome makes browsing the Web quick and easy. In this lesson, we'll talk about navigatingto websites in Chrome. You'll also learn how use tabs, access your browsing history, and view your downloads.

The Omnibox

Some browsers use an address bar for navigating to websites and a search bar for conducting web searches. Google Chrome combines these two elements into one bar, known as the Omnibox. By integrating Google's search technology, the Omnibox offers suggestions for websites or potential web searches as you type, which makes navigating the Web faster and easier.

To use the Omnibox:

 

1.      Type a web address or search term into the Omnibox.

2.      Suggestions will appear below the Omnibox as you type. Suggestions in green text are websites. Suggestions in black text are potential web searches.

3.      Click a suggestion to navigate to a website or conduct a search. You can also type a full web address and press Enter to navigate to a website, just like a regular address bar.

 

Omnibox suggestion icons

 

To the left of each suggestion in the Omnibox is a gray icon, which indicates the suggestion type.

• This is a page you've viewed before or a website related to what you're typing.
• The suggestion is a potential search term.
• This website is one of your bookmarks.

 

Navigating in Chrome

Chrome uses three buttons for navigation in the top navigation bar: the Back, Forward, and Refresh buttons.

The Backand Forwardbuttons allow you to move through pages you have recently viewed. Click and hold either button to see your recent history.

The Refresh button will reload the current page. If a website stops working, try using the Refresh button. If a webpage doesn't load correctly, it will temporarily become the Stop button . Click this button to stop a webpage from loading.

Windows and tabs

Like all browsers, Chrome allows you to open new windows to view different pages. In addition, Chrome allows you to open multiple websites in the same window using tabs. Tabs are usually more convenient than opening several windows at the same time.

 

To open a new window:

Click the Chrome menu in the top-right corner of the browser, then select New window. Alternatively, press Ctrl+N on your keyboard.

The new window will appear.

To open a new tab:

1. Click the New tab button to the right of open tabs. Alternatively, press Ctrl+T on your keyboard.

2. The new tab will appear. Type an address and press Enter to navigate to a new page.

3. The page will appear in the new tab.

To switch between tabs:

 

1.      Click any tab that is not currently selected.

2.      The tab will be selected.

You can also press Ctrl+Tab on your keyboard to switch between open tabs.

To close a tab:

To close a tab, hover the mouse over any tab and click the Close tab button. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+W on your keyboard to close the current tab.

 

 

To open a link in a new tab:

Tabs can also make it easier to browse the Web. If you find a link to a website, you can open that link in a new tab. This allows you to open the site without losing your place on the original page.

1.      Right-click the link you want to open, then select Open link in new tab from the drop-down menu. Alternatively, hover the mouse over the link, then press the scroll wheel on your mouse.

2.      The website will open in a new tab.

3.      Click the tab to view the website.

 

Managing tabs

Tabs can be moved, pulled in and out of windows, and even pinned into place for easy access.

 

To move tabs:

Click and drag the tab you wish to move.

Release the mouse when you have moved the tab to the desired position
.

 

To pull tabs:

If you want to view two tabs at the same time, it's easy to pull a tab to its own window.

1.      Click and drag the tab you wish to pull out of the window. A transparent preview of the new window will appear.

2.      Release the mouse. The tab will now appear in its own window.

3.      To put a tabback into a window, click and drag the tab over the desired window. Release the mouse when the tab appears on the tab bar.

 

To pin tabs:

 

If there are some pages you use every time you open your browser, like your email or calendar, you might consider pinning the tab. Pinned tabs will open automatically whenever you start Chrome, making your favorite pages easy to access.

1.      Right-click the desired tab, then select Pin tab from the drop-down menu.

2.      The pinned tab will appear as a smaller tab in the top-left corner of the browser.

3.    To unpin a tab, right-click it and then select Unpin tab from the drop-down menu.

The New Tab page

Whenever you open a new tab, the New Tab page will appear. This page contains shortcuts to your most visited sites, installed apps, and recently closed tabs. Taking a little time to become familiar with the New Tab page will make browsing the Web that much faster.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about using the New Tab page.

Browsing history

Like all browsers, Chrome saves details and cookies from every website you visit, which you can view from the History tab. Chrome uses some of this information to decrease load times for sites you visit regularly. Chrome also allows you to search your history to find a previously viewed page and to delete your history for the sake of privacy. 

 

To view your browsing history:

 

1.      Click the Chrome menu in the top-right corner of the browser, then select History.

2.      The History tab will appear with your full browsing history. The history includes every site you've viewed in the last few weeks. The list is sorted by date, so the most recent history appears at the top of the page.

3.      If you can't remember the exact address or name of a webpage you've visited before, you can try searching the history. Enter a search term or website into the search bar, then click Search history.

4.      A list of results will appear. If you wish to return to a website, simply click the link.

Downloading files

Chrome can display many different types of documents, media, and other files, such as PDF and MP3 files. But there may be times when you'll want to access a file outside of the browser. To do this, you'll need to downloadthe file directly to your computer.
For example, suppose you need to complete and print a form you find online. You could download it to your computer, then open it with the appropriate program (such as Microsoft Word) to edit it.

 

 

To download a file using Save link as:

If you click a link to a file, it may download automatically. However, depending on the file type, it may just open within the browser. To prevent a file from opening in Chrome, you can useSave link as to download it to your computer.

1.      Right-click the file you wish to download, then select Save link as.

2.      A dialog box will appear. Select the location where you wish to save the file, enter a file name, and click Save. Your Downloads folder will be selected by default.

3.      The file will begin downloading, and the download progress will appear in the lower-left corner of the browser. When the download is complete, simply click the file to open it.

For various reasons, many websites do not allow you to download content. For example, YouTube does not offer a way to download its videos.

 

To access your downloads:

The Downloads tab allows you to view and manage all of your downloads.

1.      Click the Chrome menu in the top-right corner of the browser, then select Downloads.

2. The Downloads tab will appear. From here, you can open previously downloaded files, search for downloads, or clear the list of downloads if desired.

Customizing Chrome

 

Another reason for Chrome's popularity is the customization it offers to its users. In this lesson, we'll talk about the many great features of Chrome that you can modify, including Chrome's startupoptions and the Chrome Web Store, which allows you to add applications, extensions, and themes to Chrome. 

Choosing your startup options

 

To choose a homepage

 

By default, Chrome will show the New Tab page whenever you start the browser. If you'd like to see a specific website every time you open your browser, like a news site or weather forecast, you can set that site as your homepage. 

1.      Click the Chrome menu in the top-right corner of the browser, then select Settings.

The Settings tab will appear. Locate and click the check box next to Show Home button.

By default, Chrome will open the new tab page whenever you click the home button. To choose a new homepage, click Change.

2.      A dialog box will appear. Select Open this page: and then type a web address. In our example, we'll type www.cnn.com.

3.      Click OK to continue.

4.      The homepage will appear whenever you start Chrome. Click the Home button in the navigation bar to visit your homepage at any time.

If there are certain sites you open every time you start your browser, like your email or calendar, you can pin each page as a tab. Pinned tabs will open automatically whenever you open Chrome. Review our lesson on Browsing in Chrome to learn more about pinning tabs.

 

To set Chrome as the default browser:

If you would like to use Chrome as your only web browser, you can set it as the default browser on your computer. If you click a link in another program on your computer, like an email client, it will open in Chrome.

1.      Click the Chrome menu in the top-right corner of the browser, then select Settings.

2.      The Settings tab will appear. Locate and select Make Google Chrome my default browser. Any link you open on your computer will now open in Google Chrome.

 

 

Chrome privacy and security

Chrome was designed for more than just speed. Because of its advanced security features, Chrome offers a very safe browsing experience. Chrome also allows you to control what information you share online, keeping your personal information private.

Understanding Chrome security

Chrome includes a range of security features, such as security indicators and malware protection. All of these features are continually running in Chrome, ensuring that your computer and personal information are protected at all times. Chrome also uses sandboxing technology, which stops harmful viruses from reaching your computer.

 

Website security indicators

 

Whenever you navigate to a website, Chrome will display a security indicator to the left of the web address in the Omnibox.

Understanding these indicators can help you stay safe when entering personal information on the Web.

•   The non-SSL indicator will appear for most websites, which means the site is not using a secure connection. This is not important for many websites, like a news source or weather forecast, but you should avoid entering sensitive personal information on these pages.
• The HTTPS indicator will appear if the site is using a secure connection. Always check for this icon when entering sensitive information on the Web, like your credit card number or birth date. A secure connection makes it almost impossible for someone to access your information.
•   The insecure HTTPS indicator will appear if Chrome detects a problem with a site's secure connection. Never enter personal or sensitive information on an insecure site.

Malware and phishing protection

In order to keep you and your computer protected from harmful websites, Chrome automatically downloads a list of dangerous and malicious websites and stores that list on your computer. Whenever you navigate to a website in Chrome, that page is checked against the list.

If a website is suspected to be a malware or phishing site, Chrome will display a warning page instead of navigating to the website. If you see this warning, clickGo back to return to the last page you visited.

Chrome offers a high level of protection from malicious websites, but you should still use your bestjudgement when browsing the Web. Check out our tutorial on Internet Safety to learn more about staying safe online.

Maintaining your privacy in Chrome

Google Chrome takes great care to keep your personal information private. Chrome offers a lot of ways to control your privacy, like modifying your Privacy Settings, deleting your History, and browsing in Incognito mode.

Privacy Settings

Chrome allows you to control some of the information you share on the Web, which you can modify in your Privacy Settings. We recommend that you do not change Chrome's default selections, as they allow for the best balance of privacy and security while browsing. However, you can modify them if you choose.

To modify Privacy Settings:

1.      Click the Chrome menu in the top-right corner of the browser, then select Settings.

2.      The Settings tab will appear. Locate and select Show advanced settings.

3.      The Privacy Settings will appear. To modify basic privacy settings, like enabling malware protection, check or uncheck the boxes next to each option.

4.      To modify specific settings, like when webpages can save cookies or access your location, click the Content settings button.

Incognito mode

For added privacy, Chrome also offers Incognito mode, which allows you to browse the Web without recording your history or storing cookies. This is a great way to keep your browsing history secret when planning a party or buying a gift for someone who shares your computer.

 

To use Incognito mode:

1.      Click the Chrome Menu in the top-right corner of the browser, then select New incognito window.

2.      The Incognito window will appear, which you'll use just like a regular Chrome window. Note the Incognito icon in the top-left corner of the browser, which confirms that you are in Incognito mode.

Browsing in Incognito mode does not make Chrome more secure—it only stops Chrome from saving history and cookies for that session. Don't use an Incognito window to view any websites you wouldn't feel safe viewing in a regular Chrome window.

Understanding Google Privacy

If you use the Web, it's important to realize that Google partners with many different websites and stores information about your interests and demographics, even if you don't have a Google account. All of this information is accessible from the Google Privacy Center, which contains many useful privacy tools.
In this lesson, we'll talk about Google's Privacy Policy and how to use privacy tools.

Google privacy tools

Although Google holds some of your personal information, it also gives you the power to control how much information it can collect. There are many different privacy tools to help you modify your privacy settings, including the Ads Preferences Manager, Web History Controls, and Google Dashboard.

 

To access Google privacy tools:

Go to http://www.google.com/goodtoknow/online-safety/security-tools/.
You'll see a list of privacy tools, such as the Ads Preferences Manager and Google Dashboard. You may want to spend some time reviewing what each tool does and why it might be helpful to you.

Ads Preferences Manager

Many websites partner with Google to bring you more relevant ads. In order to do this, Google tries to guess your interests and demographics (such as age and gender) based on websites you visit. When you perform a Google search or view a webpage, Google will use this information to decide which ads to show you. This is meant to benefit both you and advertisers: You're more likely to see ads that interest you, and advertiser know their ads are more likely to pay off.
However, not everyone likes targeted ads. If you would like to opt out of targeted ads—or just see what information Google is using to deliver ads to you—you can go to the Ads Preferences Manager.

Your interests and demographics are not stored in your Google account but rather in a cookie on your computer. This means you'll get targeted ads even if you're not signed in to a Google account.

To manage your Ads Preferences:

1.      From the privacy toolspage, scroll down and select Ads Preferences Manager.

2.      Your Google ad settings will appear. From here, you can remove specific information, like your age and gender, or opt out of interest-based ads.

3.      If you clear your browser's cookies, you will need to go back to the Ads Preferences Manager and opt out again. You can also install the Keep My Opt-Outs plug-in for your browser, which will keep you opted out of Google ads permanently, even if you clear your cookies.

Web history controls

4.      By default, Google keeps a history of the web searches you perform and the websites you visit while signed in to your account. It uses this data to provide better search results and recommendations. However, if you would prefer that Google not record this information, you can disable your web history.

 

To disable web history:

1.      Locate and select Google Web History controls from privacy tools.

2.      Your search history will appear. Click the Gear, then select Settings.

3.      Click Turn off to stop future searches from being recorded.

Google Dashboard

The Google Dashboard brings information from the different Google products you use onto one page, making it easy to see what information Google is storing about you. It's organized by product, so you can see how many files you have on Google Drive, what posts you've shared on Google Plus, and more. You can also access additional privacy settings for some services like YouTube and Gmail.

To open the Dashboard:

1.      Select Google Dashboard from the privacy tools.

2.      Your Google Dashboard will appear. Under each product name, you can view the information for that service. You can access the settings or privacy settings (if available) for the product on the right.

 

 

firefox

 

 

Introduction

Firefox is a free web browser from Mozilla. Firefox is one of the world's most popular browsers, along with Google Chrome and Internet Explorer. In this lesson, we'll talk about how to download and install Firefox to your computer.

Downloading Firefox

Unlike Internet Explorer or Safari, Firefox does not come pre-installed with your operating system. To use Firefox, you must first download and install it to your computer. The process is very simple and should take no more than a few minutes.

To download and install Firefox:

Using your current web browser, navigate to www.mozilla.org.
The Firefox download page will appear. Locate and select the download button.

Run or download the Firefox installer. This process may vary depending on your current web browser and operating system. Step-by-step instructions will appear in the browser window if you are not sure how to proceed.

The Firefox Installer will appear. ClickInstall.

The installer will close when finished, and Firefox will open.

 Accessing Firefox

If you are using Windows, Firefox will add a shortcut to your desktop. Whenever you want to open Firefox, just double-click the icon. You can also access it from the Startmenu, or you can pin it to the taskbar.

• If you are using a Mac, you can open Firefox from the Applications folder. You can also drag Firefox to the Dock for quick access.

Firefox security and privacy

Firefox includes a range of security features, such as security indicators and malware protection. Because of its advanced security features, Firefox offers an extremely safe browsing experience. Firefox also allows you to control what information you share online, keeping your personal information private.

Website security indicators

Whenever you navigate to a website, Firefox will display a security indicator to the left of the web address in the address bar.

Understanding these indicators can help you stay safe when entering personal information on the Web.

•   The non-SSL indicator will appear for most websites, which means the site is not using a secure connection. This is not important for many websites, like a news source or weather forecast, but you should avoid entering sensitive personal information on these pages.
•  The HTTPS indicator will appear if the site is using a secure connection. Always check for this icon when entering sensitive information on the Web, like your credit card number or birth date. A secure connection makes it almost impossible for someone to access your information.

Firefox offers a high level of protection from malicious websites, but you should still use your bestjudgement when browsing the Web. Check out our tutorial on Internet Safety to learn more about staying safe online.

Maintaining your privacy in Firefox

Firefox takes great care to keep your personal information private. It offers many ways to control your privacy, like modifying your Privacy Settings, deleting your History, and browsing in a Private window.

Privacy settings

Firefox allows you to control some of the information you share on the Web, which you can modify in your Privacy Settings. We recommend that you do not change Firefox's default selections, as they allow for the best balance of privacy and security while browsing. However, you can modify them if you choose.

To modify your privacy settings:

Click the Firefox menu in the top-left corner of the browser, hover the mouse over Options, then select Options.

The Options dialog box will appear. Click Privacy.

From here, you can customize your privacy settings. For example, you can tell websites that you don't want your browsing habits tracked, stop Firefox from recording your history, and more.

Private browsing

For added privacy, Firefox also offers privatebrowsing, which allows you to browse the Web without recording your history or storing cookies. This is a great way to keep your browsing history secret when planning a party or buying a gift for someone who shares your computer.

To create a private window:

1. Click the Firefox menu in the top-left corner of the browser, then select New Private Window.

2. A private browsing window will appear, which you'll use just like a regular Firefox window. Note the Private icon in the top-left corner of the browser, which confirms that you are in private browsing mode.

Private browsing does not make Firefox more secure—it only stops Firefox from saving history and cookies for that session. Don't use a private window to view any websites you wouldn't feel safe viewing in a regular Firefox window.

Internet Explorer.

What is Internet Explorer?

Internet Explorer is the default web browser for Windows computers and tablets.

What version of Internet Explorer can I use on my computer?

That depends on which Windows operating system you're using:

• If you're using Windows 7 or 8.1, the most recent version you can use is IE 11.
• If you're using Vista, the newest version for your computer is IE 9.
• If you're using Windows XP, the most recent version of Internet Explorer you can use is IE 8.

IE 11 has two versions for Windows 8.1: one for the Start screen, and one for the Desktop. We'll talk about both in this tutorial.

How do I know which version of IE I have?

Navigate to Settings in your browser and select About Internet Explorer (or About in some versions of IE). You'll then be able to see the version number you're using.

Deleting browsing history

Like all browsers, Internet Explorer keeps a record of every website you visit in your browsing history. You may want to remove some or all of your browsing history for the sake of privacy.

To remove specific sites from your history:

Click the Favorites button, and select the History tab.

Click the drop-down menu to sort your browsing history.

Right-click the desired site, and select Delete. The site will be deleted from your browsing history.

To remove all browsing data:

Internet Explorer makes it easy to delete some or all of your history. For example, sometimes you might want to remove only your history from the past hour instead of removing your entire history. You might also want to remove all of your saved pages and cookies, but keep your saved passwords.

Click the Tools button and hover the mouse over Safety, then select Delete browsing history.

1.      A dialog box will appear. Select the browsing data you want to delete, then click Delete.

2. The selected data will be deleted.

Private browsing

For added privacy, Internet Explorer also offers privatebrowsing, which allows you to browse the Web without recording your history or storing cookies. This is a great way to keep your browsing history secret when planning a party or buying a gift for someone who shares your computer.

To create an InPrivate window:

Click the Tools menu and hover the mouse over Safety, then select InPrivate Browsing. Alternatively, press Ctrl+Shift+P on your keyboard.

An InPrivatewindow will open, where you can browse privately. While you are browsing, you will see the InPrivateicon in the address bar.

To stop browsing privately, simply close the InPrivate window.

Private browsing does not make Internet Explorer more secure—it only stops Internet Explorer from saving history and cookies for that session. Don't use a private window to view any websites you wouldn't feel safe viewing in a regular Internet Explorer window.

Alternatively, navigate to this webpage while using Internet Explorer. This will tell you which version of IE you're using.

How do I get IE?

If you're using a Windows operating system, some version of IE comes pre-installed on your computer. If your computer automatically installs updates for Windows, new versions of IE will be installed as updates. Otherwise, you can download the most recent version of IE for your operating system directly from Microsoft:

If you have Windows 8.1, IE 11 is already installed on your computer or tablet.

If you have Windows 8, you can get IE 11 by updating to Windows 8.1. To learn how, take a look at the instructions here.

To download IE 11 for Windows 7, go here and follow the instructions.

To download IE 9, go here and follow the instructions.

To download IE 8, go here and follow the instructions.

 

How can I learn more about my version of IE?

If you're using IE 11, take a look at the unit on IE 11 in this tutorial. For earlier versions of IE, review the unit on IE 8.

 

Can I get Internet Explorer for my Mac?

No. Internet Explorer is only supported for Windows operating systems.

 

What happened to IE 10?

IE 10 was released for Windows 7 and Windows 8 in 2012. Unlike some older versions of IE, Microsoft has decided to phase out this version and replace it with IE 11. These two versions are basically the same, with some minor differences.