Internet configuration tool in Windows

At the very beginning, let’s clear one thing out. This configuration we are talking about here is quite different than the web browser configuration that we all know about. With web browser settings you can set things like setting the font size, display graphics and bunch of other settings. Yet, there are some settings you can make straight out of your Operating System, which incorporates some ground level settings for surfing the web than just configuring it on the web browser level. This kind of configuration can come in incredibly handy for governing network of computers, which we will talk about down the road.

Internet options

In your Windows operating system you have an option to make such configurations. Go to your search tab, assuming you have latest windows version which majority have, type in ‘Internet options’. You will have pop up control panel applet with bunch of tabs. We will go through each of them.

If you by any chance do not have access to the search bar for any reason due to Windows version or anything. In such case, go to control panel and to Network and Internet and there you should look for Internet option.

Now that have the applet, you will see total of 7 tabs there. The very first tab, general contains general settings as the name suggests. So, what are these settings? At the very top row you will see something like the homepage. This is the homepage settings for your web browser. By default you will the settings are set to Microsoft’s homepage. You can change them to the homepage of your choice. For instance, you can set it to google or other search engine pager as per your or company’s preference. You can set any other page as well.

Startup options

The next row contains the startup option which dictates what should happen when you open up the browser from  you operating system. You can set it to start your browser from your previous session or straight land on to your homepage. Right beneath the startup, you have the option to tweak your tabs. Upon clicking the button ‘Tabs’ you will have another pop up window containing list of options you can set and tweak. This tab is extremely useful and give you wide control of how the tabs should be. For instance, to warn you when you are about to close a tabs and other stuff. Most of this settings were meant for Internet Explorer which has become obsolete from The middle of 2022. Still, this should work for other browsers as well, especially your default browser and true for Microsoft Edge.

Controlling browsing history

Beneath the tabs, you will find the options to have control over your browsing history. This includes if you want to delete temporary files, history, cookies, saved passwords and web form information, like you name, address and other information you might have filled up during your browsing session. There in order to clear all of this up from saving, you can check the check box called ‘Delete Browsing history on exit’. This will make sure none of those information is saved upon closing your web browser. If you want some extended control over these settings you have two other buttons.

At the bottom you have four buttons which can be used to set the appearance of your choices. This includes, colours, languages, fonts, accessibility. Typically you do not need to tweak this and want to leave it as it is but if you want to experiment with it but be careful and remember or write down the changes you are making in order to change back to the default settings.