Browser toolbars - how many?!
Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 12:14 pm
It amazes me when I've cleaned up friends' PC's for one thing or another to see the amount of active browser toolbars. One had seven, obscuring main browser window a great deal! When I ask why the need, the general response is that it wasn't there before. In most cases, they've download and installed software and had "forgotten" to untick "Do you wish to install this toolbar?" which seems to be getting more common with a lot of software these days.
Some toolbars are useful but can be hidden and still remain "active" and run in the background. For example, security toolbars.
All I have in Firefox is the default URL field and Google toolbar. Others are hidden.
So if you've got a multitude of toolbars that's taking up more space than a mini cooper and you really don't need them, turn them off, and increase your main browser window view. If you really don't feel the need, but want to gain some extra view, pressing F11 switches your browser to full screen (F11 again switches back).
In Firefox, click on View tab (top left), Toolbars. Tick/untick where appropriate. In same section, if not required, untick Bookmarks toolbar. If you want to hide the tabbed options (File/Edit/View/History, etc) go to View, Toolbars > Menu Bar. To get this back, press the Alt key and retick Toolbars > Menu Bar.
In IE, select Tools, then Toolbars. Turn on/off where applicable.
Further enhancements is to "Unlock" your PC's taskbar so it only appears when you hover mouse at bottom of screen. This in turn increases broswer window further - providing it's at maximum width and height (fit to screen). If using Windows 7, right-click anywhere in blank portion of Taskbar then select Properties. Tick Auto-hide the Taskbar, then on Apply.
Anyone got further tips to keep browser window "clutter free"?
Some toolbars are useful but can be hidden and still remain "active" and run in the background. For example, security toolbars.
All I have in Firefox is the default URL field and Google toolbar. Others are hidden.
So if you've got a multitude of toolbars that's taking up more space than a mini cooper and you really don't need them, turn them off, and increase your main browser window view. If you really don't feel the need, but want to gain some extra view, pressing F11 switches your browser to full screen (F11 again switches back).
In Firefox, click on View tab (top left), Toolbars. Tick/untick where appropriate. In same section, if not required, untick Bookmarks toolbar. If you want to hide the tabbed options (File/Edit/View/History, etc) go to View, Toolbars > Menu Bar. To get this back, press the Alt key and retick Toolbars > Menu Bar.
In IE, select Tools, then Toolbars. Turn on/off where applicable.
Further enhancements is to "Unlock" your PC's taskbar so it only appears when you hover mouse at bottom of screen. This in turn increases broswer window further - providing it's at maximum width and height (fit to screen). If using Windows 7, right-click anywhere in blank portion of Taskbar then select Properties. Tick Auto-hide the Taskbar, then on Apply.
Anyone got further tips to keep browser window "clutter free"?