Common Browser Functions
The browser is the tool you use to look at pages on the Internet. Several browsers are available—e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape, Safari—and each operates a little differently from the others. You may also have downloaded Google, Yahoo, or MSN toolbars which fit into your browser and give you further functionality. Each browser and toolbar will have its own help area. Please refer to that if you have further questions.
If you are unsure which browser you are using, go to the help menu and click on About. You'll get a screen that will tell you what browser you are using and what version it is.
This is a typical toolbar in Firefox:
Let's go over some of the toolbar icons you'll use the most, as they typically appear in Firefox and three other popular browsers.
| Firefox | Internet Explorer | Netscape | Safari | |
| Back and Next |  |
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As you look at various pages on the Internet, Back and Next keep track of where you have been. To return to the last page you looked at, click on Back. To return to the page you were just on, click the Next arrow. If you want to go back or forward several pages, click on the down arrow next to the button to see a list of the pages you've recently visited. Locate the one you want to return to and click on it.
| Firefox | Internet Explorer | Netscape | Safari | |
| Stop |  |
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Sometimes Web pages can take a long time to load. If you decide you don't want to wait until the page loads, click on Stop.
| Firefox | Internet Explorer | Netscape | Safari | |
| Refresh |  |
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If any data has changed on a Web page and you want to see the latest version of the page, or if you want to clear out data you just entered into a form, click on Refresh. The page will load again.
| Firefox | Internet Explorer | Netscape | Safari | |
| Home |  |
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The Home icon returns you to whatever you have designated as your home page.
| Firefox | Internet Explorer | Netscape | Safari | |
| Search |  |
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In Internet Explorer, clicking on the Search button opens a panel at the left, where you can enter your search term(s). In Netscape, Firefox, and Safari, you enter your search terms right on the toolbar.
| Firefox | Internet Explorer | Netscape | Safari | |
| Favorites and Bookmarks | Bookmarks |  |
Bookmarks |  |
You can add Web addresses to your favorites or bookmark lists. When you display the list, you'll then be able to visit those addresses without having to enter the address again. Internet Explorer, Netscape, and Firefox have a text menu at the top for favorites or bookmarks. From that menu you can add and organize your favorite sites. Internet Explorer also has an icon for favorites. Click the icon and the favorites display at the left. Safari has a "plus" button that allows you to enter the bookmark information.
| Firefox | Internet Explorer | Netscape | Safari | |
| Printing Pages | File > Print |  |
File > Print |
To print the Web page you are viewing, you can choose File > Print from each browser or, in Internet Explorer, click on the icon shown above. On a Windows PC, you can also press Ctrl+P to print.
| Firefox | Internet Explorer | Netscape | Safari | |
| Text Size | View > Text Size | View > Text Size | View > Text Size |
If the print on the Web page is too small to read easily, you can usually increase the size by going to the View menu and choosing Text Size. There you can increase or decrease the size of the text.
These functions are all provided by the browser you are using. Sometimes the Web page that displays doesn't want you to use the standard functions. For example, if the Web content includes Back and Next buttons, it is probably better to use those and not the ones in the browser toolbar.
