Windows 7 / Getting Started

Windows Explorer Versus Internet Explorer

People often confuse Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer because of their similar names, but there is a big difference between them. Windows Explorer (often called Explorer for short) is a program for exploring things inside your computer - things like disk drives, folders, and files that you can use without being online. Its program file is named Explore.exe. If your computer is part of a local network, you use Windows Explorer to access shared resources on those nearby computers as well.

Internet Explorer is typically for exploring stuff outside your computer, mainly World Wide Web pages on the Internet. Its program file name is Iexplore.exe. You have to be online (connected to the Internet) to explore those outside resources. The items outside your computer are mostly Web pages, rather than drives, folders, and files. Web pages have longer names, usually in the form of www.something.com, rather than short, simple names such as Computer, Documents, Pictures, and such.

Finally, note that you can open a Web page from a Windows Explorer window by typing the Web page's URL in the Windows Explorer address bar and pressing Enter. However, the Web page doesn't open in Windows Explorer. Instead, Windows Explorer passes the URL to your default Web browser to open the page; it then closes itself.

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In this tutorial:

  1. Using Windows 7 Internet Explorer
  2. Understanding How the Web Works
  3. Examples of Top-Level Domains and URLs of Web Sites
  4. Windows Explorer Versus Internet Explorer
  5. Using Internet Explorer
  6. Browsing to a Web site
  7. Using AutoComplete
  8. Using Back, Forward, and History buttons
  9. Magnifying a page
  10. Panes and toolbars
  11. Full-screen viewing
  12. Change your default home page
  13. Using Tabs
  14. Using Quick Tabs
  15. Creating multiple home page tabs
  16. Rearranging and removing home page tabs
  17. Personalizing tabbed browsing
  18. Shortcut keys for tabs
  19. Using Web Slices
  20. Using Accelerators
  21. Using RSS Feeds
  22. Optional settings for RSS feeds
  23. Using the RSS Feed Headlines gadget
  24. Managing Favorite Sites
  25. Adding tab groups to Favorites
  26. Starting Your Favorites Collection
  27. Organizing Favorites
  28. Importing and exporting Favorites
  29. Blocking Pop-Ups
  30. Using the Information bar
  31. When pop-ups still get through
  32. Using the SmartScreen Filter
  33. How the SmartScreen Filter works
  34. Getting the most from the SmartScreen Filter
  35. Deleting the Browser History
  36. Clearing AutoComplete entries
  37. Configuring AutoComplete
  38. Understanding cookies
  39. Deleting cookies
  40. Adjusting cookie privacy settings
  41. Looking at cookies and privacy policies
  42. Understanding temporary Internet files
  43. Clearing temporary Internet files
  44. Temporary Internet files settings
  45. A note on certificates
  46. Using Internet Security Zones
  47. Printing Web Pages
  48. Using Print Preview
  49. Saving Web Pages
  50. Copying content from Web pages
  51. Downloading pictures and videos
  52. Making Internet Explorer Your Default Browser
  53. Searching the Web
  54. Choosing search providers
  55. Choosing a default provider
  56. Searching from the Search box
  57. Searching from the address bar
  58. Getting More with Add-ons
  59. Managing add-ons
  60. Internet Explorer Help and Troubleshooting