Streamlined interface
A redesigned, streamlined interface maximizes the area of the screen that
displays a webpage, so you see more of what you need, and less of what you
don't.
Advanced printing
Internet Explorer 7 automatically scales a webpage for printing, so the entire
webpage fits on your printed page. Print options also include adjustable
margins, customizable page layouts, removable headers and footers, and an option
to print only selected text.
Instant Search box
Web searches using your favorite search provider can now be entered into a
search box within the toolbar, eliminating the clutter of separate toolbars. You
can easily choose a provider from the dropdown list or add more providers.
Favorites Center
Get quick and easy access to your Favorites, Tab Groups, Browsing History, and
RSS Feed subscriptions. Your Favorites Center expands when needed, and can be
anchored in place for even easier access.
RSS feeds
Internet Explorer 7 automatically detects RSS feeds on sites and illuminates an
icon on the toolbar. A single click on the icon allows you to preview and
subscribe to the RSS feed if you want—so you’re automatically notified as
content is updated. Read RSS feeds directly in the browser, scan for important
stories, and filter your view with search terms or site-specific categories.
Tabbed browsing
View multiple sites in a single browser window. Easily switch from one site to
another through tabs at the top of the browser frame.
Quick Tabs
Easily select and navigate through open tabs by displaying thumbnails of them
all in a single window.
Tab Groups
Tabs can be grouped and saved into logical categories, so you can open multiple
tabs with a single click. A Tab Group can easily be set as the Home Page Group
so the entire Tab Group opens every time Internet Explorer is launched.
Page zoom
Enlarge individual webpages, including both text and graphics, to either focus
on specific content or to make content more accessible to those with vision
limitations.
Dynamic Security Protection
Internet Explorer 7 provides security through a robust new architecture,
security features that help defend against malicious software (also known as
malware), and new ways to better protect against the theft of personal data from
fraudulent websites, a practice known as phishing.
ActiveX opt-in
Disable nearly all pre-installed ActiveX controls to prevent potentially
vulnerable controls from being exposed to attack. You can easily enable or
disable ActiveX controls as needed through the Information Bar and the Add-on
Manager.
Security Status bar
Color-coded notifications appear next to the address bar to make you aware of
website security and privacy settings. The Address Bar changes to green for
websites bearing new High Assurance certificates, indicating the site owner has
completed extensive identity verification checks. Phishing Filter notifications,
certificate names, and the gold padlock icon also appear next to the address bar
for better visibility. You can easily display certificate and privacy detail
information with a single click on the Security Status bar.
Phishing Filter
This filter warns you about and helps to protect you against potential or known
fraudulent websites, and blocks the sites if appropriate. This opt-in filter is
updated several times per hour using the latest security information from
Microsoft and several industry partners.
Cross-domain barriers
Internet Explorer 7 helps to prevent the script on webpages from interacting
with content from other domains or windows. This enhanced safeguard gives you
additional protection against malware by helping to prevent malicious websites
from manipulating flaws in other websites or causing you to download undesired
content or software.
Delete browsing history
Clean up cached pages, passwords, form data, cookies, and history, all from a
single window.
Address bar protection
Every window, whether it's a pop-up or standard window, will show you an address
bar, helping to block malicious sites from emulating trusted sites.
International domain name anti-spoofing
In addition to adding support for International Domain Names in URLs, Internet
Explorer also notifies you when visually similar characters in the URL are not
expressed in the same language—protecting you against sites that could otherwise
appear as known, trustworthy sites.
URL handling security
Redesigned URL parsing ensures consistent processing and minimizes possible
exploits. The new URL handler helps centralize critical data parsing and
increases data consistency throughout the application.
Fix My Settings
To help protect you from browsing with unsafe settings, Internet Explorer 7
warns you with an Information Bar when current security settings may put you at
risk. Within the Internet Control Panel, you will see certain critical items
highlighted in red when they are unsafely configured. The Information Bar will
continue to remind you as long as the settings remain unsafe. You can instantly
reset Internet security settings to the "Medium-High" default level by clicking
the "Fix My Settings" option in the Information Bar.
Add-ons disabled mode
If you have difficulties launching Internet Explorer or reaching specific
websites, you can start Internet Explorer in "No Add-ons" mode, where only
critical system add-ons are enabled.
Features unique to Windows Vista
These features are available only with Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Vista:
* Protected mode Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Vista runs in isolation from
other applications in the operating system. It restricts exploits and malicious
software from writing to any location beyond Temporary Internet Files without
explicit user consent.
* Parental controls To help keep kids safer online, parents can control browsing
behavior through the parental control settings built into Windows Vista. The
child's safety level can be monitored and changed remotely. The safety level
carries over to many PC activities, such as playing games or browsing the
Internet. A child's browsing session can even be examined by a parent
afterwards, and cannot be removed without the parent's permission.
Improved Platform and
Manageability
Internet Explorer 7 has improved support for cascading style sheets, a rich RSS
feeds platform, and robust tools for deploying and managing Internet Explorer 7
in large enterprise environments. Click on the features to learn more.
CSS improvements
These improvements address many of the inconsistencies that can cause web
developers problems when producing visually rich, interactive webpages. The
improved support for CSS 2.1, including selectors and fixed positioning, allow
web developers to create more powerful effects without the use of script.
Application compatibility toolkit
This toolkit helps IT pros and developers understand any incompatibilities their
websites, applications, and deployments may have with Internet Explorer 7.
Alpha channel in PNG
This channel supports transparency within the PNG image format, resulting in
better-looking websites that are simpler to build.
Group Policy improvements
Get support for all aspects of Internet Explorer settings through Group Policy,
greatly easing management across an enterprise.
Internet Explorer Administration Kit
OEMs and deployment specialists can pre-package Internet Explorer with
customized settings or additional programs for their users.
Improved AJAX support
This support improves the implementation of the XMLHTTP Request as a native
Javascript object for rich AJAX-style applications. While Internet Explorer 6
handled XMLHTTP requests with an ActiveX control, Internet Explorer 7 exposes
XMLHTTP natively. This improves syntactical compatibility across different
browsers and allows clients to configure and customize a security policy of
their choice without compromising key AJAX scenarios.
Open Search Extensions
In conjunction with Amazon.com, a set of RSS Simple List Extensions were
submitted to the RSS community, and released under the Creative Commons license.
Among other features, these extensions greatly simplify development of
applications that interact with Open Search-compatible search providers.
RSS platform
This platform provides rich functionality for downloading, storing, and
accessing RSS feeds across the entire operating system, helping more users than
ever before embrace RSS. Once a user subscribes to a feed in one application,
that subscription and all the associated content are made available across the
operating system for any application that wishes to consume it.
Platform compatibility
Internet Explorer 7 is more compatible with top web features than ever before.
It supports many new standards on the web to make browsing a richer experience
for which it is easier to develop. Every new feature in Internet Explorer 7 also
offers full control through Group Policy, which makes the administration of
Internet Explorer a breeze even for the largest enterprises.
