Managing Add-Ons in Firefox and Internet Explorer

With previous versions of Firefox, it was a pain in the neck to visit various sites and download add-ons and install them. With version 3, Mozilla created a centralized manner for managing add-ons. For those who are completely new to Firefox, add-ons are small applications such as toolbars, and other features to truly customize the browsing experience.

To Manage Add Ons:

Go to: Tools > Add-Ons.

These are recommended by Firefox, and these recommendations are default. If in scrolling through the list you see any you'd like to add, simply click the Add to Firefox button. This will bring up a dialog box that will allow you to install the add on. Click Install Now. Firefox will close and install the add-on. It will automatically restart the browser with the new add-on functioning.

Use the Search All Add-ons box to find add-ons for specific purposes. For the sake of this tutorial, we'll search for "Twitter" to find add-ons to make using Twitter easier, directly from our browser.

We can click on each add-on to learn more about it to decide which one we want to use. Once we have decided, we can click the Add to Firefox button to install the add-on and begin using it. If you want to disable an add-on, follow the steps to return to the Manage Add Ons box, and click the Extensions button. This will provide a list of all add-ons installed on the system. Click Disable to stop using them without removing them from the system.

Managing Add Ons in Internet Explorer

To manage Add Ons in Internet Explorer, go to: Tools > Manage Add-Ons. To enable or disable existing add ons, select "Enable or Disable Add Ons."

Click the Add On, and then click Enable or Disable to change the status. There are several menu options including:

• Add-ons currently loaded in Internet Explorer
• Add-ons that have been used by Internet Explorer
• Add-ons that run without requiring permission
• Downloaded ActiveX Controls

Where to Get Add Ons

In Firefox, you can search for add-ons to add right from the management box. You can also visit the Mozilla website to find more add-ons.

In Internet Explorer, go to: Tools > Manage Add Ons > Find More Add-Ons. This will load the Microsoft Add Ons Gallery, where you can choose to download and install additional add-ons to your browser.

Note about Add Ons

Browsers running too many add ons will be significantly slower than those that do not run any add ons. Reserve the use of add ons for tasks you do often, to keep the computer running at an optimal speed.