Chris Hoffman is Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. He’s written about technology for over a decade and was a PCWorld columnist for two years. Chris has written for The New York Times, been interviewed as a technology expert on TV stations like Miami’s NBC 6, and had his work covered by news outlets like the BBC. Since 2011, Chris has written over 2,000 articles that have been read nearly one billion times—and that’s just here at How-To Geek. Read more.
Google and Mozilla now offer 64-bit versions of Chrome and Firefox for Windows. Here’s how to find out what version you’re running and how to upgrade.
Most platforms use 64-bit browsers by default when you’re using a 64-bit operating system. 64-bit web browsers tend to be faster and more secure thanks to the additional security features available. Unfortunately, if you’re running Windows, you may not get the 64-bit version of your browser automatically. To make the move, you first need to ensure that you’re running a 64-bit version of Windows. You also need to make sure that you don’t rely on any old browser plugins that are only available in 32-bit. After that, you’ll just need to download and install the 64-bit version of whatever browser you use.
Step One: Make Sure You’re Running 64-bit Windows
You’ll need a 64-bit version of Windows to run a 64-bit web browser. To check which version you’re running on Windows 7, 8, or 10, navigate to Control Panel > System and Security > System. On the right side of the window, check the “System type” entry. It will tell you whether you’re using a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system.
If you see that you’re using a 32-bit version of Windows on a x64-based processor, you can probably switch to the 64-bit version of Windows. If your system has a 32-bit processor, you can’t install a 64-bit operating system and won’t be able to use a 64-bit browser.
Step Two: Check for Old Browser Plug-Ins
Some older browser plug-ins only function in 32-bit browsers. However, the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Edge don’t support browser plug-ins aside from Flash, anyway. So there’s no downside to switching if you’re running one of these new browsers. You can still use normal browser extensions with these browsers—just not “plugins” like Java and Silverlight.
Step Three: Update Your Browser to 64-bit
After making sure that you’re running a 64-bit version of Windows and that you don’t rely on any old 32-bit-only browser plugins, it’s time to update to the 64-bit browser of your choice.
Google Chrome
Google released a 64-bit version of Google Chrome back in 2014. However, Google didn’t automatically upgrade everyone to the 64-bit version of Google Chrome, so you may still be running the 32-bit version. If you are, you should definitely upgrade to the 64-bit version of Chrome. It’s faster and more secure.
To check if you’re running the 64-bit version of Google Chrome, open the Settings menu and head to Help > About. Look to the right of the version number. If you see “(64-bit)” at the end, you’re running the 64-bit version. If you don’t, you’re running the 32-bit version.
To upgrade, head to the Chrome download page, download the 64-bit version for Windows, and install it. You won’t lose any of your Chrome settings when you upgrade.
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla released a 64-bit version of Firefox at the end of 2015. However, like Google, Mozilla hasn’t automatically upgraded everyone to the 64-bit version of Firefox. You may still be running the 32-bit version. To check if you’re running the 64-bit version of Firefox, open the Settings menu and head to Help > About Firefox (The “Help” button is the question mark icon at the bottom of the menu). You’ll see either “(32-bit)” or “(64-bit)” displayed to the right of the version number here.
To upgrade, head to the Firefox download page, click “Firefox for Other Platforms & Languages”, download the 64-bit version for Windows, and install it. You won’t lose any of your Firefox settings when you upgrade.
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge is always a 64-bit application on 64-bit versions of Windows 10, so you don’t need to worry about it.
Internet Explorer
Microsoft provides both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Internet Explorer on 64-bit versions of Windows.
On a 64-bit version of Windows 10, the standard “Internet Explorer” shortcut in your Start menu launches the 64-bit version of Internet Explorer. So, just use the default and you’ll be using a 64-bit browser. If you want to find the 32-bit version of Internet Explorer, open a File Explorer window and browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer. Launch the “iexplore.exe” program from here and you’ll get the 32-bit version of IE.
On a 64-bit version of Windows 7, you’ll see two different shortcuts in your Start menu. One is named simply “Internet Explorer,” and it launches the 32-bit version. The other shortcut is named “Internet Explorer (64-bit),” and it launches the 64-bit version.
In the Windows 7 days, browsers used traditional NPAPI and ActiveX browser plugins, which did not work well in 32-bit. Windows made the 32-bit Internet Explorer the default so that people would run into fewer problems. Now that those browser plugins have mostly been abandoned, you shouldn’t notice any problems while running the 64-bit version.
Whatever the rationale for not automatically updating capable PCs with the 64-bit versions of web browsers, it’s generally better to run a 64-bit version if you can. It offers greater speed and security. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to make the switch if your system can handle it.
The new Brave browser blocks ads and trackers that slow you down and invade your privacy. Discover a new way of thinking about how the web can work.
Download Brave
Select what kind of chip your Mac comes with
Nov 2020 and later
How to find my chip
At the top left, Open the Apple menu.
Select “About This Mac”.
In the “Overview” tab, look for “Processor” or “Chip”.
Check if it says “Intel” or “Apple”.
Downloads of this version of Brave are available for Windows 64-bit, Windows 32-bit, macOS Intel, macOS ARM64 and Linux.
Browse up to 3x faster
Block ads & trackers that follow you around
Get rewarded for browsing
Interested in trying out early versions of Brave?
New features are typically introduced in the Nightly channel. After we’ve worked out the kinks we move them into the Beta build for a final check before merging them into the Release version of Brave you see here.
Brave for Mobile
Brave is available as a fast, free, secure web browser for your mobile devices. Complete with a built-in ad blocker that prevents tracking and provides security protection with optimized data and battery performance.
by Latest Tech Apps · April 18, 2017
Google and Mozilla now offer 64-bit versions of Chrome and Firefox for Windows. Here’s how to find out what version you’re running and how to upgrade.
Most platforms use 64-bit browsers by default when you’re using a 64-bit operating system. 64-bit web browsers tend to be faster and more secure thanks to the additional security features available. Unfortunately, if you’re running Windows, you may not get the 64-bit version of your browser automatically. To make the move, you first need to ensure that you’re running a 64-bit version of Windows. You also need to make sure that you don’t rely on any old browser plugins that are only available in 32-bit. After that, you’ll just need to download and install the 64-bit version of whatever browser you use.
Step One: Make Sure You’re Running 64-bit Windows
You’ll need a 64-bit version of Windows to run a 64-bit web browser. To check which version you’re running on Windows 7, 8, or 10, navigate to Control Panel > System and Security > System. On the right side of the window, check the “System type” entry. It will tell you whether you’re using a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system.
If you see that you’re using a 32-bit version of Windows on a x64-based processor, you can probably switch to the 64-bit version of Windows. If your system has a 32-bit processor, you can’t install a 64-bit operating system and won’t be able to use a 64-bit browser.
Step Two: Check for Old Browser Plug-Ins
Some older browser plug-ins only function in 32-bit browsers. However, the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Edge don’t support browser plug-ins aside from Flash, anyway. So there’s no downside to switching if you’re running one of these new browsers. You can still use normal browser extensions with these browsers—just not “plugins” like Java and Silverlight.
Step Three: Update Your Browser to 64-bit
After making sure that you’re running a 64-bit version of Windows and that you don’t rely on any old 32-bit-only browser plugins, it’s time to update to the 64-bit browser of your choice.
Google Chrome
Google released a 64-bit version of Google Chrome back in 2014. However, Google didn’t automatically upgrade everyone to the 64-bit version of Google Chrome, so you may still be running the 32-bit version. If you are, you should definitely upgrade to the 64-bit version of Chrome. It’s faster and more secure.
To check if you’re running the 64-bit version of Google Chrome, open the Settings menu and head to Help > About. Look to the right of the version number. If you see “(64-bit)” at the end, you’re running the 64-bit version. If you don’t, you’re running the 32-bit version.
To upgrade, head to the Chrome download page, download the 64-bit version for Windows, and install it. You won’t lose any of your Chrome settings when you upgrade.
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla released a 64-bit version of Firefox at the end of 2015. However, like Google, Mozilla hasn’t automatically upgraded everyone to the 64-bit version of Firefox. You may still be running the 32-bit version. To check if you’re running the 64-bit version of Firefox, open the Settings menu and head to Help > About Firefox (The “Help” button is the question mark icon at the bottom of the menu). You’ll see either “(32-bit)” or “(64-bit)” displayed to the right of the version number here.
To upgrade, head to the Firefox download page, click “Firefox for Other Platforms & Languages”, download the 64-bit version for Windows, and install it. You won’t lose any of your Firefox settings when you upgrade.
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge is always a 64-bit application on 64-bit versions of Windows 10, so you don’t need to worry about it.
Internet Explorer
Microsoft provides both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Internet Explorer on 64-bit versions of Windows.
On a 64-bit version of Windows 10, the standard “Internet Explorer” shortcut in your Start menu launches the 64-bit version of Internet Explorer. So, just use the default and you’ll be using a 64-bit browser. If you want to find the 32-bit version of Internet Explorer, open a File Explorer window and browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer. Launch the “iexplore.exe” program from here and you’ll get the 32-bit version of IE.
On a 64-bit version of Windows 7, you’ll see two different shortcuts in your Start menu. One is named simply “Internet Explorer,” and it launches the 32-bit version. The other shortcut is named “Internet Explorer (64-bit),” and it launches the 64-bit version.
In the Windows 7 days, browsers used traditional NPAPI and ActiveX browser plugins, which did not work well in 32-bit. Windows made the 32-bit Internet Explorer the default so that people would run into fewer problems. Now that those browser plugins have mostly been abandoned, you shouldn’t notice any problems while running the 64-bit version.
Whatever the rationale for not automatically updating capable PCs with the 64-bit versions of web browsers, it’s generally better to run a 64-bit version if you can. It offers greater speed and security. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to make the switch if your system can handle it.
64-bit version of Windows don’t use 64-bit browsers by default – they’re still in their infancy, although even Adobe Flash now supports 64-bit browsers. Using a 64-bit browser can offer significant performance benefits, according to some benchmarks.
This article is for Windows users – 64-bit Linux distributions include 64-bit browsers, so you don’t have to do anything special on Linux.
Mozilla Firefox
ExtremeTech found that the 64-bit version of Firefox 8 was 10% faster than the 32-bit version in the Peacekeeper browser benchmark. Mozilla doesn’t yet offer official, stable 64-bit builds of Firefox, though. If you want to run 64-bit Firefox on Windows, your choices are an official-but-unstable nightly build or a stable-but-unofficial Waterfox.
Mozilla offers nightly builds of Firefox for testers – they’re constantly updating and can break, so they’re not the ideal candidate for your primary browser. The Firefox Nightly website lists 64-bit builds for Linux, but doesn’t even mention that the Windows ones exist.
Instead, you’ll find them buried on Mozilla’s FTP site. Look for the “win64” installer.
Waterfox is a 64-bit build of Firefox for Windows. Unlike the nightly version from Mozilla, Waterfox is based on the stable releases of Firefox. It’ll be a more bug-free, stable experience than the nightly builds. It even uses the same profile Firefox does.
According to Mozilla technical writer Jean-Yves Perrier, “There are currently no plan to release a 64-bit release of Firefox for Windows in 2012.”
Internet Explorer
Believe it or not, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is ahead of the curve when it comes to 64-bit browsing on Windows. If you’re running a 64-bit version of Windows, you’ll find a 64-bit version of Internet Explorer already installed and available for use in your Start menu. No other Web browser installs a 64-bit version by default yet.
You’ll run into a snag if you actually want to use the 64-bit version of Internet Explorer as your default browser, though. To avoid confusion for users that might end up accidentally setting 64-bit IE as their default browser and running into plug-in compatibility problems, Microsoft won’t allow you to set 64-bit IE as your default browser.
You can still pin the 64-bit version to your taskbar or add its shortcut to your desktop, though.
If you want to set 64-bit IE as your default program for certain file types – say, .htm files – you’ll need to know its location. The 64-bit version is located at C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe, while the 32-bit version is located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe.
Google Chrome
Sorry, Chrome fans – Google Chrome only has a 64-bit version for Linux. According to the Chromium project website, neither Chrome nor Chromium can currently be built for 64-bit Windows.
The upside is that it should only need “a small number of tweaks” to compile for 64-bit Windows. But it appears that no one has done the work yet.
Opera
Opera is now releasing 64-bit development snapshots for Windows. These will likely be unstable, so using them as your default browser is a bad idea. Opera advertises out-of-process plug-ins as a new feature that will allow 64-bit versions of Opera to run 32-bit plug-ins.
The development snapshots are branded as “Opera Next” and have a black-and-white logo to remind you of their incompleteness.
Plug-ins
Plug-in compatibility has always been the big problem with 64-bit browsers. Compiling a browser as a 64-bit binary is one thing; it’s another to drag plug-in developers along. In the past, 64-bit browsers have lacked Flash and other popular plug-ins. These days, the most popular plug-ins — Flash and Java — now have 64-bit versions. You may not already have them installed, though.
Visit the Adobe Flash Player download page in a 64-bit browser and you’ll be prompted to download the 64-bit installer. It includes a 32-bit version for your 32-bit browsers.
If you use Java, you can download a 64-bit build of Java from the manual download page. The 64-bit build includes a 64-bit plug-in – if you use both 32 and 64-bit browsers, you’ll have to install both Java packages.
Do you use a 64-bit browser? If so, do you see a speed difference? Share your experiences in the comments.
The first Windows systems used a 16-bit MS-DOS based kernel to run a graphical shell in order to access the system’s services. If that last sentence sent you scrambling for a tech glossary, put your mind at ease. The information in this article will be accessible to experts and laypeople alike. You may have experienced some issues when running a 32-bit application in a 64-bit version of Windows. If so, read on to learn about why this is happening and how to fix it.
Some Necessary Concepts
The simple fact is that you shouldn’t be having this problem in the first place. Windows has an emulator which—if working correctly—provides the necessary environment for both 64 and 32-bit applications to run normally. This emulator (WOW64) segregates 32-bit applications from 64-bit ones to prevent file and/or registry collisions. On a technical note, 32-bit processes cannot execute 64-bit DLLs, so this may be causing your issue.
Something to keep in mind is that you might actually be running a 16-bit application, which definitely will not work. A quick way to check if a program is 16-bit is to navigate to its location on your computer. Right-click on it and select Properties from the drop-down menu. If the properties tab has a “Version” or “Previous Versions” tab, it isn’t a 16-bit application.
Making It Compatible
The first thing you should try when you set out to run any software that has compatibility issues is to run it in Compatibility Mode. There are very few problems that this realistically fixes nowadays, but it was a very useful feature when Windows 95 was replaced by NT.
To run an application in Compatibility Mode, navigate to it in the file explorer and right-click it. Same as above, click on Properties from the menu. Under Properties, click on the Compatibility tab. Click the box that says “Run this program in compatibility mode for:” and select the Windows version you want to use. Then, click Apply and try to run your application. There should only be a handful of options so try to go through them all.
Enable 32-Bit ApplicationsВ
To be thorough, you can make sure that 32-bit applications are enabled in your Windows services. To do so, follow these steps:
- Start by accessing Windows Features by typing “windows features” into the Windows search box and selecting the bests match.
- Check the box that reads Internet Information Services and click OK. It will take a minute to install this feature
- Launch the IIS Manager by typing “internet information services” in the Windows search box and selecting the best match.
- You will see your computer’s name in the left window, expand it and click on Application Pools.
- In the right window, right-click on DefaultAppPools and selects Advanced Settings.
- Select “Enable 32-bit Applications” and change it from False to True.
- Click OK and restart your computer.
Once you complete this, try running the application again. If your WOW64 is working correctly, this shouldn’t be necessary but it has proven to be effective in some cases.
Incorrect Program Files
Older programs sometimes get the installation mixed up and their files can end up in the wrong folder. This is particularly difficult to detect because the installation will seem to have gone off without a hitch.
On 64-bit versions of Windows, all 64-bit applications are installed in the “Program Files (x86)” folder. This includes any files related to the installed application. However, 32-bit programs end up in a separate folder titled “Program Files.” If the paths are incorrectly coded in the installation, the application may have installed in the wrong folder.
Fixing this should include editing some of the installation code but you don’t have to do that, and you may not be able to get to the source code anyway. For a makeshift solution, simply find the installed files and copy them manually into the “Program Files” folder.
Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits
These are just some of the problems you could be facing when running a 32-bit application. But again, it cannot be emphasized enough that this should never happen, as measures are in place to prevent it. It’s far more likely that you’re dealing with some other compatibility issue. If you’re very confident that the register is causing problems, start with the solutions outlined in the article.
Have any of the methods in the article been helpful? What made you sure that the 32-bit register is really what is causing your problem? Share your reasoning in the comments below.В
Recently, I got my machine replaced and I had to start installing stuffs all over again. I have 64-bit Windows machine and instead of using 64-bit IE driver, I used 32-bit IE driver. The reason for using the 32-bit IE driver is obviously the slow typing issue in 64-bit one, and switching seems the only option as can be found in below threads.
My questions are:
Can slow typing issue be solved without really switching to 32-bit IE Driver?
What is the need of 64-bit IE driver when it can slow down your tests very much?
On Selenium official download page, 32-bit is recommended, do we actually require 64-bit.
2 Answers 2
Can slow typing issue be solved without really switching to 32-bit IE Driver?
To my knowledge no. I did a benchmarking on login page of my application using 32x vs 64x version. There are significant amount of performance improvement when you use 32x as you know.
What is the need of 64-bit IE driver when it can slow down your tests very much?
Couple of reasons why.
- According to this thread, the non-truncated screenshot of the page is only possible if you use 64x version of IEDriverServer.
- The 64x of IE8 on windows 7 RTM and IE9 both can be run as 64x application using 64x IEDriverServer. There could be a need to use 64x application for testing purpose.
I have the free version of Windows 10 Professional-64 bit installed on my old computer.
My scanner only works with 32-bit machines.
How do I install a 32-bit version of Windows 10?
I tried downloading the 32-bit Media Tool, but it won’t let me install on a 64-bit machine.
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You will need to download the Windows 10 Pro 32 bit ISO, create a bootable copy, then boot from it then perform a custom install.
Create a bootable copy on a blank DVD or USB thumb drive
After you have downloaded the Windows 10 ISO, you need prepare it, this is especially important for Windows 7 users..
After obtaining the .iso file you can use the built in Disc Image burning tool or Microsoft .iso to USB/DVD tool to create a bootable DVD or USB (requires a blank DVD or USB flash stick of at least 4 GB).
After downloading the .ISO file, right click it and click Burn disc image
Insert a blank DVD
Windows 8/8.1 users can mount the .ISO file and start the upgrade automatically. Learn more here
Important:
If you are creating a bootable USB thumb drive, make sure the thumb drive is first formatted as FAT32.
Connect the thumb drive
Right click thumbdrive
Make sure FAT32 is selected as the file system.
For UEFI based systems
If your computer is UEFI based, these are normally systems that come pre-loaded with Windows 8 or later, you will need to prepare the ISO file for such a configuration or you will receive an error message during setup. The thumbdrive needs to be formatted as FAT32 and use the GPT partitioning scheme. To do this, you need to use Rufus, a small tool you can download for free.
Rufus – credit: Pete Batard/Akeo
After you have installed Rufus:
- Launch it
- Select ISO Image
- Point to the Windows 10 ISO file
- Check off Create a bootable disk using
- Select GPT partitioning for EUFI firmware as the Partition scheme
- Choose FAT32 NOT NTFS as the File system
- Make sure your USB thumbdrive in the Device list box
- Click Start
- Close when complete
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“You’ve been routed to this page because the operating system you’re using won’t support the Windows 10 media creation tool. “
Microsoft won’t allow my 64-bit machine to download or install the 32-bit file.
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Thats why you should be able to download it directly from the following link:
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Thats why I provided instructions in my previous reply to create a bootable copy after downloading the ISO, the follow the instructions to boot from it then perform a custom install:
Create a bootable copy on a blank DVD or USB thumb drive
After you have downloaded the Windows 10 ISO, you need prepare it, this is especially important for Windows 7 users..
After obtaining the .iso file you can use the built in Disc Image burning tool or Microsoft .iso to USB/DVD tool to create a bootable DVD or USB (requires a blank DVD or USB flash stick of at least 4 GB).
After downloading the .ISO file, right click it and click Burn disc image
Insert a blank DVD
Windows 8/8.1 users can mount the .ISO file and start the upgrade automatically. Learn more here
Important:
If you are creating a bootable USB thumb drive, make sure the thumb drive is first formatted as FAT32.
Connect the thumb drive
Right click thumbdrive
Make sure FAT32 is selected as the file system.
For UEFI based systems
If your computer is UEFI based, these are normally systems that come pre-loaded with Windows 8 or later, you will need to prepare the ISO file for such a configuration or you will receive an error message during setup. The thumbdrive needs to be formatted as FAT32 and use the GPT partitioning scheme. To do this, you need to use Rufus, a small tool you can download for free.
Rufus – credit: Pete Batard/Akeo
After you have installed Rufus:
- Launch it
- Select ISO Image
- Point to the Windows 10 ISO file
- Check off Create a bootable disk using
- Select GPT partitioning for EUFI firmware as the Partition scheme
- Choose FAT32 NOT NTFS as the File system
- Make sure your USB thumbdrive in the Device list box
- Click Start
- Close when complete
Internet speed is one of the most important traits of a computer – so important, that certain operating systems like Chrome OS are now almost completely dependent on it. Windows 10 isn’t quite at that point yet, but you can still do things within it to make your Web experience that much speedier and smoother. Here we’ll take a look at how you can use Windows to improve the speed of your web browsing.
1. Turn off P2P Delivery Optimization in Windows 10
So here’s one of those things that you probably didn’t know about Windows 10, and it sounds kind of scary. There is an option in Windows 10 that may be switched on by default which ties your PC into a Microsoft-handled P2P network, which uploads your installed Windows updates and distributes them to speed up updates on your home network and for strangers online.
Locally, this means that if you have a Windows update installed on one PC, bits of it can be fed through to a Windows update on another PC on your network, saving bandwidth. The bad side to this is the option that does the same thing but for other Windows users across the whole Internet, tying your PC into a P2P network that helps Windows update download speeds for strangers but hogs your bandwidth.
So you should turn it off.
Go to “Settings -> Update & Security -> Advanced options -> Delivery Optimization.” Here you should either switch the “Allow downloads from other PCs” toggle to Off, or leave it On but make sure you select “PCs on my local network.”
2. Disable or Enable Windows Auto-Tuning
Windows Auto-Tuning is one of those features that has caused vastly varying results for users in the way of Internet browsing speed. It’s a feature that dynamically adjusts the buffer size and latency for TCP-based applications communicating with the Internet.
Even though Microsoft has said that disabling this will slow down your Internet speed, users with older hardware and weaker connections have reported that disabling it can improve Internet speeds. Conversely, other users (usually on powerful machines) who reported that it was disabled have said that enabling it increased their Internet speeds vastly.
The following shows how to enable and disable auto-tuning.
Open an elevated command prompt window (right-click command prompt in the Start menu and click ‘Run as administrator’), and enter the following command:
Check to see what it says in the highlighted area in the image below.
If it says ‘normal,’ and you want to disable it, type the following:
If, on the other hand, your Auto-Tuning is disabled and you want to enable it, type the following command:
Now, run a speed test to see if it’s made a difference. If it’s sped things up, then great! If it’s slowed things down, then just do the reverse command to get things back to normal.
3. Check Your Resource Monitor for Network-Hogging Processes
This is a good one. You can quickly and easily check which processes and apps on Windows 10 are using the most resources in terms of CPU, Memory and – you guessed it – Network bandwidth. You can find all this stuff out in something called Resource Monitor.
To open Resource Monitor, hit Win + R and enter resmon into the box. In the Resource Monitor, click the Network tab to see which processes are using the most bandwidth.
You can see in my list that the gaming platform Origin is hogging a lot of bandwidth. (I didn’t realise it chose to start up each time I booted into Windows.) You can end any processes using too much bandwidth by checking the boxes for each one you want closed, right-clicking one of them, and clicking “End process.”
4. Turn Off Background Apps and Processes
Speaking of apps that run in the background, Windows apps you download from the Microsoft store, as well as the myriad Windows apps that come pre-installed on your system are among the biggest culprits. By default, these apps are allowed to listen to incoming Internet communications all the time so that they can receive updates.
You can find out how to uninstall preinstalled Windows apps here, but a more lightweight solution is to just stop them from running in the background. To do this, go to “Settings -> Privacy,” then select “Background apps” in the pane on the left.
Here you’ll see a long list of apps that are running in the background. Switch off every single app you don’t want on (you may find there are twenty or more) to ease some strain of your bandwidth and speed up your browsing.
Conclusion
These are some of the little tricks you can do to speed up your web browsing (and Internet speeds as a whole) in Windows 10. Remember that there are also things you can do in individual browsers to improve performance. To find out more, check out our lists of the best Chrome flags and about:config Firefox tips.
Content Manager at Make Tech Easier. Enjoys Android, Windows, and tinkering with retro console emulation to breaking point.
Summary
Many Internet Web sites contain JavaScript, a scripting programming language that runs on the web browser to make specific features on the web page functional. If JavaScript has been disabled within your browser, the content or the functionality of the web page can be limited or unavailable. This article describes the steps for enabling JavaScript in web browsers.
More Information
Internet Explorer
To allow all websites within the Internet zone to run scripts within Internet Explorer:
On the web browser menu, click Tools or the “Tools” icon (which looks like a gear), and select Internet Options.
When the “Internet Options” window opens, select the Security tab.
On the “Security” tab, make sure the Internet zone is selected, and then click on the “Custom level. ” button.
In the Security Settings – Internet Zone dialog box, click Enable for Active Scripting in the Scripting section.
When the “Warning!” window opens and asks, “Are you sure you want to change the settings for this zone?” select Yes.
Click OK at the bottom of the Internet Options window to close the dialog.
Click the Refresh button to refresh the page and run scripts.
To allow scripting on a specific website, while leaving scripting disabled in the Internet zone, add the specific Web site to the Trusted sites zone:
On the web browser menu, click Tools, or the “Tools” icon (which looks like a gear) and select Internet Options.
When the “Internet Options” window opens, select the Security tab.
On the “Security” tab, select the Trusted sites zone and then click the Sites button.
For the website(s) you would like to allow scripting, enter the address within the Add this website to the zone text box and click Add. Note: If the address does not begin with “https:”, you many need to uncheck “Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone”.
Click Close and then click OK at the bottom of the Internet Options window to close the dialog.
Click the Refresh button to refresh the page and run scripts.
Google Chrome
To enable JavaScript in Google Chrome, please review and follow the instructions provided at Enable JavaScript in your browser to see ads on your site.
Mozilla Corporation’s Firefox
To enable JavaScript in Firefox, please review and follow the instructions provided at JavaScript settings for interactive web pages.
