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Master IE 7 Add-Ons

Wish you had a manual for operating IE's new add-ons manager? These explanations of the viewing options should help:

'Add-ons currently loaded in Internet Explorer': You'll typically come here for basic management.

'Add-ons that have been used by Internet Explorer': Unlike the preceding option, this one shows all ActiveX controls, which load only when you visit a Web page that calls on them. Be careful before deleting any controls--you may have to reinstall third-party software to restore their controls if you ever want them back.

'Downloaded ActiveX controls': This option shows only controls that you've downloaded from the Web and installed. They're generally safe to delete, because you can always redownload them.

You can enable or disable add-ons in the new manager; but to uninstall them, you'll need to go to Add or Remove Programs in the control panel. When you go to Add-Ons for Internet Explorer and use the Advanced Search, a bug in the filtering for IE 7 add-ons won't show the many tools that work in both IE 7 and IE 6. Microsoft says it's trying to fix the problem.

You can clear unused icons from the Command Bar (next to the tabs) by right-clicking it and choosing Customize Command Bar, Add or Remove Commands.