Internet Explorer Toolbar Customization
Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 and Internet Explorer 8 display the menu bar below the address bar in the header area of the web browser. The menu bar contains links to menus like File, Tools or Help while the address bar is being used to load websites and perform searches on the Internet.
Most web browsers use a different display order of toolbars with the menu bar on top and the address bar below that which is also the default display in all windows and applications of the Windows operating system. There is however no option to customize Internet Explorer toolbars in the browser itself.
The only way to change the location of the Internet Explorer Toolbar is to edit the Windows Registry. To do that press [Windows R], type [regedit] and hit [enter].
Before:
After:
Navigate to the following Registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\WebBrowser
Add a new DWord by right-clicking in the left panel of the Registry and selecting New > DWord Value. Name the new Registry key ITBar7Position. Double-click it afterwards and give it the value 1.
Restart Internet Explorer afterwards and you should see that the Internet Explorer Toolbars have been exchanged. The menu toolbar should now be on top and the address toolbar below.
Update: Newer versions of Internet Explorer do not display the menu bar at all anymore. You can still display it in the browser with a tap on the Alt key which displays it for a moment, or by right-clicking on a blank spot on the main toolbar and checking the Menu Bar option from the context menu.
Note that the toolbar is displayed below the address bar by default and that the tweak mentioned above works fine for newer versions of IE as well.
You can find out more about Internet Explorer 9 tweaks by following the link to a follow up article that we have published in 2010.
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Note that the toolbar is displayed below the address bar by default and that the tweak mentioned above works fine for newer versions of IE as well.
This is not true. This does not work for newer versions of IE at all.
The address bar seems to have completely disappeared. Under View, Toolbars, the address isn’t even listed. I have also gone to regedit to delete web browser and a layout command in shell browser, and explorer. Nothing.
Try this https://www.ghacks.net/2008/10/19/internet-explorer-repair/
My screen is full of toolbars the current designs, stacked tool bars are ridiculous! I would like to see a completely customizable toolbar that has an interface similar to Microsoft Office 2007 that uses layers each layer associated with the task you are trying to accomplish. I believe this would be the ultimate toolbar. Hopefully you can see what I am trying to explain.
I remember back in the early 90s when a UI was hardcoded and nothing could be arranged the way you wanted it. Micro$$$osft must have re-hired some of those “retired” millionaire “eng-in-eers”.
“Just can’t stand the layout and the fact that I can’t move sturf around where I want it. If I wanted to do things only the way the Company wanted, I’d have bought a mac.”
My impression exactly. I’m trying it out, but right away, I can’t customize the bars like I used to be able to in IE6. They knew this was an issue, but have not really given the controls back to us that they took away.
Fix it or lose market share. Firefox is totally customizable thank you.
Its good
Back when I was just a naive youngster (55) I used Internet Explorer. I wish then I had known about these Chinese clones.
http://www.ioage.com/
Another one is
http://www.maxthon.com/
I perfer the first one best.
Great! Now,is there a way to put the refresh/stop buttons over by the back/forward ones instead of half a screen apart, the way MS locked them in? And, any way to remove the (to me) useless takes-up-valuable-screen-space bar below the ‘links’ bar? (I’m guessing the links bar can be deselected) Have installed and uninstalled IE7 twice. Just can’t stand the layout and the fact that I can’t move sturf around where I want it. If I wanted to do things only the way the Company wanted, I’d have bought a mac.
Thanks Martin not only a cristal clear explanation, but also now my MS int.explorer looks great/ much better. The only thing is that actually i would realy like, to have the menu bar and also the address bar on the same line.
And also i would like this possibility for main standard brouwser, namley Firefox. Is this possible? Do you know a app/link? I have looked and maybay i looked with main nose, but i can not find one.