- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows XP
- Date added: March 19, 2009
- Total Downloads: 12,439,793
- Downloads last week: 49,964
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 1404 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on March 19, 2009
Internet Explorer 8 addresses just about all of the major concerns that users and critics have had with the world's most used browser. Whether they get answered in a way you like is another matter.
There are several new and interesting features. Web Slices lets you save predefined sections of a Web page for at-a-glance viewing. Instead of going to a traffic Web site for updates, the latest commuting news comes to you. Similarly, Accelerators make repetitive tasks one-click behaviors, for instance finding directions or blogging. InPrivate browsing introduces a cache and history on-off switch, while related tabs are color-coded and automatically reorganized as you open them. There's also tab sandboxing, which means that when a tab crashes, IE itself won't, and it even tries to resurrect the page that crashed.
There's a greater emphasis on Web standards and security than before. The SmartScreen and cross-site scripting filters throw up a red warning page when you're about to visit an unsafe site. There's also domain highlighting, which grays out the name of the URL you're looking at except for the domain itself. This sounds simple, but effectively draws attention to spoofed site URLs. There's also a compatibility button so that sites designed specifically for IE 7 and earlier can still be viewed.
IE 8 lacks a default "smart" location bar that many other browsers have, but you can search your history and most visited pages from there. Also, the installation process still requires a reboot--unimpressive, to say the least. Drawbacks aside, there's no reason to not upgrade if you're an old fan of IE, and there's even a few things in IE 8 for new users.
Publisher's description
From Microsoft :Internet Explorer 8 adds accelerators to provide instant access to information like maps, web searches, translations, email, blogging, and more; faster performance; a smart address bar; improved privacy protection; and Compatibility View for displaying websites designed for older browsers.
CNET Editor's Note: The Download Now link will take you to the Microsoft download site, where you can select your operating system.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 1404 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 307 user reviewsSee all 307 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Internet Explorer 8
Pros: nothing at all.
Cons: to put it shortly, everything.
Summary: When I bought my laptop in Feb 2009, it had IE7 on it and it ran like a racehorse, then I received an ad from Microsoft, asking me if I wanted to "improve" IE. Still excited over my laptop purchase, I agreed. I thought that my "racehorse" would run ... read more >>
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1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: Internet Explorer 8
Pros: Runs smooth, not over complicated, and you hardly have to install plug-ins. Good new features.
Cons: Not impessively fast and still lacks customizable features.
Summary: Internet Explorer 8 is a noticeable improvement from IE7 or the IE8 BETAs, and while it still has ways to go, IE8 is a top of the line browser.
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1 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Version: Internet Explorer 8
"Should never have downloaded it!"
Pros: None at all.
Cons: I downloaded Explorer 8 and quickly found it would not run at all! Now I find out that by downloading Explorer 8 it isalmost impossible to delete it and to revert to Internet Explorer 7. I now better understand those Apple TV commercials.
Summary: Simply stated: It doesn't work!
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3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Version: Internet Explorer 8
Pros: Faster, Accurate, Attractive than older versions.
Cons: Not so customisable, and a bit slower than other browsers.
Summary: Microsoft must work hard with tough competitors!
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0 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Internet Explorer 8
"I have rarely used in the past 4 years"
Pros: Only use if I absolutely have to. Works OK.
Cons: Slow and crashes often. Some web sites don't seem to work well. Some settings don't work or are confusing. Not many real add-ons or extensions available.
Summary: I use Firefox almost exclusively. If I need to I use IE, I use the IE Tab extension in FF when a website must use IE.
- See all 307 user reviews Write review
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