Microsoft Internet Explorer (32-bit) 5.5 SP1

• Quick specs
• Price: Free
• Operating system: Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows 98
• Date added: November 03, 2000
• Total Downloads: 10,979,459
• Downloads last week: 26,028
• See full specifications

Add to my list Add to my Watch List

A newer version of Microsoft Internet Explorer (32-bit) is available.

Download the latest version | Learn more about Internet Explorer 8

(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)

CNET editors' review

Reviewed by: CNET Staff

For a detailed analysis of IE7, read CNET Senior Editor Robert Vamosi's extended review.

Microsoft's next iteration of Internet Explorer is predictably a solid contender in the browser category. A sleeker and more spare interface will have some old IE users running for the preferences, but even with fewer buttons the new IE works fine right out of the gate. The adoption of tabs is a welcome change for more efficient browsing, and the Quick Tabs feature is an especially nice touch for viewing the contents of all of your tabs in one window. The addition of a RSS feed manager is nice for news addicts, blog fans, and hobbyists, but we would like a way to search for RSS feeds beyond only adding the ones we come across. We also like the integrated search bar that offers a pull-down menu, letting you add your favorite search engines and sites quickly.

A welcome addition is an antiphishing option to check a site's legitimacy, which you can enable at first launch. While Internet Explorer doesn't offer the user-made plug-ins, themes, and extensions found in other browsers such as Firefox and Opera, there are several useful plug-ins you can choose from at Microsoft's Web site. Finally, security concerns with what will undoubtably be the most used Web browser are always an important consideration, but with the proper security programs, most people will be able to surf safely. Overall, we find the latest version of Microsoft's megabrowser to be a fine way to browse the Web, with the addition of many long-awaited features that make the entire Web experience more efficient and enjoyable.

Publisher's description

Note: IE 5.5 SP1 features Active Setup (a 498K file), which requires that you maintain your Internet connection after you double-click ie5setup.exe. Active Setup will prompt you to choose among various IE packages; these range in size from 8.5MB to over 40MB, with a typical install of 15.4MB.

Internet Explorer 5.5 SP1 includes support for Dynamic HTML, Java, and the Channel Definition Format (CDF). An AutoSearch feature lets you choose your search engine and display search results in different ways. For example, you can choose to be redirected automatically to the best-matched site. In the History box, you can sort the list of sites by date, site, most visited, or the order visited. The AutoComplete feature displays a drop-down list of matching sites when you start to type a URL in the address bar. AutoComplete also works with Web forms, displaying a list of previous entries when you start to type in a field on a Web site. To automate login processes even further, you can also save usernames and passwords for particular sites. Internet Explorer offers 128-bit encryption and includes a Radio Toolbar, which allows you to listen to radio stations over the Internet as you browse. IE also allows you to select the default email, calendar, newsgroup, and HTML editors of your choice. You can even designate your Web-based email provider as the default email program.

Version 5.5 SP1, the latest in this Web browser line, includes the ability to apply Connection Manager as your default dialer when Dial-Up Networking is already installed, preview Web pages exactly as they'll appear when printed with Print Preview, and with improved support for DHTML and CSS, Web architects will appreciate the greater control over browser appearance and behavior. IE 5.5 SP1 also features additional support for the Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL).

Real Player SP

Watch your favorite videos on your favorite devices.

Download Now

More popular Web Browsers downloads

1. 77,776 downloads 1. Mozilla Firefox
2. 52,523 downloads 2. Internet Explorer
3. 41,042 downloads 3. Avant Browser
4. 22,217 downloads 4. Google Chrome
5. 13,974 downloads 5. Opera
6. See all Web Browsers downloads