Computer Classes at The Library
East Brunswick Public Library
Browser Basics
What is a browser?
A browser is a piece of software that allows you to search for
and view web pages. Two popular browsers are Microsoft’s
Internet Explorer and Mozilla’s Firefox. There are others.
Basic Parts of the Browser:
These include:
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The Address Bar/Location Bar – A box at the top of the browser window that displays the
entire URL, or web site address. Also where you type a new address.
The Menu Bar – drop down menus where commands for using the software are located.
Toolbar icons – for navigation – the home button, the back and forward arrows, the print
button, the Refresh button, etc.
The Refresh and Stop Buttons – located on the address bar line. These reload or stop a
page load.
The Links Toolbar – where shortcuts to your favorite websites are located.
Display Window – that part of the browser that displays the content of the website you are
visiting.
Scroll Bars – navigation and directional bars located at the side (and sometimes bottom) of
the display window that allow you to scroll down to see addition content.
Status Bar – The box at the bottom of the browser window. This displays various pieces of
information but mostly it shows the load speed and web site address of whatever address
your mouse is hovering over.
Features for Easier Browsing
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Tabbed Browsing is the ability to open new web pages in tabs contained within one browser
window so that you will no longer have multiple browser icons open across your taskbar. Each of
those tabs has its own close button. If you accidentally close a tab, go to the History menu to
bring it back from the list of Recently Closed Tabs in Firefox. You will find a list of recently
closed tab when you click on a new tab in IE. You can have multiple tabs open in your browser.
When you have too many tabs open to comfortably fit in a single window, scroll arrows will
appear on either side of the tabbed bar, and a button on the right side
will always show you an easy-to-read list of all your open tabs. To
open up a new tab hit Ctrl+T and type in the URL that you want to
open or click on the Tab button on the toolbar. To move between the
tabs in your browser hit Ctrl+TAB
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Tabbed Browsing
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Search Suggestions
Some of the search engines in a browser can read your mind, and actually suggest search terms
for what you’re looking for. Just start typing into the Search Bar
and a drop down list of suggestions will appear. (Works for
Google, Yahoo! and Answers.com.)
Integrated Search Box
Browsers help you find whatever it is that you’re looking for. The
Search bar comes pre-loaded with a couple of search engines.
Wherever you are on the Web, you can enter a search term in
the Search bar and receive immediate answers from the search
engine you’ve chosen. You can select a new search engine from
the Search bar menu at any time click on Manage Search Engines
in Firefox or Find More Providers in Internet Explorer.
Find In Page Searching
Use the Find in page keyboard shortcut [Ctrl+F] to begin to search for terms within the page
you are browsing. In the Firefox browser, just start typing the text you want to find on the page
and the Find Bar will automatically appear at the bottom left in the Firefox window, and
matching text will be highlighted as you type. With Internet Explorer, a dialog box will appear
when you type Ctrl +F and you will need to type in your search term.
Drag and Drop Searching
Firefox browser only - select text on a Web page, and drag and drop it onto the Search bar to
perform a search with your currently selected engine. Copy and paste works, too.
Location/Address Bar Search
In the Location/Address bar, instead of typing in a complete URL, try typing a phrase that
describes where you want to go. For example, try entering “Williams Sonoma”, “New York Times”,
or “Yahoo Mail” in the Location bar, and then hit the <Enter> key.
• In Firefox, the Location bar uses Google’s I’m Feeling Lucky search tool, and should take
you directly to the site you were looking for. (Works for .coms)
• In IE (Internet Explorer) the search takes you to a Google search page with the words that
you typed in as your search terms.
Pop-up Blocker
Browsers now block annoying pop-ups. Firefox’s and Internet Explorer’s pop-up blocker notifies
you when pop-ups are blocked via the information bar or icon on the lower right of the screen.
Clear Private Data – a Firefox Feature
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Firefox offers the ability to clear all your private Web
browsing data with just one click with the Clear Private
Data tool. You can be confident that when you clear your
private data in Firefox it’s gone - whether you are using
your own computer or one at the library. To access, go
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East Brunswick Public Library
to Tools in the Menu Bar. In Internet Explorer there is a Delete Browsing History link in the
Tools Menu.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Here is a review of a few basic commands you should know with some new additions:
Command
Copy
Cut
Delete
Edit Undo
Edit Redo
Find in page
Full Screen
Go to bottom of page
Go to top of page
Help
Open New Browser window
Paste
Print
Save
Select All
New Stuff
Back to last page
Forward to next page (revisited)
Decrease text size on page
Increase text size on page
Restore text size
Find Again on page
Home page
Open a file
Open new "Tab" in browser
Try it, you’ll like it. 
Close a "Tab" window in the
browser
Close window
Refresh window
IE
Ctrl+C
Ctrl+X
Delete
Ctrl+Z
Ctrl + Shift + Z
Ctrl+F – OR just start
typing
F11
End
Home
F1
Ctrl+N
Ctrl+V
Ctrl+P
Ctrl+S
Ctrl+A
Ctrl+C
Ctrl+X
Delete
Ctrl+Z
Ctrl+Y
Ctrl+F
F11
End
Home
F1
Ctrl+N
Ctrl+V
Ctrl+P
Ctrl+S
Ctrl+A
Backspace
Shift + Backspace
Ctrl+ Ctrl + +
Ctrl+0
Ctrl+G
F3
Alt + Home
Ctrl+O
Ctrl+T
Backspace
Shift + Backspace
Not Available
Not Available
Not Available
Ctrl+W
Ctrl+F4
Ctrl+Shift+W
Alt+F4
Ctrl+R
F5
Ctrl+H
Ctrl+D
Ctrl+B
Ctrl+I
Not Available
Alt + Home
Ctrl+O
Not Available
Not Available
Ctrl+R
F5
Ctrl+H
Ctrl+D
Ctrl+B – opens
dialog box
Ctrl+I – opens
Favorites toolbar
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Show your browsing history
Add Bookmark
View Bookmarks (Favorites in IE)
Firefox
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Part of a Web Browser Diagram
Title Bar
Web Address Bar
Minimize,
Maximize &
Close Buttons
Page Refresh & Stop Buttons
Tabs
Back &
Forward
Buttons
Home Button
Menu Bar
Links Bar
Integrated Search Box
Search Box
Scroll Bar
Web Content area - Google Home page
Task Bar – lists all the programs that you currently have
open. The program that you are currently in is highlighted.
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Start Menu
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