Since the Internet Explorer 6 and 7 web browsers are without a doubt outdated and lack capabilities, why not download Internet Explorer 8 for XP? Being one of the final releases made for the operating system, Microsoft seems to have its entire attention towards newer products and the upcoming Windows 8. Although the company stated to continue supporting the platform till 2014, the latest Internet Explorer 9 browser lacks compatibility for the same. As it may appear to be the end of the OS, the answer to that only time can tell but, until then why not download Internet Explorer 8 for XP for more stability in speed and performance than its predecessors. And if you’re still searching for a reason, then read on to get a brief in-sight of the web browser.
Downloading and installing IE8:
So let’s give it a try. And if you’re not satisfied, reverting back to a previous browser isn’t difficult at all. To begin, open any browser and navigate to Google.
Further on, entering ‘internet explorer 8’ into the search field will bring up a link to the Microsoft IE8 for XP page, as depicted in the image. Select the language desired and then click on download to begin.
Additionally, you can either choose to run the software once the transfer is complete or save it for future use (feature only on IE browsers). On starting the installation, two options let you decide whether to help improve the application or not.
Also, do remember to tick the ‘Install updates’ field so that Windows will be up-to-date, leaving out any room for errors to occur. On completing the process, a restart is required to begin using the IE8 browser.
Internet Explorer 8: Features and Benefits
Although it may come as a disappointment that the IE9 from Microsoft lacks XP support, the Internet Explorer 8 has much to offer as well. If you’ve just updated from IE6 that comes as the default browser in XP, you’ll notice much as changed in terms of design and functionality whereas, those from IE7 won’t find much difference. In comparison to its predecessors, we found the IE8 to be more stable when it comes to loading web pages which at times would previously appear broken. Besides that, the browser offers enhanced tabbed browsing and crash recovery and the SmartScreen Filter which automatically block malicious websites and downloads.
We noticed a new security added into the IE8 browser called the ‘InPrivate’ mode. When active, the history, temporary internet files, form data, cookies, usernames and passwords are retained by the browser so as to restrict anyone from accessing the search or previously viewed pages. Additionally, you can also determine how much information will be shared with websites that can track browsing activities. Microsoft has also added tools like HTML, CSS and JavaScript debugging directly from the browser that could be beneficial to developers.
Furthermore, the ‘Favorites’ bar has taken up a new design that now supports content such as Web Slices, web feeds, and documents instead of only webpage links. You can also receive suggestions on what pages to visit based on the browsing history through the newly added Suggested Sites feature. Also, the Find option appears to be replaced with an inline Find toolbar for conveniently searching within sites. The toolbar can be activated by pressing ‘CTRL + F’ keys.
Needless to say but, by now you shouldn’t require any more convincing. Increase in performance, better navigation, enhanced download and HTML5 support and an overall boosted web surfing speed are clearly depicted straight from the first use. Also, unlike the many claims that state pages to appear broken or partially loaded, the time we spent browsing delivered everything from images to links and other content, without dismissing a single element. At the end of it all, it’s up to you whether to download Internet Explorer 8 for XP or not.