How to Disable Browser Plugins, Extensions and Add-Ons

We always want to get as much information and entertainment out of our browsers as possible. The three major browsers: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome extend the abilities of your browser by means of third party-files called add-ons or extensions. These files enable enhanced browsing, add some functionality to Facebook or Twitter, or even add games to your browser. Moreover, utilities such as Adobe Flash offer a second category of third party files known as plugins. These files work in the background and usually connect with external software, allowing your browser to use Web applications, download files and more.

While add-ons, extensions and plugins are purposely created to help you in surfing the Web, having too many of these third-party files can slow down your browser and even create conflicts within it. Whenever you encounter problems regarding extensions and plugins, you can disable them at any time. You just need the knowledge for you to be able to do this. Here’s a short guide on how to disable browser plugins, extensions and add-ons.

Instructions

Internet Explorer

1 Locate the “New Tab” button near the top of the browser window to the right of the address field and any other open tabs. Right click the empty space which is between the New Tab button and the house-shaped Home icon. Select “Command Bar” from the context menu that appears. Choose “Manage Add-ons” from the Tools drop-down menu to open the Manage Add-on dialog box. Some versions of Internet Explorer like the IE9 hides the Command Bar by default, while IE8 doen’t as in this version, the Tools menu is already visible.

2 Choose the add-on type you want to disable. By default, the Manage Add-ons window lists the currently loaded add-ons.

3 Choose the add-on you want to disable and click “Disable”. IE will also disable any add-on dependent on the add-on you’re disabling. If other related add-ons are installed, IE will display them and allow you to disable them as well.

Mozilla Firefox

4 Click the orange “Firefox” button in the top left-hand corner of the browser window and choose “Add-ons” from the right column of the menu to open an Add-ons Manager tab in the active browser window. If you are using Windows XP, click on “Tools” from the menu bar near the top of the browser window and choose “Add-ons.”

5 Click “Extensions” to view the installed extensions that add features to Firefox, or click “Plugins” to view plugins that add compatibility and functionality such as Apple QuickTime or Adobe Acrobat.

6 Find the add-on you want to disable and click its “Disable” button. If you want to delete an extension entirely, click “Remove.” Restart Firefox to complete the process.

Google Chrome

7 Click the wrench icon at the top right of the browser window, choose “Tools” and choose “Extensions” to open a new “Options” tab.

8 Uncheck “Enabled” to disable an extension, or click “Remove” to delete it completely.

9 Enter “chrome://plugins/” in Chrome’s address bar to view plugins that add compatibility and functionality, such as Apple QuickTime or Adobe Flash, and click the “Disable” link under the plugin you want to disable.