Internet Explorer, with default settings, displays frequently visited websites on the new tab page. This feature, introduced first with Internet Explorer 9, is present in Internet Explorer 10 and Internet Explorer 11 as well.
The feature is helpful to quickly access your favorite websites that you visit often. Some useful options such as reopen closed tabs, reopen lost session and start inprivate browsing also appear on the new tab page.
If for some reason, the frequently visited websites aren’t showing up when you open a new tab page, you can enable the same under Internet Explorer’s settings.
Turn on or off frequently visited websites feature
Following are the steps you need to follow in order to enable or disable frequently visited websites in new tab page of Internet Explorer. The method is applicable to Internet Explorer running on Windows 7, Windows 8 as well as Windows 10.
Step 1: While using Internet Explorer, click on Tools menu and then click Internet options. If you can’t see the Tools menu, press Alt key. Alternatively, you can instantly open Internet Options by pressing Alt + T (opens Tools menu) and then O (opens Internet Options).
Step 2: In the Internet Options dialog, under the General tab, click on the Tabs button that appears next Change how webpages are displayed in tabs. This will open Tabbed Browsing Settings.
Step 3: Here, under “When a new tab is opened, open:” option select The new tab page option from the drop-down list.
Step 4: Click OK button. That’s it! Open a new tab now to see frequently visited websites.
And if you wish to see your homepage when a new tab is opened, please select Your first home page from the drop-down list. That’s all!
Tip 1: You can configure Internet Explorer to display more web pages on the new tab with the help of a free tool called IE9 Tweaker.
Tip 2: You can pin your favorite webpage to the taskbar using Internet Explorer. When you’re browsing your favorite webpage, simply click on the Gear icon (located upper-right), click Add sites to apps option and then click Add button when you see a small dialog to open the webpage in a new window. Now, right-click on that new webpage icon in the taskbar and then click Pin this program to taskbar option to pin the webpage to the taskbar. Once pinned, you can simply click on the pinned icon on the taskbar to open your favorite webpage.
Rob K. says
For two weeks I was missing my frequent used websites, but looked on google search for “How to Enable Frequently Visited Websites”
And your step by step worked like a charm the first time I tried it.
Thanks for your help…
PS. I’ve Got to Book Mark Your Site for Future Help if needed.
Simon Mills says
Thanks, I’d tried a number of other links without success
but your excellent advice fixed it for me.
Well done
Alison Harber says
I don’t know what’s happened just recently but when I click on the sign to get the Google sign to appear on the screen and then press Gmail afterwards to check emails etc it keeps coming up with frequent new tab which I have tried to get deleted with no luck. What do I need to do to get it back to normal again.
Israr Ahmed says
Please choose about blank page.
so you will see blank page, instead of frequent use page on clicking the new tab.
Tia says
Just delete your history.
kenneth baldwin says
Why does the directions say enable/DISABLE, only directions are for enable.
safsafsfa says
This has NOTHING to do with disabling the FREQUENT SITES privacy violating setting.
Emilio Recio says
Doh! Just saw the “Blank Page” option just above it.
Emilio Recio says
I want to get RID of Frequent and just have an about:blank or something like that did not work for me… in fact the setting was already set to that.
Gary says
I tried the above and the frequent sites are still blank. Any additional thought?
Jerry Carwyn says
I used this feature for a while, and it’s very handy. But since i’m not the only person to use my PC, I confronted with privacy problems. I mean, I’m not ok with someone else seeing my frequent accessed websites. At the moment i’m using https:// start.me which let’s me manage my start page content without others seeing it.
Edward says
Thumbs up, it worked thank you so much.
Mike Ferguson says
Everything worked fine until the page that opened was from October 18. I had just opened a November 24 page via Google Chrome. How do I get the calendar function (I guess that’s it) to know what day it is?
mike says
brilliant and thanks
Dan Bartow says
I don’t want frequent sites to show. The title here says to enable or disable frequently visited sites, but the answer only shows how to enable the frequent site function. How do you disable the frequent site function. I don’t want anyone using my computer to know what sites I utilize.
Pops says
Thanks. Worked perfectly.
Dan says
This works for what I wanted. I don’t care about past links and just need to go to a home page.
Thanks.
Janet Kerschner says
This doesn’t accomplish what I want, which is to get rid of the Frequent page and its tiles entirely.
tony says
This didn’t work for me at all my settings are as shown but the frequently visited pages do not show up at all
Eeebs says
Thank you! These clear directions sure helped my night get better! I updated a java program and all of a sudden my internet browser became ASK and my frequent table — and other settings — got wiped out! I DID NOT ASK FOR ASK! I’ve spent the whole day working on getting my settings back and will have to spend tomorrow too! DOWN WITH ASK!
Lisa says
Thank you for this! My frequently used options initially took some getting used to, but then I came to depend on them. Then my husband installed a new battery on our laptop and suddenly (not sure what happened after he did this) I was only getting my home page every time I chose a new tab. Frustrating! Your directions were very clear and worked no problem! Thanks again!