JustBajan.com Computer Tips & Tricks

Using Auto Complete Features How to clear saved passwords & Form Entries

Internet Explorer

You have probably seen Internet Explorer's "Auto Complete" feature in action many times. Have you ever typed the first few letters of a website's name and then before your eyes the full name automatically appears? Well that's "Auto Complete" in action; it suggest possible matches from your previous entries. The Auto Complete feature can save previous entries you've made for web addresses, forms and even passwords. This is a nice feature, but not if other people use your computer. Just imagine you visited How_to_kill_boss.com and your boss used the computer after you to visit Hotmail.com. When your Boss types www.Ho the browser may auto complete it with www.How_to_kill_boss.com because both addresses start with HO. Since Auto Complete also saves login names and passwords, someone using your computer can log into your online accounts by simply selecting your login name from the saved list.

Let see how to Activate or Deactivate Auto Complete and How to clear your passwords & Form entries.

Step 1: Click "Tools" from the menu bar (see image below)

Step 2: Select "Internet Options" from the list (see image above)

Step 3: Click the "Content" Tab at the top

Internet options (Content)

Step 4: Click the "AutoComplete" button (it's located under Personal Information)

Auto Complete Settings Dialog Box

Here is where you Activate or Deactivate the AutoComplete Features

There are 3 features you can activate or deactivate.

Web addresses - Automatically suggest sites as you type. Forms - Automatically List possible form entries such as your name or login name. User names and passwords on forms - suggest user names and automatically fills in corresponding passwords (if the passwords were saved). The "Prompt me to save passwords" option forces Internet Explorer to ask you first before saving passwords.

Tip: To get more info on each feature, right-mouse click over the option or button and click "What's This?" (see image below)

Right-mouse-click on items for additional information

Step 5: Check the boxes next to the features you want to use. Uncheck the boxes next to the features don't.

How To Clear Saved Form Entries & Passwords

Skip steps 6 & 7 if you don't want to clear passwords or form entries

Step 6: Click the "Clear Forms" button to clear saved form entries. A dialog box will appear asking if you want to clear the saved entries: Click "OK"

Step 7: Click the "Clear Passwords" button to clear saved passwords. A dialog box will appear asking if you want to clear the saved entries: Click "OK"

Step 8: Click the "OK" button on the Auto Complete settings dialog box when done.

Step 9: Click the "OK" button on the Internet option dialog box to finish.