Microsoft KB Archive/171853

= Changing Search Pages Used by Internet Explorer =

Article ID: 171853

Article Last Modified on 8/14/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q171853



IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry



SUMMARY
This article describes how to change the search pages used by Internet Explorer.



MORE INFORMATION
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To change the search page that is accessed when you click Start, point to Find, and then click On The Internet, or when you click Search The Web on the Go menu in Internet Explorer 4, modify the Search Page value under the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

The Search Page value must be set to the entire Web address for the search page. Note that you can also change the search page that is accessed when you click Search on the Internet Explorer toolbar. To do so, add the Search Bar value in the above registry key, or modify the value if it already exists. The Search Bar value must be set to the entire Web address for the search page.

IMPORTANT: When you configure Internet Explorer so that a custom search page is accessed when you click Search on the Internet Explorer toolbar, the custom search page may display all content (both search and results pages) in the Search bar instead of the main Internet Explorer frame.

To work with the Search bar, search providers need to modify their search and results pages to use "_main" as the target for any links that should be opened in the main Internet Explorer frame, and "_self" for any links that should be opened in the Search bar frame.

NOTE: The Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK) allows Internet content providers (ICPs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and corporate administrators to customize the Search Page and Search Bar values.

.

The default Search bar page for Internet Explorer 5 is http://ie.search.msn.com/en-us/srchasst/srchasst.htm.

NOTE: Customized Search bar values are ignored in Internet Explorer 5 if the "Use Custom Search URL" DWORD value is 0 (zero) in the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

For additional information about creating your own Search bar, see page 112 of the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 Resource Kit.

Additional query words: 4.00 explorer bar bars

Keywords: kbenv kbinfo KB171853

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.