How to Keep the Address Bar On Screen in Windows 8.1 Internet Explorer

Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 addresses a lot of the issues that users have complained about on PCs for years. There are automated backup features and even the Flash plugin has been built into the operating system, allowing for users to seamlessly start their new Windows device and get going quickly.

Unfortunately, changes in the design of Windows 8 apps sometimes prevent users from getting at information that would be available to them on the desktop quickly. A perfect example of this is Internet Explorer, which hides the address bar and any open tabs by default. The app does this so that it can surface more of the website users are browsing on their screen. Here’s how to keep the address bar and tabs bars on-screen in Internet Explorer on Windows 8.1 and save yourself from looking around.

Go to the Start Screen by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard or by pressing the Windows button below your device’s display. Now press the download arrow on the left-bottom side of your screen. Touch users should place their finger at the button of the Start Screen and swipe upward.

Click or tap on Internet Explorer from the list of apps installed on your device.

Once Internet Explorer is open, place your mouse cursor in the top-right corner of your screen and click the Settings Charm at the bottom of the Charms Bar. Touchscreen users should swipe from the right edge of their screen to the left and tap on the Settings Charm.

Click or tap on Options.

In the Options menu, tap or click on the switch under Always show address bar and tabs. Now click or tap anywhere else in Internet Explorer.

That’s it, you’ve successfully pinned the address bar on screen in Internet Explorer. It’s important to remember that locking the address bar to your screen means that anyone around you can also see what tabs you have open.

You also won’t get to preview each open tab like you could have had Internet Explorer’s address bar been set to auto hide itself. You can still access tab previews and webpages you visite from other PCs by clicking or tapping on the Tabs button, however.