Microsoft Knowledge Base Email Alertz

You can change cache settings in Internet Explorer that change how temporary Internet files are used to improve browsing performance.

Search KbAlertz

Advanced Search

Receive Microsoft Knowledge Base articles by E-Mail?

Every night we scan the Microsoft Knowledge Base. If technologies you're interested in are updated, we'll send you an e-mail. You only get one e-mail a day, and only when new articles are added.

Click here to create a
FREE account
Already have an account?
[Click here to Login]











Microsoft Knowledge Base Article

This article contents is Microsoft Copyrighted material.
©2005-©2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use | Trademarks

Article ID: 263070 - Last Review: January 27, 2007 - Revision: 4.2

How Internet Explorer cache settings affect Web browsing

This article was previously published under Q263070

On This Page

SUMMARY

You can change cache settings in Internet Explorer that change how temporary Internet files are used to improve browsing performance.

MORE INFORMATION

To View or Modify the Cache Settings

Internet Explorer 4.x

  1. On the View menu, click Internet Options.
  2. In the Temporary Internet Files section, click Settings.
  3. Click the option you want, click OK, and then click OK.

Internet Explorer 5

  1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
  2. In the Temporary Internet Files section, click Settings.
  3. Click the option you want, click OK, and then click OK.

Description of the Cache Settings

There are four options under Check for newer versions of stored pages:
  • Every visit to the page: When you return to a page you viewed previously, Internet Explorer should check to see whether the page changed since you last viewed it. If the page has changed, Internet Explorer displays the new page and stores it in the Temporary Internet Files. Note that selecting this option can slow down browsing between pages you have already viewed.
  • Every time you start Internet Explorer: When you view a Web site that you have visited before in the same Internet Explorer session, Internet Explorer uses the cached temporary Internet files instead of downloading the page. If you press F5 or click Refresh, Internet Explorer downloads the page.
  • Automatically (Internet Explorer 5 and later only): This is the same as the previous setting, but with a logic algorithm to understand the habits of Web page behavior. This setting specifies that when you return to a page you viewed previously, Internet Explorer should not check to see whether the page has changed since you last viewed it.

    If you select this setting, Internet Explorer checks for new content only when you return to a page that you viewed in an earlier session of Internet Explorer or on an earlier day. Over time, if Internet Explorer determines that images on the page are changing infrequently, it checks for newer images even less frequently.
  • Never: Internet Explorer does not check the Web server for newer content.

APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0, when used with:
    • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
    • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
    • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
    • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
    • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
    • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
    • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
    • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
    • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
    • Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
Keywords: 
kbenv kbinfo KB263070
       

Community Feedback System

Very often, it takes hours to solve a problem. Very often, you've looked high and low, and have tried a lot of solutions. When you finally found it, chances are, it was because someone else helped you. Here's your chance to give back. Use our community feedback tool to let others know what worked for you and what didn't.

Please also understand that the community feedback system is not warranted to be correct, it's simply a system that we've built to let people try and help each other. If something in a feedback response doesn't make sense to you, or you're not comfortable making changes that the feedback talks about (like registry edits), please consult a professional.

Thank you for using kbAlertz.com Feedback System.

-- Scott Cate