Actually, Microsoft designed the new browser that way so that there is more room for browsing. However, if you want the menu bar (the one with File, Edit, View, Favorites, etc) back, follow these steps:
- Start Internet Explorer
- Press and release the Alt key on your keyboard
- The menu bar will be visible, Click the View menu option
- Click Toolbars
- Click Menu Bar
That will do it. You can't move the menu bar above the new address bar, but at least it will be visible and usable from now forward. For those of you who just want quick access to the menu bar, but don't mind that it is missing, remember the Alt key trick to get the menu bar to appear when you need it.
Nothing works! I have XP, not Vista. There is nothing to right click on in the tool bar at all. It just gives “restore” and “minimize” as my options. And the alt key does nothing. Why did my menu just up and disappear? I am so frustrated!!!!
Get Firefox
Please help
Suddenly, my menu bar has disappeared, along with the restore up/down and close “cross”. I now have to put my cursor where the close “cross” should be, and a black box with a “x” in it now appears instead. Any ideas anyone as to how I can get my menu bar etc. back to normal. Could it have been anything to do with automatic updates downloading SP3 yesterday? That is when they disappeared. How much of a nightmare is Microsoft!!?? I actually uninstalled SP3 today. Tried F11 and Alt keys, but nothing changes.
If you didn’t change anything else on your computer, then yes, the problem could be due to your recent update to SP3. It might have updated a video driver your system didn’t like. Check that first, and if that doesn’t work, you might want to use System Restore to roll back prior to the update.
Tried what “Smart Computer User” did…I pointed my cursor to an open area on the Tab bar, Right Clicked, checked “Links”, then it ‘released’ (unchecked) the Menu Bar selection. I then Right Clicked again and selected Menu Bar, and deselected Links. Thanks Smart Computer User!
I can’t download can’t see the buttons and the file,tool, and other stuff. I need help I also can’t right click, F11 doesn’t work, alt doesn’t work I’m exausted I HATE THIS someone plz help me
I dont have any buttons whatsoever except for the refresh and the x button to close the page…
I try to right click every but i only get the restore,minimize,maximise,close options…
PLEASE I REALLY NEED HELP!
Users should be aware that some security type programs can be set to stop changes being made to your settings in IE.
Not really the likes of displaying the Menu bar and such but settings like changing Homepage and search toolbars …… keep this in mind when you try to make changes that won’t “stick”.
Basically it all went wrong after downloading IE8 Beta. I have had so many problems with IE7 that I thought IE8 might work better – but it doesn’t! Stupid warning messages come up before you can get a web page, and then parts of the web page addresses is greyed out in the address window – involves highlighting address and refreshing… and then some Internet pages display wrongly!
Uninstalled it through successive restore roll-backs but IE7 will not return with its menus. None of the suggestions previously mentioned work for me.
And please do not say “use Firefox”! I already have Firefox and although it is very good, it too displays some of the sites I have to use incorrectly.
The Opera web browser will display some of the web sites that Firefox does not. No guarantees, but you could try it.
Gotcha! Good for you for already using Firefox…not sure what sites you use that aren’t working in it for you. I personally never have to open Internet Explorer. In regards to your IE8 Beta problem, you may have to reformat and reinstall Windows. IE is deeply tied into the operating systems itself and when installed makes deep changes that don’t always get totally reversed after using System Restore or uninstall. Beta products are always risky, and unfortunately, none more risky than Microsoft’s beta products.
Everything worked fine until I updated to IE8 from IE7. At first everything still worked fine and then days later my menu and tool bars went black. You can move the mouse over the menu bar and the pull down menu appears, but you have to guess as to which tab you are trying to get to. I have uninstalled/reinstalled IE8 2-3 times. The first 1-2 fixed the problem for a few days at a time, but this last time didn’t work. I even tried to go back to 7, but it wouldn’t let me because I have an updated version already. Please help. Do I have a virus or something? My antivirus/antispyware/antiadware say I don’t.
I can only open one IE window. Once that’s open & I try to open a 2nd window; the toolbar is black & IE cannot open the page. This is at work & I have no idea except I did some thing on Facebook a couple days ago to see a video. I didn’t download anything cuz the pc said not to, it was a dangerous site. ???? I have the latest version of IE. I hate it. Can’t even open my bank account site.
I have windows XP Professional, Version 2002, Service Pack 3. I have both foxfire and Internet Explorer 7. But now my Explorer keeps disappears when trying to load it and is missing the menu bar. I’ve tried to uninstall and reinstall it several times, up date it, ran virus scan several times (I use windows live one) I’ve searched through Microsoft and the web for help. but not sure what I’m looking for to fix it. can you explain why this is happening and how to fix it?
I can’t afford to take it to a computer store to get it fixed.
Tired of looking for help.
mistyoldspirit
i have no menu bar, no tabbed viewing; i have up until recently after fidgeting with the reg keys been unable to download anything, no right click and no alt button; my del key does not work and i dont have internet options available to me anywhere; i have done some homework, i tried altering the binary code in the contro.ini file and that made no effective chenge to the menu displays in the control panel i have downloaded all service packs after fixing some minor items in the regedit fnctn and downloaded ie7 again, with no change. . .i have also tried the simple things like f11, restarting, safemode and rollbacks. no help. i read in another post elsewhere that someone restored windows and the problem did not fix itself so what other help does anyone have?
Unless you absolutely need IE, I would just stop worrying about it and use Firefox instead. If you do need IE, then your best bet is to back up your data, format the drive, and start over with a fresh install of Windows. Good luck.
I know of at least 20 websites that do not display or work properly with Firefox. I’m sure my techs and my customers can name you 20 more.
The problem is not in the software but in the security that you use when using that software to surf. Either invest in a very good security suite or stop surfing to sites that you do not know who owns them or where they are.
Like this site!!!
Name the 20 legitimate sites that don’t work in Firefox and also name the 20 more your “techs” can name as well. Don’t just boast, ante up!
I too tried IE8 and didn’t like it. I reverted back in XP to a restore point and am now experiencing the exact same problems, right down to the dead delete key. Were you able to fix your problem?
Same problems with IE that the others are having. Can’t access the menu bar at all so I can’t even find the Tools option anymore. Plus, in Control Panel, “Internet Options” won’t open anything at all.
One of the main problems I’m having with Firefox is that I can’t access gmail without reverting to HTML view, which stinks, as I can’t do all of the things I need to do (forward using contacts, autocomplete the addressees, etc.). If you can tell me how to get gmail to work better with Firefox, I’ll be a devoted convert. If not, then say a prayer that I can figure out how to fix the IE problems! Another problem I’ve been having with Firefox is with certain media players that Firefox doesn’t support. Any thoughts on how to deal with that?
Thanks!!!
Hi there, I too had these problems. What worked for me was
* rolling back to pre installing IE8 – wait, there’s more!
* re-downloading IE7 with Google Chrome – I tried doing it with the half-working IE7 but that didn’t work for me
* installing IE7
* then removing left-over IE8 bits via Add/Remove programs – scroll down to Windows Explorer 8 and choose Remove.
This of course requires various re-starts but I’m back to normal with IE7.
Hope this works for others too.
Good luck!
You’re an idiot.
Be nice! 🙂
Just wondering if you fixed the problem and if you did, how?
Wanting only the latest and best for my computer, I made the big mistake of downloading IE8. After rebooting my computer to finish the install I clicked on the icon for IE and recieved an error message that my add-ons were not up to date. (?) So I went into add-remove programs to remove IE8 only there was no removal for it. (Not under updates either) I did a system restore to the prior day and got IE7 back. So I thought, until I clicked the IE icon to find my menu bar, favorites (everything but forward and back arrows) were missing. Delete button, and right click were disabled. And I can no longer view IE properties (just a quick flash) nor can I download anything. Found that out when I went to reinstall IE7 and the run/save box never came up, the same with trying to get Firefox.
Press these keys at the same time:
Left-Alt + Left-Shift + Print Screen
This pops up an option to enable “High Contrast Display”
Click OK. At this point you will have your menus back.
You don’t need to reboot or uninstall/reinstall IE
You can change the colors any way you prefer to get
things looking the way they should.
Microsoft needs to address this problem, but they don’t seem to admit this problem exists at all. This works for me
after reading a user suggestion on another page.
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