如果有一件事情可能会让您对Internet Explorer感到困惑，那就是附加组件和可用的不同类型。这是目前唯一拥有四种附加组件的浏览器，有些甚至还有子类型。因此，我们决定帮助解开谜团并详细解释每种类型和子类型(type and sub-type)的附加组件，以便您了解它们的作用以及如何使用它们。
什么是附加组件，您需要了解什么(Them)？
附加组件是修改和增强Internet Explorer的浏览器扩展。这些小程序可帮助您自定义Microsoft浏览器的功能，使您的在线体验更轻松，并与对您重要的事物更加紧密地联系在一起。
他们可以根据您的个人需求做很多事情。它们可以与您在网页之外使用的其他服务集成。例如，通知您有关电子邮件的插件将驻留在工具栏中，并不断检查您首选电子邮件帐户(email account)中的新消息。这只是一个示例，但请确保如果您想要附加功能或集成服务，很可能已经存在适合您需求的附加组件。
在安全方面，Internet Explorer对附加组件的支持有限，因此通常它们无法访问整个浏览器。如果其中任何一个遭到破坏，则此安全漏洞(security breach)可能造成的损害是有限的。不过，请小心您安装的内容，因为其中一些可以窥探您的浏览会话，并坚持使用具有良好评论或值得信赖的开发人员的附加组件。
至于性能问题，如果您明智地限制您使用的附加组件的数量，它们不会降低您的计算机速度。要记住的重要一点是，您应该只安装对您的浏览体验(browsing experience)真正有用的那些。应该卸载未使用的加载项，因为它可以帮助您减少混乱并且还可以加快Internet Explorer的速度。
最后一点是，附加组件可以让您的在线浏览更加愉快，并让您更轻松地执行多项任务。
如何查找和查看已安装的(Find & View)Internet Explorer加载项
在对附加组件世界的简短介绍之后，让我们看看您如何监督它们的操作。首先(First)，您需要知道，在Windows 8.1中，只能在桌面版Internet Explorer中安装和使用附加组件。(Internet Explorer)因此，如果您使用的是Internet Explorer的触摸版，并且需要查看需要加载项的页面，请在桌面(Desktop)上打开它：单击屏幕底部以调出地址栏(Address Bar)和应用程序命令，单击Page Tools按钮，然后在新打开的菜单中单击(menu click)View in the Desktop(View in the Desktop)。
不幸的是，没有直接打开“管理加载项”窗口的(Manage Add-ons)键盘快捷键(keyboard shortcut)，其中列出了所有已安装的加载项。因此，您必须单击Tools按钮（或按Alt + X），然后单击Manage add-ons。
您安装的所有附加组件都列在此处，按类型划分：工具栏和扩展程序、搜索提供程序、加速器(Toolbars and Extensions, Search Providers, Accelerators)和跟踪保护(Tracking Protection)。单击每个类别将打开一个列表，其中包含您计算机上安装的该类型的扩展程序。您可以通过单击右侧面板中显示的任何列来进一步过滤加载项列表。
对加载项进行排序的另一种方法是使用“显示”(Show)下拉菜单，该菜单可以从所有加载项(all add-ons)中筛选到仅当前加载的加载项、未经许可运行的加载(only the ones currently loaded, those that run without permission)项或下载的控件(downloaded controls)。
Internet Explorer(Internet Explorer)中的主要加载项(Add-ons)类型(Main Types)
有四种主要类型的附加组件可用。让我们一一来详细讨论它们是什么以及它们如何为您提供帮助。
工具栏和扩展(Toolbars and Extensions)是第一类附加组件。顾名思义，它们以工具栏的形式出现，例如Google 工具栏，或者只是为(Google Toolbar)Internet Explorer添加更多选项的扩展，例如显示天气预报(weather forecast)。
当您浏览Toolbars and Extensions列表时，您会注意到实际上有四种可用的子类型：
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工具栏(Toolbar)，这个很简单，不用多解释了。但是要小心您安装的任何工具栏，因为它们可以跟踪您的在线习惯或与您不需要的东西捆绑在一起。
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浏览器扩展(Browser Extension)，添加新选项的普通扩展 - 就像在 Firefox 或 Chrome 中一样。
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ActiveX 控件(ActiveX Controls)，Adobe Flash Player 就是一个很好的例子。ActiveX不是一种编程语言；它是一组应用程序应该如何共享信息的规则。
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Browser Helper Objects，通常是允许 Internet Explorer 呈现其他类型数据的插件 - 例如，Avast Online Security 是一个浏览器帮助对象，允许 Internet Explorer 用户保护自己免受网络钓鱼站点的侵害，并帮助他们改善浏览体验众包网络声誉评级。对这种有时被允许访问整个浏览器的子类型要非常小心，并且它一直是恶意编码人员的目标，以帮助隐藏他们的行为。始终仔细检查您正在安装的内容。
搜索提供程序(Search Providers)是可供您使用的第二种主要类型的附加组件。您可能已经猜到了，您可以使用搜索提供程序(search provider)在网络上查找内容。
如果您在 Internet Explorer 的地址栏中键入一些关键字，浏览(Internet Explorer)器(Address bar)将自动使用默认搜索提供程序(default search provider)进行搜索。
通常，必(Bing)应是Internet Explorer使用的默认搜索提供程序(default search provider)。显然，您可以安装其他搜索提供程序，包括Google Search 或 Yahoo Search(Google Search or Yahoo Search)。
加速器(Accelerators)在缩短您完成某些任务所需的时间方面是非常强大的帮手；例如用鼠标选择一个地址，然后用Bing Maps搜索它的位置。
要使用加速器，您始终需要先从网页中选择一段text/web address/phone number，然后单击鼠标右键，然后从新打开的菜单中选择您要执行的操作。
标准加速器组执行的默认操作包括：在Bing 地图(Bing Maps)上搜索所选地址、在 Bing 上搜索所选文本、使用Bing Translator(Bing Translator)将所选文本翻译成另一种语言。您可以安装许多其他可以立即为您提供帮助的加速器，例如使用 Wikipedia 定义(Define with Wikipedia)，它将引导您找到与您选择的文本相关的文章。
注意：(NOTE:)Internet Explorer提供了一系列加速器，可帮助您发送电子邮件、翻译、搜索、地图或博客(map or blog)。所以去找一个适合你需求的吧。
最后但同样重要的是，第四类附加组件是所谓的跟踪保护(Tracking Protection)。这被不当命名为附加组件。它更像是Internet Explorer的一项功能，它允许您订阅所谓的保护列表(protection lists)。
这些列表的内容将被Internet Explorer阻止，当它在网络上遇到它们时。Microsoft表示，此功能会强制执行您的浏览器发出的“请勿跟踪”请求，以确保您的在线安全和受到保护。(Do Not Track)
TPL 或跟踪保护列表(Tracking Protection List)可以由任意数量的团体或个人管理，例如基于Adblock Plus的(Adblock Plus)Easy List订阅的Easy Privacy。此外，您可以根据您通常访问的网站动态构建一个列表（请参阅您的个性化列表(Your Personalized List)）。
这些保护列表(protection lists)的有用性是基于它们阻止可用于收集有关您的浏览习惯信息的广告或内容的能力，例如第三方 cookie(third-party cookies)。
注意：(NOTE:)始终要非常小心您安装的内容并注意混乱，因为如果您添加了很多您不使用的附加组件，它们可能会因使用过多内存而降低您的计算机速度。
结论
既然我们已经到了本教程的结尾，我们希望我们已经设法阐明了不同类型的附加组件的情况。如果您对该主题仍有疑问或问题，请不要害羞并使用下面的内容表格开始对话。否则，只需查看下面推荐的文章。您会发现有关Internet Explorer的其他有趣的东西。
What Are Internet Explorer Add-ons And What Do They Do?
If there's one thing that is likely to confuse you abоut Internet Explorer, it is add-ons and the different types available. This is the only browser that currently has four types of add-ons, some even with sub-types. Therefore, we decided to help clear the mystery and explain each type and sub-type of add-ons in detail so that you can understand what they do and how you can use them.
What Are Add-ons And What Do You Need To Know About Them?
Add-ons are browser extensions that modify and enhance Internet Explorer. These little programs help you customize Microsoft's browser with features that make your online experience easier and more connected to the things that are important to you.
They can do a number of things depending on your personal needs. They can integrate with other services you use outside of web pages. For example, an add-on that notifies you about emails will reside in the toolbar and constantly check for new messages in your preferred email account. That was just one example but be sure that if you want additional features or integration of a service, there is a great possibility an add-on that suits your needs already exists.
In terms of security Internet Explorer has a limited support for add-ons, so usually they can't access the entire browser. If any of them is compromised, the damage this security breach can cause is limited. Still, be careful what you install, as some of them can snoop on your browsing sessions, and stick to add-ons that have good reviews or trustworthy developers.
As for performance concerns, if you sensibly limit the number of add-ons you use, they won't slow down your computer. The important thing to remember is that you should only install the ones that are actually useful for your browsing experience. Unused add-ons should be uninstalled because it will help you reduce clutter and might also speed up Internet Explorer.
The final point is that add-ons can make your online browsing more pleasurable and make it easier for you to perform multiple tasks.
How To Find & View Installed Add-ons For Internet Explorer
After that short introduction into the world of add-ons let us see how you can oversee their operation. First of all, you need to know that in Windows 8.1 it is possible to install and use add-ons only in Internet Explorer for the desktop. So, if you are in the touch version of Internet Explorer and you need to view a page that needs add-ons, open it on the Desktop: click on the bottom of the screen to bring up the Address Bar and app commands, click the Page Tools button and in the newly opened menu click on View in the Desktop.
Unfortunately there is no keyboard shortcut for opening the Manage Add-ons window directly, where all your installed add-ons are listed. So you have to click on the Tools button (or press Alt + X) and then click on Manage add-ons.
All your installed add-ons are listed here, split by type: Toolbars and Extensions, Search Providers, Accelerators, and Tracking Protection. Clicking on each of the categories will open a list with that type of extensions that are installed on your computer. You can further filter the list of add-ons by clicking on any of the columns shown in the right panel.
Another way of sorting the add-ons is to use the Show drop-down menu, which can filter from all add-ons to only the ones currently loaded, those that run without permission or downloaded controls.
The Main Types Of Add-ons In Internet Explorer
There are four main types of add-ons available. Let's take them one by one and discuss in detail what they are and how they can help you.
Toolbars and Extensions are the first type of add-ons. As the name entails, they come in the form of toolbars such as the Google Toolbar or simply extensions which add more options to Internet Explorer, such as showing the weather forecast.
When you browse through the list of Toolbars and Extensions, you will notice that there actually are four sub-types available:
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Toolbar, this is easy, no need to explain it further. But be careful with any of the toolbars you install as they can either track you online habits or come bundled with stuff you do not need.
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Browser Extension, normal extensions which add new options - just like in Firefox or Chrome.
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ActiveX Controls, the Adobe Flash Player is a good example. ActiveX is not a programing language; it is rather a set of rules for how applications should share information.
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Browser Helper Objects, which are generally plug-ins that allow Internet Explorer to render additional types of data - e.g. Avast Online Security is a Browser Helper Object allowing Internet Explorer users to protect themselves from phishing sites and also helps them have an improved browsing experience with crowd-sourced web-reputation ratings. Be very careful with this sub-type that is sometimes allowed to access the whole browser and it has always been targeted by malicious coders to help conceal their actions. Always double check what you are installing.
Search Providers are the second main type of add-ons that are available to you. As you might have already guessed, you can use a search provider to find content on the web.
If you type some keywords in the Address bar of Internet Explorer, the browser will automatically make a search using the default search provider.
Normally, Bing is the default search provider used by Internet Explorer. Obviously, you can install other search providers, including Google Search or Yahoo Search.
Accelerators can be very powerful helpers in shortening the time it takes you to do certain tasks; for example selecting an address with the mouse and then searching for its location with Bing Maps.
To use an accelerator, you always need to first select a piece of text/web address/phone number from a web page, then right click and, from the newly opened menu, select the action you want to perform.
Default actions done by the standard set of accelerators include: searching the selected address on Bing Maps, searching the selected text on Bing, translating the selected text into another language with Bing Translator. You can install many other accelerators that will help you instantly, for example Define with Wikipedia that will direct you to an article that relates to the piece of text you selected.
NOTE:Internet Explorer offers a bunch of accelerators that will help you email, translate, search, map or blog. So go find one that fits your needs.
Last but not least, the fourth category of add-ons is the so called Tracking Protection. This is improperly named an add-on. It is more a feature of Internet Explorer which allows you to subscribe to so called protection lists.
These are lists with content that will be blocked by Internet Explorer, when it encounters them on the web. Microsoft stated that this feature enforces the Do Not Track request made by your browser to keep you safe and protected online.
The TPL or Tracking Protection List can be curated by any number of groups or individuals, for example Easy Privacy that is based on the Easy List subscription for Adblock Plus. Also, it is possible for you to have a list that is built dynamically, based upon the sites you are usually visiting (see Your Personalized List).
The usefulness of these protection lists is based upon their ability to block ads or content that can be used to gather information about your browsing habits, such as third-party cookies.
NOTE: Always be very careful what you install and watch out for cluttering because if you add a lot of add-ons that you do not use, it is possible that they will slow down your computer by using too much memory.
Conclusion
Now that we have arrived at the end of this tutorial, we hope we've managed to clarify what's up with the different types of add-ons. If you still have questions or issues on the topic, don't be shy and use the content form below to start a conversation. Otherwise, simply check out the articles recommended below. You will find out other interesting things about Internet Explorer.
