How To Install Active X on a Computer

Active X controls are items that can be embedded inside web pages for different kinds of sophisticated applications such as animations, multimedia effects and various types of interactive objects.
A person seeking to install Active X on a computer should understand that the process is much easier than it may sound. In fact, the computer does much of the work for you.

Instructions

1. Take notice of the yellow bar that appears on the top of Web pages that include Active X technologies. This bar typically opens just below the browser window. This yellow bar is the key to being able to install Active X controls.

2. Click on the yellow bar. It is likely that the bar says something like, "This site might require software from . . . Click here to install." In order to view all of the content on the page that the Web developers have embedded on the page, this yellow bar must be clicked.

3. Notice the security warning box that appears after the yellow bar is clicked. This security warning box will say something like, "Active X component was installed by (company name here). It will list two options -- "Install" or "Don't Install." If you wish to view all of the components of the page, you will need to click on "Install." The component that uses Active X controls is often some kind of audio or video.

4. Click install again. Depending on what kind of Web browser is being used, there might be another box that appears and asks the user if he wants to "Install " or "Don't install." In order to finish the installation of Active X on a computer, "Install" must be clicked again in this pop-up box.

5. Refresh the Web page. In many cases, the Web page will refresh itself and the Active X installation will be complete. However, if the video or audio that you are trying to access is still not available, press F5 to refresh your page. The audio or video that has been embedded with the Active X component should now be available.

6. Repeat on different Web sites. Installing Active X on the computer one time is not enough. Each time a Web page that uses Active X controls needs to be accessed, this process must be followed. The good news is that this entire process usually only takes a few seconds.

Tips & Warnings

• When refreshing a Web page after installing Active X components, the key combination of Ctrl+R can also be used.

• If you do not trust the developer of the Web site, you can choose to not install and still see the non-Active X content. If you are visiting a Web site that looks less-than-professional, it may not be a good idea to install Active X. Doing so could open the computer up for being hacked.

Resources

• Install Active X
• What is Active X?