How to Disable the Internet Explorer Address Bar

Disabling the address bar in Internet Explorer is one method of restricting access to unapproved websites on the Internet. It is useful for parents who wish to limit a child's online activities to approved pages and organizations that wish to keep employees and visitors on company sites only. The process of disabling the address bar involves modifying the system registry. This must be done with care; otherwise, the user could create problems by deleting registry keys.

Instructions

Disable the Internet Explorer Address Bar

1. Click the "Start" button. In Windows Vista and Windows 7, type "Regedit" into the search field and press the "Enter" key. In Windows XP, click "Run" in the Start menu and then type "Regedit" into the field in the "Run" dialog box. The "Registry Editor" dialog box will appear.

2. Click the folders in the following string in turn: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbars\Restrictions.

3. Click "Edit" on the navigation bar and highlight "New." Select DWORD (32-bit) value from the drop-down menu. A new key will appear in the right pane. Type "NoToolBar" into the highlighted field and press the "Enter" key.

4. Right-click "NoToolBar" and select "Modify." Type "1" into the value data field and click "OK." Close the Registry Editor.

5. Open Internet Explorer to view the change. The address bar will be absent.

References

• Microsoft: The restrictions that are available to Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1
• Microsoft: Internet Explorer Toolbar Restrictions