# About searching the Web

You can search for all sorts of information on the Internet: Web pages, e-mail addresses, companies, maps, and more. In Microsoft Internet Explorer, you can search for information in a variety of ways:

- Use the Search Assistant Specify the type of information you want to find, and then let the Search Assistant find the information you’re looking for by using search sites that specialize in finding that type of information. You can customize the Search Assistant by specifying which search sites you want to use for your searches.
- Find related links Find Web pages similar to the one you’re currently viewing. Internet Explorer can search the Web for related links and then list the matches it finds in the Search pane.
- Search from the Address Bar Find Web pages about a topic by typing keywords in the Address box.
- Search for text on a Web page Find a word or phrase on the page you’re currently viewing.

Related topics

Using the Search Assistant

Finding similar Web pages

Searching from the Address Bar

Searching for text on the current Web page

Customizing the Search Assistant

Show or hide the Search pane

1. If the Explorer Bar is hidden, click Explorer Bar on the View menu.
2. Click the Search tab.

Related topics

Using the Search Assistant

Searching for text on the current Web page

Use the Search Assistant

1. In the Search pane, choose a category that describes the information you want to find.
2. Enter the information you want to find, and then click Search.

| To limit your search results, use specific words rather than general ones whenever possible. For example, if you want to find Web pages about palomino horses, search for “palomino” or “palomino horses” rather than “horses.”
| To hide the Search pane, click the Search tab again.

Related topics

Showing or hiding the Search pane

Customizing the Search Assistant

Searching from the Address Bar

Finding similar Web pages

Customize the Search Assistant

1. In the Search pane, click Customize.
2. Select the options you want.

Related topics

Showing or hiding the Search pane

Using the Search Assistant

Find similar Web pages

- On the Tools menu, click Show Related Links.

| To limit your search to Web pages that are related to a specific word or phrase on the current Web page, select the word or phrase you want. Then, hold down CONTROL, click the the selected word or phrase, and then click Web Search on the contextual menu.

Related topics

Using the Search Assistant

Search from the Address Bar

1. In the Address box, type go or ? followed by a space and the word or phrase you want to find.

   For example, to find Web sites about cats, type go cats or ? cats.

2. Press RETURN.

Related topics

Using the Search Assistant

Finding similar Web pages

Searching for text on the current Web page

Search for text on the current Web page

1. On the Edit menu, click Find.
2. In the Find box, type the word or phrase you want to find.
3. Select any other options you want.
4. Click Find.

| To continue searching for the same text, click Find Again on the Edit menu.

Related topics

Copying text from a Web page