# About subscriptions

Subscriptions bring up-to-date Web content to you. When you subscribe to a Web page, Microsoft Internet Explorer adds the page to your Favorites list, and then checks the page for any changes according to a schedule you specify. You can then see which subscriptions have new content by looking at the icon next to the subscription in your Favorites list:

This | Means
--- | ---
| The subscription is up-to-date, and you’ve viewed the latest update.
| The subscription has been updated since you last viewed it.
| The subscription could not be checked for updates.

By default, Internet Explorer updates your subscriptions by using your preferences settings. You can change how often you want Internet Explorer to check your subscriptions for new content and how you want to be notified when new content is available.

You can also specify custom schedule and notification settings for individual subscriptions, and you can update your subscriptions at any time. If you want to view subscriptions offline, you can also choose to have the updated content automatically saved to your computer (for example, at night or when your computer is idle).

Subscribing to a Web page does not mean you’re required to pay fees. Some Web sites, however, require that you have an account with them before you can access the site. For those Web sites, you can have Internet Explorer automatically send account information — your user name, password, or domain — so you don’t have to enter this information each time you visit the site.

Related topics

Subscribing to a Web page

Viewing an updated subscription

Updating subscriptions manually

Changing default schedule and notification settings

Sending account information automatically

Making a Web site available offline

Subscribe to a Web page

1. Go to the page you want to subscribe to.
2. On the Favorites menu, click Subscribe.
3. Do one of the following:
   - To use default settings for this subscription, click Subscribe.
   - To specify custom settings for this subscription, click Customize, and then select the options you want.

| After you subscribe to a page, the Subscription icon appears next to the page in your Favorites list.

Related topics

Viewing an updated subscription

Changing default schedule and notification settings

Changing schedule or notification settings for a subscription

Sending account information automatically

Making a Web site available offline

View an updated subscription

1. Show the Favorites pane.
2. In the Favorites pane, click the subscription you want to view.

| If the Alert icon appears next to the subscription, Microsoft Internet Explorer was unable to check the subscription for updates. To find out why a subscription couldn’t be checked for updates, double-click the Alert icon , and then click the Subscribe tab.

Related topics

Updating subscriptions manually

Changing default schedule and notification settings

Canceling a subscription

Update subscriptions manually

- On the Favorites menu, click Update Subscriptions.

Related topics

Changing default schedule and notification settings

Changing schedule or notification settings for a subscription

Sending account information automatically

Making a Web site available offline

Change default schedule and notification settings

1. On the Explorer menu, click Preferences.
2. Under Web Browser, click Subscriptions.
3. In the Check For Changed Sites area, specify when you want Internet Explorer to check for new content.
4. In the When A Site Has Changed area, specify how you want to be notified when new content is available.

| Microsoft Internet Explorer applies your default schedule and notification settings to both subscriptions and tracked auctions. You can use custom schedule and notification settings, instead of the default settings, for a subscription or an auction.

Related topics

Changing schedule or notification settings for a subscription

Changing notification settings for an auction

Changing update settings for an auction

Sending account information automatically

Change schedule or notification settings for a subscription

1. Show the Favorites pane.
2. In the Favorites pane, double-click the icon next to the subscription.
3. Do one or both of the following:
   - To change how you’re notified of updates, click the Notify tab, click Use a custom notification for this site, and then select the options you want.
   - To change the update schedule, click the Schedule tab, select the Use a custom schedule for this site check box, and then select the options you want.

Related topics

Changing default schedule and notification settings

Sending account information automatically

Making a Web site available offline

Send account information automatically

1. Show the Favorites pane.
2. In the Favorites pane, double-click the icon next to the subscription.
3. On the Account tab, enter your account information.

| If you choose to send account information automatically, anyone who has access to your computer can visit the site by using your account information.

Related topics

Subscribing to a Web page

Storing a site password

Cancel a subscription

1. Show the Favorites pane.
2. In the Favorites pane, double-click the icon next to the subscription.
3. On the Subscribe tab, clear the Check this site for changes check box.

Related topics

Changing default schedule and notification settings