View source for Software:Internet Explorer 7

{{Short description|Web browser for Windows}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Internet Explorer 7
| logo = Internet Explorer 7 and 8 logo.svg
| logo size = 70px
| screenshot = Windows Internet Explorer 7 Vista.png
| caption = Internet Explorer 7 in [[Software:Windows Vista|Windows Vista]]
| author = 
| developer = [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]
| released = {{Start date and age|2006|10|18}}
| latest release version = Service Pack 2 (7.00.6002.18005)
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2009|5|26}}
| discontinued = 
| programming language = 
| operating system = [[Software:Windows XP|Windows XP]] SP2 or later<br />[[Software:Windows Server 2003|Windows Server 2003]] SP1 or later
| included with = [[Software:Windows Vista|Windows Vista]], [[Software:Windows Server 2008|Windows Server 2008]], [[Software:Windows Embedded Industry#Windows Embedded POSReady 2009|Windows Embedded POSReady 2009]], [[Software:Windows Embedded Compact 7|Windows Embedded Compact 7]], Windows Embedded Compact 2013
| engine = MSHTML
| platform = [[IA-32]], x64 (and previously [[Engineering:Itanium|Itanium]])
| size = 
| language = 
| genre = [[Software:Web browser|Web browser]]<br />Feed reader<br />[[File Transfer Protocol|FTP client]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]], [[End-user license agreement|requires]] Windows license
| website = 
| standard = 
| AsOf = 
| replaces = [[Software:Internet Explorer 6|Internet Explorer 6]] (2001)
| replaced_by = [[Software:Internet Explorer 8|Internet Explorer 8]] (2009)
}}

'''Windows Internet Explorer 7''' ('''IE7''') (codenamed '''Rincon''')<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lyndersay|first1=Sean|title=On names and codenames...|url=https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/justsean/2007/02/09/on-names-and-codenames/|website=Bit-cycling|publisher=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]|date=9 February 2007}}</ref> is a [[Software:Web browser|web browser]] for [[Software:Windows|Windows]]. It was released by [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] on October 18, 2006, as the seventh version of [[Software:Internet Explorer|Internet Explorer]] and the successor to [[Software:Internet Explorer 6|Internet Explorer 6]]. Internet Explorer 7 is part of a long line of versions of [[Software:Internet Explorer|Internet Explorer]] and was the first major update to the browser since 2001. It was the default browser in [[Software:Windows Vista|Windows Vista]] and [[Software:Windows Server 2008|Windows Server 2008]] (later default was [[Software:Internet Explorer 9|Internet Explorer 9]]), as well as [[Software:Windows Embedded Industry#Windows Embedded POSReady 2009|Windows Embedded POSReady 2009]] (later default was [[Software:Internet Explorer 8|Internet Explorer 8]]), and can replace Internet Explorer 6 on [[Software:Windows XP|Windows XP]] and [[Software:Windows Server 2003|Windows Server 2003]], but unlike version 6, this version does not support [[Software:Windows 2000|Windows 2000]], [[Software:Windows Me|Windows ME]], or earlier versions of Windows. It also does not support [[Software:Windows 7|Windows 7]], [[Software:Windows Server 2008 R2|Windows Server 2008 R2]] or later Windows Versions.

Internet Explorer 7 requires [[Software:Windows XP|Windows XP]] SP2 or [[Software:Windows Server 2003|Windows Server 2003]] SP1 at the minimum. It is the last version of Internet Explorer that supports Windows XP x64 Edition RTM and [[Software:Windows Server 2003|Windows Server 2003]] SP1; as the following version, [[Software:Internet Explorer 8|Internet Explorer 8]], only supports Windows XP x64 Edition SP2 and [[Software:Windows Server 2003|Windows Server 2003]] SP2. Some portions of the underlying architecture, including the rendering engine and security framework, have been improved. New features include tabbed browsing, [[Page zooming|page zooming]], an integrated search box, a feed reader, better internationalization, and improved support for [[Web standards|web standards]], although it does not pass the [[Acid2]] or [[Acid3]] tests. Security enhancements include a [[Phishing|phishing]] filter, stronger [[Encryption|encryption]] on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (256-bit from 128-bit in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003), and a "Delete browsing history" button to easily clear private data. It is also the first version of Internet Explorer which is branded and marketed under the name 'Windows', instead of 'Microsoft'. IE7 shipped as the default browser in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 and was offered as a replacement for Internet Explorer 6 for Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP. IE7 was superseded by [[Software:Internet Explorer 8|Internet Explorer 8]] in March 2009.

Support for Internet Explorer 7 ended on October 10, 2023 alongside the end of support for Windows Embedded Compact 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/internet-explorer-7|title=Product Lifecycle - Internet Explorer 7|website=Microsoft|access-date=2022-02-13}}</ref> Support for Internet Explorer 7 on other Windows versions ended on January 12, 2016 when Microsoft began requiring customers to use the latest version of Internet Explorer available for each Windows version.

==History==
In August 2001, Microsoft released [[Software:Internet Explorer 6|Internet Explorer 6]] as an update to [[Software:Windows NT 4.0|Windows NT 4.0]] with Service Pack 6a, [[Software:Windows 98|Windows 98]], [[Software:Windows 2000|Windows 2000]] and Windows ME from previous Internet Explorer versions, such as [[Software:Internet Explorer 5|Internet Explorer 5]] and included it by default in [[Software:Windows XP|Windows XP]] and [[Software:Windows Server 2003|Windows Server 2003]]. With the release of IE6 Service Pack 1 in 2002, Microsoft announced that future upgrades to Internet Explorer would come only through future upgrades to Windows, stating that "further improvements to IE will require enhancements to the underlying OS."<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1032_3-1011859.html
|title=Microsoft to abandon standalone IE
|last=Hansen
|first=Evan
|publisher=CNET
|access-date=2008-08-28
}}</ref>

On February 15, 2005 at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, Microsoft Chairman [[Biography:Bill Gates|Bill Gates]] announced that Microsoft was planning a new version of Internet Explorer that would run on Windows XP.<ref>{{cite press release
|url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/feb05/02-15RSA05KeynotePR.asp 
|title=Gates Highlights Progress on Security, Outlines Next Steps for Continued Innovation
|publisher=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]
|date=2005-05-12
|access-date=2008-08-28
}}</ref> Both he and Dean Hachamovitch, General Manager of the Internet Explorer team, cited needed security improvements as the primary reason for the new version.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/02/15/373104.aspx
|title=IE7
|last=Hachamovitch
|first=Dean
|work=IEBlog
|publisher=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]
|date=2005-02-15
|access-date=2008-08-28
}}</ref>

The first beta of IE7 was released on July 27, 2005 for technical testing, and a first public preview version of Internet Explorer 7 (Beta 2 preview: Pre-Beta 2 version) was released on January 31, 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2005/07/27/444004.aspx|date=27 July 2005|title=Windows Vista & IE7 Beta 1 Available|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=10 February 2011|work=IEBlog at Microsoft Developer Network|first=Dean|last=Hachamovitch}}</ref>

The final public version was released on October 18, 2006.<ref>{{cite web|title=IE7 Is Coming This Month...Are you Ready?|work=IEBlog at Microsoft Developer Network|publisher=Microsoft|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2006/10/06/ie7-is-coming-this-month_2e002e002e00_are-you-ready_3f00_.aspx|access-date=10 February 2011|first=Scott|last=Graff|date=6 October 2006}}</ref> On the same day, [[Company:Yahoo!|Yahoo!]] provided a post-beta version of Internet Explorer 7 bundled with Yahoo! Toolbar and other Yahoo!-specific customizations.

In late 2007 Microsoft announced that IE7 would not be included as part of Windows XP SP3, with both Internet Explorer 6 and 7 receiving updates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/No-Internet-Explorer-7-Will-Not-Be-a-Part-of-Windows-XP-SP3-73896.shtml |title=No, Internet Explorer 7 Will Not(!) Be a Part of Windows XP SP3 |date=December 14, 2007 |publisher=News.softpedia.com |access-date=2011-12-25}}</ref> Most PC manufacturers, however, have pre-installed Internet Explorer 7 (as well as 8) on new XP PC's, especially netbooks.

On October 8, 2007, Microsoft removed the [[Software:Windows Genuine Advantage|Windows Genuine Advantage]] component of IE7, allowing it to be downloaded and installed by those without a genuine copy of Windows.<ref>{{cite web|author=CDRInfo.COM Team |url=http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=21564 |title=IE7 opens to pirated Windows |publisher=Cdrinfo.com |date=2007-10-08 |access-date=2011-12-25}}</ref>

Within a year after IE7's release (end of 2006 to end of 2007) support calls to Microsoft had decreased 10-20%.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2007/11/30/the-first-year-of-ie7.aspx 
|title=The First Year of IE7
|last=Chor
|first=Tony
|work=IEBlog
|publisher=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]
|date=2007-11-30
|access-date=2008-08-28
}}</ref>

On December 16, 2008, a security flaw was found in Internet Explorer 7 which can be exploited so that crackers can steal users' passwords.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7784908.stm
|title=Serious security flaw found in IE
|publisher=BBC News
|date=2008-12-16
|access-date=2008-12-17
}}</ref> The following day, a patch was issued to fix the flaw, estimated to have affected around 10,000 websites.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7787445.stm
|title=Microsoft releases fix for IE
|publisher=BBC News
|date=2008-12-17
|access-date=2008-12-17
}}</ref>

{{As of|2012|5}}, estimates of IE7's global market share were 1.5-5%.<ref name="W3Counter">{{cite web
|url=http://www.w3counter.com/globalstats.php
|title=Global Web Stats
|publisher=W3Counter
|date=May 2012
|access-date=2012-06-05
}}</ref><ref name="StatCounter">{{cite web
|url=http://gs.statcounter.com/#browser_version-ww-monthly-201205-201205-bar
|title=StatCounter Global Stats
|publisher=StatCounter
|date=May 2012
|access-date=2012-06-05
}}</ref><ref name="Net Applications">{{cite web
|url=http://marketshare.hitslink.com/browser-market-share.aspx?qprid=2
|title=Browser Version Market Share
|publisher=Net Applications
|date=January 2011
|access-date=2011-01-18
}}</ref>

===Release history===
*On January 31, 2006, Microsoft released a public preview build (Beta 2 preview: Pre-Beta 2 version) of Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (not for Windows Server 2003 SP1) on their web site. It stated that more public preview builds (possibly Beta 2 in April) of Internet Explorer 7 will be released in first half of 2006, and final version will be released in second half of 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/ie7/ |title=Internet Explorer 7 downloads |publisher=Microsoft.com |access-date=2011-12-25}}</ref> The pre beta build was refreshed on March 20, 2006 to build 7.0.5335.5. A real Beta 2 Build was released on April 24, 2006 to build 7.0.5346.5. In addition, at the MIX'06 conference, Bill Gates said that Microsoft is already working <ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/Gates+looks+to+expand+view+beyond+Windows/2100-1007_3-6051400.html?tag=nefd.lede |title=Gates looks to expand view beyond Windows - CNET News |publisher=news.cnet.com |date=2006-03-20 |access-date=2016-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226121947/http://news.cnet.com/Gates-looks-to-expand-view-beyond-Windows/2100-1007_3-6051400.html|archive-date=2013-12-26}}</ref> on the next two versions of IE after version 7.
*On June 29, 2006, Microsoft released Beta 3 (Build 7.0.5450.4) of Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP SP2, Windows XP x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 SP1. It features minor UI cleanups, re-ordering of tabs by drag and drop, as well as noticeable performance improvements.
*On August 24, 2006, the Release Candidate 1 (RC1) of Internet Explorer 7 (Build 7.0.5700.6) was released for Windows XP SP2, Windows XP x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 SP1. This was the last pre-release version of IE7 before the final release.
*On September 28, 2006, 3Sharp, a privately held technical services firm, published the results of a study, commissioned by Microsoft, evaluating eight anti-phishing solutions in which Internet Explorer 7 (Beta 3) came out on top. The study evaluated the ability to block phish, to warn about phish, and to allow good sites.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/09/28/774513.aspx |title=Anti-Phishing Accuracy Study |work=IEBlog |publisher=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] |date=2006-09-28 |access-date=2011-12-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Robichaux|first1=Paul|title=3Sharp Study finds Internet Explorer 7 Edges Out Netcraft As Most Accurate for Anti-Phishing Protection|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20060928005395/en/3Sharp-Study-finds-Internet-Explorer-7-Edges|website={{wipe|Business Wire}}|publisher=3Sharp LLC|access-date=20 October 2014|date=28 September 2006}}</ref>
*On October 18, 2006, the first finished version was released on microsoft.com, and was distributed as a high-priority update via Automatic Updates (AU) on November 1. AU notifies users when IE7 is ready to install and shows a welcome screen that presents key features and choices to "Install", "Don't Install", or "Ask Me Later".
*On November 8, 2006, a version of Internet Explorer 7 was released for Windows Vista only (7.0.6000.16386).
*On November 11, 2006, another version for Windows XP was made available (7.0.5730.11IC).<ref name=autogenerated1>[http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=164539 Microsoft Knowledge Base with version listing], January 19, 2007</ref>
*On September 24, 2007, Windows Server 2008 RC0 was released with version 7.0.6001.16659.<ref name=autogenerated1 />
*On October 4, 2007, the latest version for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 (7.0.5730.13) was made available.
*On February 4, 2008, a version of Internet Explorer 7 was released for Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 only (7.0.6001.18000).
*On May 26, 2009, the latest version for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (7.0.6002.18005) was made available.

{| class="wikitable" style="width: auto;"
|-
! Version
! Release date
! Significant changes
! Shipped with
|-
| 7.0 Beta 1
| July 27, 2005
| Support of PNG alpha channel. CSS bug fixes. Tabbed browsing.
| Windows Vista Beta 1
|-
| 7.0 Beta 2 Preview
| January 31, 2006
| More CSS fixes. RSS platform integration. New UI.  Quick Tabs.
|
|-
| 7.0 Beta 2
| April 24, 2006
| Feature complete. More CSS fixes. Application compatibility fixes.
| 
|-
| 7.0 Beta 3
| June 29, 2006
| Fixes most rendering issues for CSS.
|
|-
| 7.0 RC 1
| August 24, 2006
| Improvements in performance, stability, security, application compatibility and final CSS adjustments.
|
|-
| 7.0
| October 18, 2006
| Final release.
| [[Software:Windows Vista|Windows Vista]]
|-
|7.0 SP1
|February 4, 2008
|Vulnerability patch.
|[[Software:Windows Vista|Windows Vista]] SP1 and [[Software:Windows Server 2008|Windows Server 2008]]
|-
|7.0 SP2
|May 26, 2009
|Latest updates included with Vista SP2 and Server 2008 SP2.
|[[Software:Windows Vista|Windows Vista]] SP2 and [[Software:Windows Server 2008|Windows Server 2008]] SP2
|}

==Features==
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-right:0; margin-left:1em; font-size: 85%; text-align:center;clear: right;"
|-
| style="background:#edf1f1; text-align:center; text-style:normal;" colspan="2"| '''IE7 Nears its Peak Market Share in 2008'''<br /><small>— NetApplications.com, September 2008</small><ref>{{cite web |title=Browser Version Market Share |url=http://marketshare.hitslink.com/report.aspx?qprid=2 |publisher=NetApplications.com |date=September 2008 |access-date=2008-10-05}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-indent: 2em" | Internet Explorer 4
| style="text-align: right" | 0.01%
|-
| style="text-indent: 2em" | Internet Explorer 5
| style="text-align: right" | 0.06%
|-
| style="text-indent: 2em" | Internet Explorer 5.5
| style="text-align: right" | 0.06%
|-
| style="text-indent: 2em" | Internet Explorer 6
| style="text-align: right" | 24.67%
|-
| style="text-indent: 2em" | '''Internet Explorer 7'''
| style="text-align: right" | 46.35%
|-
| style="text-indent: 2em" | Internet Explorer 8 
| style="text-align: right" | 0.37%
|-
! style="background:#edf1f1; text-align:center;"| All versions<ref>{{cite web |title=Top Browser Share Trend |url=http://marketshare.hitslink.com/report.aspx?qprid=1 |publisher=NetApplications.com |date=September 2008 |access-date=2008-10-05}}</ref>
| style="background:#edf1f1; text-align:center;"|  71.52%
|-
| style="background:silver; text-align:center; text-style:normal;" colspan="2"|<div class="center">[[Software:Internet Explorer|Internet Explorer]] versions: {{hlist|style =font-size:90%; |[[Software:Internet Explorer 1|1]] | [[Software:Internet Explorer 2|2]] | [[Software:Internet Explorer 3|3]] | [[Software:Internet Explorer 4|4]] | [[Software:Internet Explorer 5|5]] | [[Software:Internet Explorer 6|6]] | 7 | [[Software:Internet Explorer 8|8]] | [[Software:Internet Explorer 9|9]] | [[Software:Internet Explorer 10|10]] | [[Software:Internet Explorer 11|11]]}}</div>
|}

With this version, Internet Explorer was renamed from Microsoft Internet Explorer to Windows Internet Explorer as part of Microsoft's rebranding of components that are included with Windows.

Internet Explorer 7 introduces the [[Windows RSS Platform]] with which it is tightly integrated and can subscribe to [[RSS]] and Atom feeds, synchronize and update them on a schedule and display them with its built-in style sheet.

Version 7 is intended to defend users from [[Phishing|phishing]] as well as deceptive or malicious software, and it also features full user control of ActiveX and better security framework, including not being integrated as much with Windows<ref>[http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=1371 Article regarding Internet Explorer 7's integration into windows] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611210306/http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=1371 |date=June 11, 2008 }}, March 24, 2006</ref> as previous versions, thereby increasing security. Unlike previous versions, the Internet Explorer ActiveX control is not hosted in the Windows Explorer process, but rather it runs in its own process. It also includes bug fixes, enhancements to its support for web standards, tabbed browsing with tab preview and management, a multiple-engine search box, a web feeds reader, Internationalized Domain Name support (IDN), and antiphishing filter. On October 5, 2007, Microsoft removed the 'genuine software' validation before install, which means that all versions of Windows, whether able to pass validation or not, are able to install the [[Software:Web browser|browser]]. The integrated search box supports [[OpenSearch]].

On Windows Vista, Internet Explorer operates in a special "Protected Mode", that runs the browser in a security sandbox that has no WRITE access to the rest of the operating system or file system. When running in Protected Mode, IE7 is a low integrity process; it cannot gain write access to files and registry keys outside of the low-integrity portions of a user's profile. This feature aims to mitigate problems whereby newly discovered flaws in the browser (or in Add-Ons hosted inside it) allowed crackers to subversively install software on the user's computer (typically spyware).<ref name="protectedmodeie">{{cite web
|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/IETechCol/dnwebgen/ProtectedMode.asp
|title=Understanding and Working in Protected Mode Internet Explorer
|date=January 2006
|access-date=2006-04-13
|work=MSDN – Internet Explorer Development Technical Articles
|publisher=Microsoft
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/05/26/608255.aspx
|title=Introducing Internet Explorer 7
|author=Tony
|access-date=2006-11-30
|date=2006-05-26
}}</ref>

===Usability and accessibility===
[[Image:IE7 Quick Tabs.png|thumb|right|Quick Tabs]]
[[Image:Favcenter.PNG|thumb|right|Favorites Center in ''Favorites view'', ''Feeds view'' and ''History view'']]
[[File:Internet Explorer 7 phishing.png|thumb|right|Browsing to a site which IE deems to be a phishing site is blocked by default. The user has to make an explicit choice before continuing.]]
*Version 7  tabs. The user can rearrange tabs by dragging and dropping them as desired.

===Privacy and security===
*Since it is tightly integrated with the operating system, Internet Explorer makes full use of the accessibility framework provided in Windows. Internet Explorer is also a user interface for [[File Transfer Protocol|FTP]], with operations similar to that of Windows Explorer. However, with version 7, FTP sites are rendered in a hyper linked page, with the folder-like view available if the site is accessed from Windows Explorer. IE7 can itself launch Windows Explorer for FTP sites.
*Protected Mode (available in Windows Vista only), whereby the browser runs in a sandbox with even lower rights than a limited user account. As such, it can only write to the Temporary Internet Files folder and cannot install start-up programs or change any configuration of the operating system without communicating through a broker process. IE7 Protected Mode relies on the User Account Control technology.
*''ActiveX Opt-In'' blocks ActiveX Control unless it allowed to be installed. This feature improves security from unverifiable and vulnerable controls. ActiveX controls can be chosen to be installed on Information Bar. User can turn on and off ActiveX Control by using Add-on Manager.
*The new ''Phishing Filter'' offers protection against phishing scams and other websites that may be considered dangerous for a user to enter their personal information into. When enabled, every website the user visits is checked against a master list of known phishing sites. If a site is listed, the user is informed. In light of the privacy implications of this feature, it is not enabled automatically; the user is asked when they start Internet Explorer 7 if they want it enabled.<ref>[http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/09/09/463204.aspx Phishing Filter in IE7], IEBlog</ref> Microsoft is working in conjunction with companies that specialize in identifying phishing schemes to ensure the list of known sites is accurate and quickly updated.<ref>[http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/11/17/494040.aspx New enhancements to Phishing Filter protection for IE], IEBlog</ref>
*The address bar and status bar appear in all windows including popups which helps to block malicious sites from disguising them as trusted sites. Also the address bar features a color code to visually indicate the trustworthiness of the page. The address bar turns red when a page, with invalid security certificate, is accessed. In case of sites not using any encryption, the address bar is white. And if the page uses high security certificate, the bar turns green.
*Modal windows such as dialog boxes are shown only when the tab that has generated them is selected (in such situations, the tab color becomes orange). On the other hand, the save window is modal and when saving the page shown in a tab, the user cannot browse other tabs.
*The address bar no longer allows JavaScript to be executed on blank pages (about:blank). This feature is still supported on other pages though, which enables [[Bookmarklet|bookmarklet]]s to work properly. A reason for the change has not been given.
*The status bar no longer allows custom text to be entered (e.g.: "Formatting C:\ 10% Complete |||||||") and will always show the URL of any link hovered over, for security. It now also shows the target URL of form buttons to help identify forms which submit their data to suspicious sites.
*The ability to limit scripting functions, such as those that modify the status bar or adjust the size or position of the browser window was introduced with IE7.
*"Delete Browsing History" cleans the complete browsing history in a single step. Previously this was a multistage process requiring users to delete browser cache, history, cookies, saved form data and passwords in a series of different steps. This is useful for improving privacy and security in a multiuser environment, such as an Internet café.
*''Fix My Settings'' checks at startup or when a setting is changed, if the current settings are unsafe it notifies the user. The user can also press a button in order to fix the settings to a safe state. There is currently no way to disable these warnings.
*Old protocols and technologies removed: [[Gopher (protocol)|Gopher]], TELNET, Scriptlets, [[Software:DirectX Media|DirectAnimation]], [[Channel Definition Format|Channels]] (.CDF files) also known as '[[Software:Active Desktop|Active Desktop]] Items', etc. The [[Dynamic HTML|DHTML]] Editing Control is being removed from IE7 for Windows Vista to reduce surface area for security attacks.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/06/27/648850.aspx
|title=A Note about the DHTML Editing Control in IE7 for Windows Vista
|date=June 27, 2006
|access-date=2006-06-27
|author=B. Ashok
|work=IEBlog
|publisher=MSDN Blogs
}}</ref>
*''No Add-ons'' allows IE7 to launch without the installed extensions.
*IE7 cipher strength: 256-bit (Only for Vista and Server 2008, IE7 for XP and Server 2003 only supports 128-bit)
[[Image:EVCert.PNG|thumb|right|Sites presenting [[Extended Validation Certificate|EV Certificates]] are trusted]]
*The address bar turns red when the certificate presented by a secure site has some problems. In that case navigation to the site is blocked by default, and can only be accessed after the user explicitly confirms the navigation.
*IE7 includes support for [[Extended Validation Certificate]]s (EV). When sites present an EV certificate the address bar is shown in green.
*New Group Policy's Administrative Templates (.adm files) for IE7 are loaded automatically onto the Domain Controller when a Group Policy is opened from a workstation where IE7 has been installed. These new administrative templates allow for controlling the Anti-Phishing filter state, for example.
*''Reset Internet Explorer settings'' Deletes all temporary files, disables browser add-ons, and resets all the changed settings to factory settings. It can be used if the browser is in an unusable state.

Microsoft has addressed security issues in two distinct ways within Windows Vista: User Account Control, which forces a user to confirm any action that could affect the stability or security of the system even when logged in as an administrator, and "Protected-mode IE", which runs the web browser process with much lower permissions than the user.<ref name="protectedie">{{cite web
|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/02/09/528963.aspx
|title=Protected Mode in Vista IE7
|access-date=2006-04-07
|date=February 9, 2006
|work=Internet Explorer team blog
|publisher=Microsoft
}}</ref>

The first vulnerability exclusive to Internet Explorer 7 was posted after 6 days.<ref name="Internet Explorer 7 Window Injection Vulnerability">{{cite web|url=http://secunia.com/advisories/22628/ |title=Internet Explorer 7 Window Injection Vulnerability |publisher=Secunia.com |access-date=2011-12-25}}</ref>

Internet Explorer 7 is a component of [[Software:Windows Embedded Compact 7|Windows Embedded Compact 7]] and Windows Embedded Compact 2013 and follows the same lifecycle, thus it will continue to be supported until October 10, 2023.<ref>{{cite web|title=Internet Explorer 7 Lifecycle Policy|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/internet-explorer-7|work=Microsoft Lifecycle Support Website|access-date=2020-01-27}}</ref>

====Phishing filter====
Some users have criticised the [[Phishing|phishing]] filter for being too easy to circumvent. One successful method of bypassing Internet Explorer's Phishing Filter has been reported by redirecting a blacklisted web page to another, non-blacklisted page, using a [[Software:Server-side redirect|server-side redirect]].  Until the new page is blocked as well, the attack can remain active.

This flaw means that phishers can keep links from previous emails functioning by simply moving to a new server when their original web page is blacklisted and adding a redirect.

This has been criticised as doubly serious as the presence of a phishing filter may lull users into a false sense of security when the filter can be bypassed.<ref name="phishflaw">{{cite web
|url=http://kuza55.blogspot.com/2007/05/universal-phishing-filter-bypass.html
|title=Universal Phishing Filter Bypass 
|access-date=2008-02-14
|date=February 14, 2008
|work=Alex's Corner blog
|publisher=Individual entity
}}</ref>

Phishing filter went on to be developed into and renamed ''Safety Filter'' and then ''SmartScreen'' by Microsoft, during the development of [[Software:Internet Explorer 8|Internet Explorer 8]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/150385/ie8b2.html?tk=rss_news|title=Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2: Can It Outfox Firefox?|author=Nick Mediati}}</ref>

=== Standards support ===
{{multiple image
| align     = right
| direction = vertical
| width     = 200
| image1    = Ie7acid2.png
| caption1  = [[Acid2]] output in Internet Explorer 7
| image2    = Acid2 reference.png
| caption2  = Acid2 reference output
}}
Internet Explorer 7 adds support for [[Alpha compositing|per-pixel alpha transparency]] in [[Portable Network Graphics|PNG]],<ref>[http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/04/26/412263.aspx IE7 Transparent PNG Implementation], IEBlog</ref> as well as minor improvements to [[HTML]], [[CSS]] and [[Document Object Model|DOM]] support. Microsoft's stated goal with version 7 was to fix the most significant bugs and areas which caused the most trouble for developers, however full compatibility with standards was postponed.

Internet Explorer 7 additionally features an update to the WinInet API. The new version has better support for [[IPv6]], and handles hexadecimal literals in the IPv6 address. It also includes better support for [[Software:Gzip|Gzip]] and [[Deflate|deflate]] compression, so that communication with a web server can be compressed and thus will require less data to be transferred.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/10/31/487509.aspx |title=IE's Gzip and deflate support |publisher=Blogs.msdn.com |date=2005-10-31 |access-date=2011-12-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/06/06/425875.aspx |title=IE already supports Gzip and deflate |publisher=Blogs.msdn.com |date=2005-06-06 |access-date=2011-12-25}}</ref> Internet Explorer Protected Mode support in WinInet is exclusive to Windows Vista.

Although Internet Explorer 7 is more compliant than previous versions, according to all figures it remains the least standards-compliant compared to other major browsers of the period.<ref>[http://www.webdevout.net/browser_support_summary.php?IE7=on&FX2=on&OP9=on&uas=CUSTOM Web browser standards support summary]. ''Web Devout''.</ref> It does not pass the [[Acid2]] or the [[Acid3]] tests, two [[Test case|test case]]s designed by the [[Company:Web Standards Project|Web Standards Project]] to verify CSS compliance.

In a 2008 MSNBC article, Tim Berners-Lee said that lack of support in Internet Explorer was responsible for holding back the widespread adoption by webmasters of several new open technology standards, specifically scalable vector graphics ([[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]]), supported elsewhere since 2001,<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26646919
| title=Creator of Web spots a flaw in Internet Explorer
| publisher=NBC News
| last=Svensson|first=Peter
| date=2008-09-10
| access-date=2008-11-16}}</ref> but only available in Internet Explorer using a 3rd party [[Plug-in (computing)|plugin]] (until the release of [[Software:Internet Explorer 9|Internet Explorer 9]]).<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2010/03/18/svg-in-ie9-roadmap.aspx
| title=SVG in IE9 Roadmap - IEBlog}}</ref>

==System requirements==
IE7 requires at least:<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/ie7/sysreq.mspx| title=Internet Explorer: System Requirements| publisher=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]| access-date=2009-10-12}}</ref>
* 233&nbsp;MHz processor.
* Windows XP SP2.
* Windows Server 2003 SP1.
* [[Super VGA]] (800 × 600) monitor with 256 colors.
* Mouse or compatible pointing device.
* RAM (for the browser alone): 64 MB for 32-bit Windows XP/Server 2003, 128 MB for 64-bit Windows XP/Server 2003.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/default.mspx Internet Explorer: Home Page]
* [http://blogs.msdn.com/ie IEBlog] &mdash; The weblog of the Internet Explorer team
* [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/ Internet Explorer Community] &mdash; The official Windows Internet Explorer Community
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090111001607/http://www.pctechbytes.com/ie/index.php Internet Explorer Tips]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7784908.stm Serious security flaw found in IE]
*{{cite web|title=Microsoft Windows Family Home Page |work=Windows History: Internet Explorer History |url=http://www.microsoft.com/windows/WinHistoryIE.mspx |access-date=May 12, 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031002010203/http://www.microsoft.com/windows/WinHistoryIE.mspx |archive-date=October 2, 2003 |df=mdy-all }}
*{{cite web | title=IEBlog | work=Standards and CSS in IE | url=http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/07/29/445242.aspx | access-date=July 29, 2005}}
*{{cite web | title=IEBlog | work=IE7 Platforms And Outlook Express |  url=http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/02/28/382054.aspx | access-date=May 12, 2005}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Software:Internet Explorer 6|Internet Explorer 6]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=Internet Explorer 7|years=2006}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Software:Internet Explorer 8|Internet Explorer 8]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Timeline of web browsers|2000s}}

[[Category:Windows components]]
[[Category:Windows web browsers]]

{{Sourceattribution|Internet Explorer 7}}