Have you ever wondered what an ActiveX control is? Or for that matter, why you would ever want to install an ActiveX control? Well you might be surprised at the extent to which ActiveX controls make your surfing life easier. In fact, without them a lot of Web content would remain unavailable to you and you would be missing out on the versatility that these controls give you every day as you browse the Internet.
First of all, exactly what is an ActiveX control?
An ActiveX control is just a name given to a utility, or applet, that make Web browsers like Internet Explorer work more effectively. For example, a Flash ActiveX control will allow your web browser to see a video presentation. If you don’t have the correct ActiveX control installed then this Web content will not be available to you.
Computer programmers use these applets to enhance software programs that can share these utilities because it cuts back on the maintenance required plus the added cross function usability makes writing the software less complex.
How to Install an ActiveX Control
This is how to install active x control. If you don’t have the correct ActiveX control installed, a web browser like Internet Explorer will alert you and request permission to download it. This is usually by way of a message shown in yellow just below the address bar. If you simply right click on the message and choose the option “Run ActiveX Control”, the applet will be installed and away you go!
Some computer owners are wary of installing anything because of security concerns. Rest assured that you can keep your computer secure simply by changing the options within Internet Explorer. Here’s how you do it:
- Go to the tools menu and select Internet Options.
- Choose the Security Tab, and click on the Custom Level button.
- You will see the ActiveX Controls and Plug-Ins option from the drop-down box.
- On the following options select the radio “Enable” button:
- Allow previously unused ActiveX controls to run without prompting.
- Automatic prompting for ActiveX controls.
- Download signed ActiveX controls.
- Display video and animation on a webpage that does not use external media player.
- Click YES when prompted to save the changes.
- Click on the Apply button on the Security Settings window.
For peace of mind it is recommended that you only download controls from sites recommended by the Microsoft Corporation. This is because Microsoft has formed partnerships with trusted providers like Adobe with whom they have established rigorous testing protocols.
By choosing to only use these trusted providers, you will ensure that malicious downloads do not occur and you’ll be safe from having your registry corrupted, or your computer infected.
Microsoft Internet Explorer is one of the few browsers that requires you to authorise the download of an ActiveX control. Some alternative browsers like Firefox do not use ActiveX controls at all which means that some websites features will not display in that browser.
If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer and are unsure about the safety of the ActiveX you are being asked to download, you can find relevant information from the drop-down box.