The History Files

Enabling JavaScript on your browser

The advent of mobile browsing has largely left this page looking out-of-date. With an explosion in the number and formats of browsers available, it would be impossible to list all of them here when other sites with a more specific focus on the subject have already done a very good job. Instead the page has been left here for reference purposes.

To enable or disable Java or JavaScript in the following browsers and on the two main operating systems, please select your browser version and operating system and follow the instructions.

Windows:
Internet Explorer 7
Internet Explorer 6 and earlier
Netscape 8x and Mozilla Firefox 1, 1.5, 2.0 or 3.0
Netscape 7x and Mozilla before Firefox
Netscape Communicator and Navigator 4x or Netscape 6x
Netscape Navigator 3.0
Netscape Navigator 2.01 and 2.02

Mac:
Internet Explorer
Netscape 8x and Mozilla Firefox 1, 1.5 or 2.0
Netscape 7x and Mozilla before Firefox
Netscape Communicator and Navigator 4x or Netscape 6x
Netscape Navigator 3.0
Netscape Navigator 2.01 and 2.02

To enable or disable Java, follow these steps:

1. From the Tools menu, select Internet Options

2. Click on the Programs tab

3. Click on Manage Add-ons

4. Highlight the Java Plug-in

5. Under Settings, click on Disable

6. Click OK, and then OK again

To enable or disable JavaScript, follow these steps:

1. From the Tools menu, choose Internet Options

2. Click on the Security tab

3. Click on Custom Level

4. Scroll to the 'Scripting' section of the list. Click Disable or Enable against Active Scripting

5. Close and restart your browser

Return to top ^

1. From the Tools menu, choose Internet Options

2. Click the Security tab

3. In versions 5x and 6, click Custom Level. In version 4x, click Custom and then Settings:

Java: Scroll to the 'Java' section (in version 6, you will find this section under 'Java VM', under 'Java permissions'). To disable Java, click Disable Java. To re-enable Java, click a different setting, such as High Safety or Medium Safety.

JavaScript: Scroll to the 'Active scripting' section of the list (in version 6, this is under 'Scripting'). Click Disable or Enable.

4. Close and restart your browser

Return to top ^

Note: Microsoft is no longer developing or distributing Internet Explorer for the Macintosh. You are strongly recommended to use a different browser, such as Safari or Firefox.

1. From the Explorer menu (Mac OS X) or the Edit menu, select Preferences

2. To expand the list, next to Web Browser, click the triangle

3. Select Web Content. On the right, beneath 'Active Content', select the tickbox for Enable scripting

4. Return to beneath Web Browser and select Java. On the right, under 'Java Options', select the tickbox for Enable Java or Enable Java (Apple MRJ)

5. Click OK. Close your browser and restart it

Return to top ^

1a. In Mozilla Firefox from the Tools menu, select Options

1b. In Netscape, in the list on the left, select Site Controls and then select one of the options under 'Master Settings'

1c. In Firefox 1.5 click Content

1d. In Firefox 1.0 in the list on the left, select Web Features

2. Tick (to enable) or untick (to disable) the boxes next to both Enable JavaScript and Enable Java

Return to top ^

1a. In Firefox, from the Firefox menu, select Preferences

1b. In Netscape, in the list on the left, select Site Controls and then select one of the options under 'Master Settings'

1c. In Firefox 1.5, click Content

1d. In Firefox 1.0, in the list on the left, select Web Features.

2. Tick (to enable) or untick (to disable) the boxes next to both Enable JavaScript and Enable Java.

Return to top ^

1. From the Edit menu choose Preferences

2. In the 'Category:' list on the left, click Advanced

3. Tick or untick Enable Java and Enable native object scripting

4. In the 'Category' column on the left, click the + (plus sign) or triangle next to 'Advanced' to expand the list, and then select Scripts & Plug-ins

5. On the right, under 'Enable JavaScript for', tick or untick Navigator and Mail & Newsgroups, as appropriate

6. Click OK to save the changes. You may need to exit and restart your browser for the changes to take effect

Return to top ^

1. From the Netscape menu, choose Preferences

2. In the 'Category:' list on the left, click Advanced

3. Tick or untick Enable Java

4. In the 'Category' column on the left, click the triangle next to 'Advanced' to expand the list, and then select Scripts & Plugins

5. On the right, under 'Enable JavaScript for', tick or untick Navigator and Mail & Newsgroups, as appropriate

6. Click OK to save the changes. You may need to exit and restart your browser for the changes to take effect

Return to top ^

1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences

2. In the 'Category:' list on the left, click Advanced

3. In Netscape 6x, tick or untick the tickboxes for Enable Java, Enable JavaScript for Navigator, and Enable JavaScript for Mail & Newsgroups, as appropriate. In Netscape 4x, tick or untick the Enable Java and Enable JavaScript tickboxes

4. Click OK to save the changes. You may need to exit and restart your browser to allow the changes to take effect

Return to top ^

Netscape Navigator 3.0

1. Open Netscape Navigator. From the Options menu, choose Network Preferences

2. Select the Languages tab

3. Tick or untick the Enable Java and Enable JavaScript tickboxes

Return to top ^

1. Open Netscape Navigator. From the Options menu, choose Security Preferences

2. Select the General tab

3. Tick or untick the Disable Java and Disable JavaScript tickboxes

Note: In some of the Netscape Navigator 2.0 releases, you cannot turn off Java or JavaScript. If your version does not offer these options, you may need to install a more recent version of Netscape Navigator.