Boost your browser

Add-ons are small utilities you can download that add a new feature to your web browser, such as the ability to add a dictionary or view your Ebay account without having to visit the main website.

We have gathered 50 of our favourites from Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) and Firefox 3 here for you to try. To find out how to add and manage add-ons for either browser, see our quick guide at the end of this feature or our Workshops section for a more detailed version.

The Windows add-ons site also hosts enhancements (known as Web Slices) for Internet Explorer 8, which is currently in beta testing, and IE7 add-ons are now only to be found under the Search Providers and Toolbars & Extensions tab. See further on for more information on IE8.

Finally, be sure to type the addresses given into the address bar of your browser and not into the search window of a search engine.

One-click answers
All the answers you need
Select any word within your IE7 window and this handy utility will access the Answers.com reference site and display relevant information, such as definitions, in a new window.

Adblock Plus
Get rid of web adverts
Adverts are often to blame for slow-loading websites and, even at the best of times, garish banner ads can be an assault on the senses. This Firefox add-on banishes them altogether so you only see the site content itself.

Add search providers
Your choice of search
IE7 uses Windows Live Search by default, but you can add other search engines into the browser’s own search facility with this handy utility. Google’s own toolbar may seem an obvious choice but using this route means your browser won’t feature two competing search windows.

Amazon search suggestions
Find items with a single click
This add-on allows you to search for items on the world’s biggest shopping website without having to visit the Amazon website at all. Simply type in your desired item, then click on any appropriate results to go straight to the relevant Amazon page.