How to enable or disable Windows Active Desktop

Updated: 01/05/2018 by Computer Hope
Note

The Windows Active Desktop is a feature included in Windows 95 (with the release of Internet Explorer 4.0) through Windows XP. It was discontinued and replaced with Windows Sidebar in Windows Vista (renamed to Windows Desktop Gadgets in Windows 7) and live tiles in Windows 8.

Microsoft Windows XP users

  1. Open the Control Panel.
  2. Click the Display icon. If this icon is not found, open the Appearance and Themes option and click the Display icon.
  3. Click the desktop tab.
  4. Click the Customize Desktop button.
  5. Click the Web tab in the Desktop Items window.

To enable the Active Desktop, check My Current Home Page. Add your current homepage into your desktop or click New to add another web page or other Active Desktop features. To update the content, click the Synchronize button.

To disable Active Desktop, make sure all check boxes in this window are unchecked.

Microsoft Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000 users

  1. Open the Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the Display icon.
  3. Click the Web tab in the Display Properties window.

To enable the Active Desktop, check the check box for Show Web content on my Active Desktop and select the homepage you want to use as the active desktop.

To disable Active Desktop, make sure Show Web content on my Active Desktop is unchecked.