Help Center » Technical information » Browser FAQs
Technical FAQs—Adjusting Web browser settingsThe basics: How can I tell which operating system I'm using? How can I tell which browser I'm using? Which browsers and operating systems work best with Vanguard.com? How do I upgrade or change my browser? What can I do if I'm having problems accessing Vanguard.com with America Online? What can I do if I'm having problems with WebTV (MSN TV)? What can I do if I'm having problems with Safari? Cookies and other data files: What are temporary Internet files and how can I delete them? What are cookies and why must my browser accept them? How do I reset my browser to accept cookies? How do I manage or delete Flash Objects on my computer? Browser settings: The text size on the pages is too large or too small. How do I adjust it? How do I disable my popup blocker? What is an operating system?Your operating system is the program that controls your computer. Most computers already have an operating system installed when you buy them. The two most popular operating system families are Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh. Each operating system family comes in specific versions. If you're running Windows, you may be running Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition (Windows ME), Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Vista. If you're using a Macintosh, you may be running Mac OS X 10.1, OS X 10.2 (Jaguar), OS X 10.3 (Panther), or OS X 10.4 (Tiger). Generally, if you want to upgrade your operating system, you need to purchase the upgrade from Microsoft, Apple, or a software reseller. How can I tell which operating system I'm using?If you're using a Windows operating system other than Windows Vista, you'll see a Start button, usually in the bottom left corner of your screen. When you click Start, the version (such as Windows 2000) is written sideways along the left edge of the Start menu. You can also double-click My Computer (on your desktop or in your Start menu). In the resulting window, click the Help menu, then About Windows. The version of Windows will display. If you're using Windows Vista, your Start button will resemble a circle with the Windows logo in the center, usually located in the bottom left corner of your screen. To verify which version of Vista you're running, click Start, right-click Computer, and select Properties. Your version of Vista (such as Windows Vista Business) will display at the top of the system window. If you're using a Macintosh operating system, you'll see an apple in the top left corner of your screen. To check which Mac operating system you're running, click the apple and then choose About This Mac (or About This Computer). The version of the Macintosh operating system will display. What is a Web browser?Your Web browser is the computer program you use to view webpages. In most cases, the Web browser that you use is not specific to your Internet service provider (the company you pay to connect to the Internet). The most popular Web browsers include Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, America Online, and Apple Safari. (Note that America Online as a company is an Internet service provider, but the America Online software contains both a Web browser and an e-mail reader, along with other features.) Some Web browsers only run on certain operating systems. Each Web browser comes in different versions. For example, Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 was the version of Internet Explorer that came with Windows XP, while Internet Explorer 7.0 is available on Windows Vista. How can I tell which browser I'm using?Most people launch their Web browser by double-clicking an icon on their desktop, in their Dock, or on their Taskbar. To find out which browser and version you're using: Windows users
Macintosh users
There are many other Web browsers available for accessing the Internet. The steps used to check the browser and version are similar for all of them. If you don't see your browser listed above, check the Help menu or the application's menu for an "About" choice. Which browsers and operating systems work best with Vanguard.com?Not all browsers or operating systems work equally well with our site. For the best results, we recommend the following: Windows users We recommend running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Vista and using one of the following browsers:
Macintosh users We recommend running Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or 10.5 (Leopard) and using one of the following browsers:
To upgrade your existing browser, see How do I upgrade or change my browser? Many browser-related questions are answered in the Help menu in the browser toolbar at the top of your screen. How do I upgrade or change my browser?You can maintain more than one Web browser on your computer at a time (such as Internet Explorer and Firefox), but you would usually only have one version of the browser (such as Firefox 3.0.0.10) installed at a time. You can download most browsers for free directly from the manufacturers' websites. Be sure to choose the most recent version that will run on your computer's operating system and follow the installation instructions carefully. If you have technical problems, contact the manufacturer for support. Some manufacturers offer beta versions (or test versions) of Web browsers through their website. We cannot guarantee that a beta version of a browser will be compatible with our website, and we recommend that you use only final-release versions of operating systems and Web browsers. Microsoft Internet Explorer
America Online
Mozilla Firefox
Apple Safari
What can I do if I'm having problems accessing Vanguard.com with America Online?If you have problems accessing or using our website through AOL on Windows, try opening Microsoft Internet Explorer separately as follows:
What can I do if I'm having problems with WebTV (MSN TV)?Vanguard.com no longer supports the WebTV or MSN TV browsers. Some WebTV users may have limited functionality on our website. However, we cannot guarantee access while using a Web appliance. Please access the site using a Windows or Macintosh computer running one of the recommended browsers. What can I do if I'm having problems with Safari?We strive to ensure that our website is compatible with the browsers our clients use most frequently, and that includes the Safari browser. Some of our website's newer features may experience compatibility issues with Safari, and we are working to resolve those issues. If you experience an immediate issue, please download and use the latest version of Firefox. In addition, please upgrade your Web browser when the next version becomes available. To download Firefox or upgrade your existing Safari browser, see How do I upgrade or change my browser? What are temporary Internet files and how can I delete them?When you visit a website, your computer stores tiny pieces of data from the site so that its pages will display faster during return visits. Most computers store such files in a cache file or a folder called Temporary Internet Files. Occasionally the files can become corrupt or outdated and need to be deleted. To clear your browser's cache (temporary Internet files), follow these steps: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x for Windows
Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.x and 8.x for Windows
America Online 9 for Windows
Google Chrome 2.0 for Windows
Firefox 3.x for Windows or Mac
Safari 3.0 and 4.0 for Mac
What are cookies and why must my browser accept them?Cookies and other similar data files are tiny pieces of information that we ask your browser to store. If your browser doesn't accept cookies, you won't be able to view your account information online. Vanguard.com uses two types of these data files: Session cookies. These data files are temporary cookies that are deleted when you shut down your browser, when you log off, or after your computer is inactive for 15 minutes. These cookies let us know that you have logged on, and they allow us to maintain your privacy as you move from page to page. They also act as timers, logging you off after prolonged inactivity to prevent unauthorized account access. Permanent or persistent cookies/data files. These types of data files are stored on your hard drive and are read by your browser each time you visit our website. They are used to remember which investments you entered in your Watch List, which funds you're tracking through Outside Investments, the results from your last visit to our Narrow Your Fund Choices tool, and to help verify your identity when you try to access your account information or initiate an online transaction. We also use them if we need to send you important messages while you're online. Important notes:
How do I reset my browser to accept cookies?Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x, 7.x, and 8.x for Windows
America Online 9 for Windows
Google Chrome 2.x for Windows
Firefox 3.x for Windows or Mac
Safari 3.0 and 4.0 for Mac
What is a Flash Object?Macromedia Flash objects store data on your computer, similar to cookies. If you deleted all your cookies and you have Macromedia Flash installed, we can use Flash objects to recognize your computer. This allows us to identify you without you having to answer one of your security questions. How do I manage or delete Flash Objects on my computer?Flash objects can be managed or deleted by adjusting the settings of the Flash software installed on your computer. You won't find a control panel for these settings on your computer, however. To make these changes, please visit the Macromedia Flash Player Settings Manager. The Website Privacy Settings tab allows you to control access to your computer's camera, microphone, and ability to store information on your system. Vanguard does not need to access your camera or microphone but will need this permission in order to store information on your computer. To grant this access, click vanguard.com in the list of visited websites, then make sure that either Always allow (recommended) or Always ask is chosen. The text size on the pages is too large or too small. How do I adjust it?To change the way your browser displays text: Windows users: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x
Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.x and 8.x
America Online
Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome 2.x
Mac users: Mozilla Firefox
Safari
How do I disable my popup blocker?
In order to use our site you may need to disable your popup blocker(s). First you need to locate the applications, then disable the popup blockers. There are three major types of popup blockers, and you may have all three types installed, in various applications on your system.
Note: Most popup blockers running on Windows computers can be temporarily disabled by holding down the Control (Ctrl) key on your keyboard while clicking a link. This is the fastest and easiest first step. To disable a popup blocker on your Web browser, do the following: Windows users: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 7, or 8 on Windows XP or Vista
Mozilla Firefox 3.x
America Online 9
Google Chrome 2.x
Macintosh users: Safari 3.0 and 4.0
Mozilla Firefox 3.0
If you are running a stand-alone popup blocker, try the following suggestions to help you modify or disable the blocker. For specific instructions, please contact the software manufacturer.
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