Fix site display problems with Compatibility View

Sometimes a website you're visiting doesn't look like you expect it to. Images might not show up, menus might be out of place, and text boxes could be jumbled together. This can be caused by a compatibility problem between Windows Internet Explorer and the site you're on. When a site is incompatible with Internet Explorer, you'll see the Compatibility View button in the Address bar.

To turn on Compatibility View

1. See if the Compatibility View button  appears in the Address bar. (If you don't see the button, there's no need to turn on Compatibility View.)
2. Tap or click the Compatibility View button  to display the site in Compatibility View.

Once you turn on Compatibility View, Internet Explorer will automatically show that site in Compatibility View each time you visit. You can turn it off by tapping or clicking the button  again. Or, you can clear the entire list of sites using Compatibility View by deleting your browsing history.

To clear the list of Compatibility View sites

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Press the Alt key to display the Menu bar (or right–click the Address bar and then select Menu bar).
3. Tap or click Tools, and then tap or click Delete browsing history.
4. In the Delete Browsing History dialog box, tap or click the History check box, and then tap or click Delete.

Not all website display problems are caused by browser incompatibility. Interrupted Internet connections, heavy traffic, or problems with the website can also affect how a page is displayed. If you're having other problems on a site, such as playing videos, read Videos won't play in Internet Explorer.

The Compatibility List is frequently updated, and Internet Explorer automatically downloads these update. This list includes sites that might've been designed for older or other browsers, sites that use Adobe Flash Player, and other settings that help give you a better browsing experience. If you don't want these updates, you can turn off Compatibility List Updates at any time.

To turn off Compatibility List Updates

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Press the Alt key to display the Menu bar (or right–click the Address bar and then select Menu bar).
3. Tap or click Tools, and then tap or click Compatibility View settings.
4. Clear the Include updated website lists from Microsoft check box, and then tap or click Close.

To change Compatibility View settings

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Press the Alt key to display the Menu bar (or right–click the Address bar and then select Menu bar).
3. Tap or click Tools, and then tap or click Compatibility View settings.