# Opening a new window in Explorer **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458 "2014-07-18T15:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/1 "2014-07-18T15:05:57Z")
I have Internet Explorer 11 on my work PC. Often, I need to open another window. I do a crtl-N and a new window opens. But it loads the page I was just on instead of the home page. How do I open a new window that does not load the current page that I’m on? I looked in Tools|Internet options, but I didn’t see it. ---
**Author:** ![Stana\_Claus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stana_claus/32/13874_2.png) [@Stana\_Claus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stana_Claus)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/2 "2014-07-18T15:17:00Z")
Which version of Windows are you running on that PC? If you have an icon for IE on your quick launch/task bar, try right clicking on it and select Internet Explorer from the pop-up menu. That should launch a second instance of IE starting at your regular home page. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/3 "2014-07-18T15:21:00Z")
Push alt-F and then i. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/4 "2014-07-18T15:22:34Z")
> [@Stana\_Claus](#): > > Which version of Windows are you running on that PC? If you have an icon for IE on your quick launch/task bar, try right clicking on it and select Internet Explorer from the pop-up menu. That should launch a second instance of IE starting at your regular home page. I’m not sure which version of Windows we have. Older versions used to tell you when you clicked on the Start icon, but this one doesn’t. I’m used to a Mac, where you just do cmd-N and you get a new window with the home page, so I was hoping there would be a way to do that on a PC without having to right click and choose a menu option. It’s easier to use shortcut keys. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/5 "2014-07-18T15:23:01Z")
Or if you have it pinned to your quickstart, you can push windows + shift + # where # is its position from the left. Like if it’s the first icon on the quickstart bar, windows - shift - 1. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/6 "2014-07-18T15:23:45Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Push alt-F and then i. I work from home the greater percentage of the time, and I don’t have an Alt key. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/7 "2014-07-18T15:24:51Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I work from home the greater percentage of the time, and I don’t have an Alt key. Why not? If you’re on a laptop, you can usually use it by holding down the fn key or similar. If it’s an AltGr key, it should work the same way. Or you can use the [remapkey utility from microsoft](http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17657) to assign another key (like caps lock) to alt. Otherwise, see my other comment about using the quickstart instead. Or use autohotkey to make a script and assign it to some arbitrary key combo of your choice. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/8 "2014-07-18T15:33:00Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Why not? If you’re on a laptop, you can usually use it by holding down the fn key or similar. If it’s an AltGr key, it should work the same way. It doesn’t. Might be something with RDC. I know that the control key is the ‘right click’ button on my MacBook, but it doesn’t work over RDC. If I want to right-click, I either have to use the menu in whatever program I’m using, or else plug in the mouse. (That’s the default when I’m working, but sometimes I log in after hours to do a quick bit of work and I don’t really want to get the mouse.) > [@Reply](#): > > Or you can use the [remapkey utility from microsoft](http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17657) to assign another key (like caps lock) to alt. Why would Microsoft have instructions on how to remap a Mac? 😕 In any case, I don’t want to remap my MacBook. > [@Reply](#): > > Otherwise, see my other comment about using the quickstart instead. Or use autohotkey to make a script and assign it to some arbitrary key combo of your choice. You mean the Command key? If I do cmd+shift+3, it does nothing. If I do shift+cmd+3 it takes a screen shot. EDIT: It seems it takes a screen shot either way. . ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/9 "2014-07-18T15:40:26Z")
Yes, I just keep my browsers in Quick-launch, and when I open, it goes to my default. I do that all day, I have 9 open right now. I get too confused using Tabs,. so I just open a new browser window if I don’t want to lose where I am. When I get up to about 15, I just close them all and start over. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/10 "2014-07-18T16:10:06Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Yes, I just keep my browsers in Quick-launch, and when I open, it goes to my default. I do that all day, I have 9 open right now. I get too confused using Tabs,. so I just open a new browser window if I don’t want to lose where I am. When I get up to about 15, I just close them all and start over. Every time you open a new instance of IE instead of just another tab in a single instance of IE you bog down your computer. It’s your call. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/11 "2014-07-18T17:00:51Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > It doesn’t. Might be something with RDC. I know that the control key is the ‘right click’ button on my MacBook, but it doesn’t work over RDC. If I want to right-click, I either have to use the menu in whatever program I’m using, or else plug in the mouse. (That’s the default when I’m working, but sometimes I log in after hours to do a quick bit of work and I don’t really want to get the mouse.) > > Why would Microsoft have instructions on how to remap a Mac? 😕 In any case, I don’t want to remap my MacBook. > > You mean the Command key? If I do cmd+shift+3, it does nothing. If I do shift+cmd+3 it takes a screen shot. EDIT: It seems it takes a screen shot either way. > . You never mentioned you were on a Mac before 🙂 You said you’re used to Macs, but I just assumed you meant on other computers, with Safari or something. Anyway, try option-F and then i. Option is the alt key on Mac keyboards. Here’s the full list of [Mac -\> PC key conversions](http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5636), btw. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/12 "2014-07-18T17:09:42Z")
You know, there _is_ an ‘alt’ above ‘option’. :smack: That worked. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/13 "2014-07-18T17:10:20Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Every time you open a new instance of IE instead of just another tab in a single instance of IE you bog down your computer. It’s your call. A new blank tab uses about 7 MB of memory. A new blank instance, about 10 MB. Once you load actual pages into those tabs/windows, the difference becomes insignificant as page content fills up the memory (some 35 MB for Google’s homepage, regardless of where it’s launched). Not a terribly big deal, especially with the cheap RAM prices these days. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/14 "2014-07-18T17:12:10Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > You know, there _is_ an ‘alt’ above ‘option’. :smack: > > That worked. Thanks. Heh, a Mac keyboard was actually my first guess, but I thought “Naw, this is Johnny LA, not some fly-by-night poster. He must’ve looked for the Alt label above Option before saying it doesn’t exist.” 😃 Anyway, glad you figured it out! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/15 "2014-07-18T17:50:04Z")
It’s still an extra step, but it will be useful if I’m composing a webmail or working on another page that I’m putting information in. A weird thing happens when I’m writing a webmail in IE. I open another window, and it opens to the message I’m typing. I navigate elsewhere and then return to finish the mail. Then I sometimes get an error when I send it. It only happens when I open a new window and it opens to the webmail. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-a-new-window-in-explorer/693458/16 "2014-07-18T18:12:35Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Every time you open a new instance of IE instead of just another tab in a single instance of IE you bog down your computer. It’s your call. It doesn’t slow it down perceptibly – not even streaming videos. If it does bog it down noticeably, I just close them all.