Search Box on Internet Explorer 11 New Tab Page

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Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (KB2987107) delivers an update to Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 8.1 Update and Windows 7 which features a new search box on the New Tab Page. The image below shows the new search box on a New Tab Page.

Search Providers: How to enable this feature

Note  This how-to is for search providers only. This feature will be enabled by default in IE11 for Windows 8.1 Update and Windows 7.

 

Before you can enable this feature to your users, you must first have an OpenSearch Description file. For more information on how to create this file see Search Provider Extensibility in Internet Explorer.

After you have created the OpenSearch Description file, you will need to add the following three lines of XML:

1. Required. Specify your logo.

 <ie:NTLogo type="image/png">http://www.example.com/logo?language={language}&scale={scalefactor}&contrast={contrast}</ie:NTLogo>

You must provide:

  • The language/locale of your users

  • A logo scale factor

    Possible "scalefactor" values:

    • "100" - when DPI is 96
    • "125" - when DPI is 120
    • "150" - when DPI is 144
    • "200" - when DPI is 192

  • Accessibility contrast values

    Possible "contrast" values:

    • "none"
    • "black"
    • "white"

2. Required. Specify the URL for basic search queries to your search provider. This has to be an absolute URL.

<ie:NTSearchResult type="text/html" template="http://www.example.com/search?q={searchTerms}&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=IENTSR"/>

3. Optional. Specify the URL where XML-based search suggestions can be retrieved.

<ie:NTSearchSuggestion type="application/x-suggestions+xml" template="http://www.example.com/qsml.aspx?query={searchTerms}&market={language}&maxwidth={ie:maxWidth}&rowheight={ie:rowHeight}&sectionHeight={ie:sectionHeight}&FORM=IENTSS"/>

In order for this functionality to work, these XML requirements must be prefixed with "ie:NTLogo", "ie:NTSearchResult", and "ie:NTSearchSuggestion" respectively.

However, this change to your search provider settings will not automatically appear for your users. Once you have made the necessary changes to your OpenSearch Description file, you will need to upload it to IEGallery (or another website) so that your users can download and install the file. This feature will then be enabled.