"Offering free computer help, hints, and tips to the Internet populace." Now with over 3,820 tips!

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8

Search Google Maps by Highlighting an Address on a Webpage

SUMMARY: Search Google Maps from within Internet Explorer 8 by adding an Accelerator.

If you view a webpage in Internet Explorer 8 containing an address as text, you can highlight the address, click the blue "Accelerator" button, and choose "Map with Live Search" to view a map of the selected location with Microsoft's mapping tool. By adding an Accelerator, however, you can map the selected location with Google Maps instead.

1. From Internet Explorer, visit the following URL:

http://www.ieaddons.com/en/details/740/Google_Maps/

2. Click the "Add to Internet Explorer" button.

Adding the Google Maps Accelerator to Internet Explorer 8

3. Confirm the Accelerator information is correct then click the "Add" button.

Confirming adding the Google Maps Accelerator

Now when you visit a webpage containing an address, highlight the address with your mouse. Click the blue Accelerator button, select "All Accelerators", then "Map with Google Maps".

Searching Google Maps via an Internet Explorer 8 Accelerator

A new tab will open inside Internet Explorer 8, mapping the selected destination.

Showing the mapped destination via Google Maps in Internet Explorer 8

You can set Google Maps to be your default mapping Accelerator, reducing a step from the above.

1. Right-click a blank area of a webpage.

2. Choose "All Accelerators" - "Manage Accelerators".

3. The "Manage Add-ons" dialog box appears. Scroll down to the "Map" section and click "Map with Google Maps".

4. Click the "Set as default" button.

Setting Google Maps as the default mapping Accelerator

5. Click the "Close" button to save your settings.

Now you can click the Blue accelerator button and immediately select "Map with Google Maps".

Using the Google Maps Accelerator, now set as the default mapping Accelerator in Internet Explorer 8