You may have noticed in your travels around the internet that your browser's address bar occasionally turns green and displays a padlock — that's HTTPS, or a secure version of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol, swinging into action. This little green padlock is becoming vitally important as more and more of your online security is eroded. Just because your ISP can now see what sites you browse on doesn't mean they have to know all the content your consuming.

Many of us spend most of our time on the web, but all too often browsing sessions can descend into a sprawling mess of memory-hogging, audio-playing tabs that bring your computer and your productivity to a shuddering halt. It doesn't have to be that way. These extensions and tricks can bring some simplicity back to your browsing.

Though its decline has been a long time coming, 2016 was the year that the iconic Internet Explorer (IE) ceased to be the most popular way to browse the web on desktops. Though IE was the most popular desktop browser in the world at this time last year, 2017 has heralded a new king in the form of Google Chrome. The king, it seems, is finally dead.

It was inevitable. Google Chrome has snatched the crown off Microsoft Internet Explorer and Edge as the most popular web browser in the world. With Microsoft losing its dominance in the browser space, it may explain why it made the hasty move to lock Cortana, its digital personal assistant, into using its new Edge browser.

Whether it's a music clip on YouTube, a Flash ad on a news site or the latest viral sensation on Facebook, most videos you come across on today's web want to get going without any input from you — and that can cause problems with bandwidth as well as audio output you weren't expecting. Here's how to tackle the issue in your browser of choice.

Today marks the day when Microsoft finally ends support for older versions of its archaic web browser, Internet Explorer. But some businesses may not be ready to face this reality.

It's the end of the line for Windows 8.0 and Internet Explorer 8, 9 and 10. With Microsoft pulling support on them today, it's upgrade-or-get-hacked time.

There's a lot of hate for Internet Explorer but many companies still use the outdated web browser for business continuity reasons. For those running older versions of Internet Explorer, it's time to leave it behind or upgrade because Microsoft is ending support for the browser.

There are a lot of organisations that still have to run web apps made for Internet Explorer. Despite releasing its new Edge browser, Microsoft understands it needs to continue supporting Internet Explorer for some of its enterprise customers. That's why it has made improvements to its Internet Explorer 11 Enterprise Mode tools.

I remember the sheer contempt that coursed through my body when I had to use Internet Explorer to access the work intranet in one of my previous jobs. I, like so many others out there, hate Microsoft's former browser with a passion. So why do our employers still insist on ramming it down our throats? Let's talk about that.

Dear Lifehacker, I'm curious about Microsoft's new browser for Windows 10 which I've yet to upgrade to. What’s new? Should I bother using it instead of Chrome or Firefox? Or is it just Internet Explorer with a new paint job?

Believe it or not, there are still companies out there running apps that are only compatible with Internet Explorer. I used to work for one. Hell, my dad still uses Internet Explorer. So it's good news that Microsoft has issued a critical update for the browser which fixes a big security vulnerability.

It was inevitable Microsoft would have to wipe the slate clean when it came to building a replacement for Internet Explorer. While IE 11 is a far cry from the creaky ship that was 6, there's just too much cruft to work with. Hence the creation of IE's replacement, "Spartan", or Microsoft Edge as it's now called. So, what's Redmond getting rid of? All the bad stuff.

Love it or hate it, Internet Explorer (IE) has been Microsoft's window on the web for almost 20 years. In the rapidly evolving online world this is a ripe old age, and now Microsoft has decided it is time for IE to hand over the baton.

Back when Microsoft announced its plans for its new Project Spartan browser in Windows 10, it also outlined how it would continue to support Internet Explorer for businesses who depended on features for older versions. Now those plans have changed.

There are claims that Microsoft is to retire its Internet Explorer web browser and replace it with an all-new browser called Spartan with the upcoming release of Windows 10.

The successor to Internet Explorer won't be called Project Spartan. Internet Explorer isn't quite dead yet either.

A common pitfall of internet use is clicking on broken links that lead nowhere. Sometimes dodgy coding is to blame, other times the linked-to webpage or subsite has been removed. Whatever the cause, it can be bloody annoying. Occasionally though, the website in question will take some of the sting out by turning its 404 error page into an interactive experience. Here are 15 of the best; from digital art canvases to full-blown text adventures. (We've also included broken links so you can play them yourself.)

Microsoft yesterday officially confirmed its plans for Project Spartan, a new browser for Windows 10 that will run across PCs, tablets and phones. Now we have more details on how it plans to phase out the widely-used but little-loved Internet Explorer.