AutoComplete

Definition of AutoComplete in The Network Encyclopedia.

What is AutoComplete?

A feature of Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 and later that attempts to complete a partial Uniform Resource Locator (URL) entered into the Address field of the browser.

When you begin to enter a URL, the AutoComplete function checks the browser’s history folder for any URLs that match your partial URL and displays the closest match to what you have entered.

This saves users from having to retype long URLs when attempting to revisit a site. This can be viewed as both an accessibility feature and a way to avoid time-wasting mistakes. If the URL that AutoComplete suggests for you is incorrect, just keep typing your URL.

AutoComplete is based on the same IntelliSense technology that is implemented in certain features of Microsoft Office, such as the AutoFill feature in Microsoft Excel.

TIP: If you clear your history folder, AutoComplete will not be able to function because it uses URLs stored in that folder. The longer you leave your history folder unemptied, the larger its contents become and the more effectively AutoComplete operates.