When we use our computers, we do not even realize the amount of tasks our Operating System performs in the background without our knowledge. While we enjoy this automation, we may want to automate some other tasks as well. We wish to create reminders, alarms, schedule system restores, schedule virus scans and other such things.
Interestingly, I have also discovered a way to schedule and automate the refreshing of browser tabs. Now, we won’t have to push F5 over and over when checking email or updating news and sports scores.
Let us see how to do this using Auto Refresh, an extension for Firefox.
What is Auto Refresh?
Auto Refresh is a Firefox add-on that adds an automation mechanism to schedule refreshing of browser tabs. It can refresh or hard refresh any tab or group of tabs at individual or group intervals. Users can also customize standard presets and save the ones they use most.
Follow the link to download and install the extension to your browser.
How to Use Auto Refresh?
Once you have installed and restarted your browser, using Auto Refresh is pretty easy. All you need to do is right click anywhere on the webpage to find the option “Auto Refresh” in the context menu.
It allows you to enable a normal refresh or a hard refresh. Again, options are available to enable refresh on a single tab or all open tabs. You may select the frequency or time interval of refresh from the standard set of seven or customize to your requirements.
Customize Options
To customize settings, go to options from the add-ons manager or select “Customize” from the right click context menu. It allows you to disable and enable the statusbar icon.
The other tab contains a set of seven preset time intervals for scheduling refreshes of browser pages.You may select your own time intervals in hours, minutes and seconds and save your settings. Your saved settings will then appear in the context menu of Auto Refresh.
Conclusion
I have chosen this add-on to serve as a mail checker for me. I use it to refresh my inbox every 10 minutes, and it helps me a lot because I do not have to swap my tabs to do it manually. You may use the same to get frequent updates on news and other websites.
