"Retrieve all the groups" checkbox determines if the program downloads entire groups list from your news server (don't uses include filter). This option useful in case if you have old news server which don't understands filters, or if you just want the program to show all the groups available on the news server. Checking on this filters disables "Include masks" filter.

"Include masks" edit field contains the filter's value which the program uses when it retrieves the newsgroups list. Filter's value contains words, placed in asterisks, and separated by spaces. Newsgroups that contain any of these words in names will pass through the filter. If you change this filter's value you should reset the newsgroups list (by selecting the "Tools->Reset newsgroups list" main menu item) to apply it. The default filter value is *bilder* *pictures* *nospam* *binaries* *music* *video*.

"Use exclude filter" checkbox determines whether the program uses the exclude filter described below.

"Exclude masks" edit field contains the exclude filter's value. Filter's value contains words separated by spaces. Newsgroups which contain any of these words in names will not pass through the filter. If you change this filter's value you don't need to reset the newsgroups list - it applies immediately after you close the "Options" dialog.

"Max headers per group" field determines the maximum number of headers  that may be retrieved from a single newsgroup. This option useful when the group whose messages are about to be retrieved contains too many messages (tens of thousands) to retrieve them at one time. The program at one time retrieves only certain quantity of messages specified in this option. To get more headers just press Shift+F5 or "Refresh group content / Get more headers" () toolbar button.

"Check for new groups every X day(s)" options set determines whether the program checks news server for new groups every specified amount of days. The program performs checking at startup, and in case if new groups has been detected the program creates new tab in groups view and places such groups here.