Microsoft Edge is installed on over a billion Windows devices, yet most users never touch a single performance setting. After a few weeks of regular browsing — tabs left open overnight, a handful of extensions, and a growing cache — Edge starts to feel sluggish: pages load a beat too slowly, new tabs stall before appearing, and the browser occasionally freezes mid-scroll.
The fixes are almost entirely built in. Edge ships with performance features that are either off by default or set conservatively, and adjusting them takes a few clicks. The seven settings below are ranked by impact; most take under two minutes to apply.
Quick Answer
To speed up Microsoft Edge, go to Settings > System and performance and enable Sleeping Tabs, set Optimize Edge for to Balanced or Maximum performance, and confirm hardware acceleration is on. Then clear cached files under Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data. These four changes resolve most slowdowns.
1. Enable Sleeping Tabs
Path: Settings > System and performance > Sleeping tabs
Sleeping Tabs is Edge’s single most impactful memory feature. When a tab sits idle, Edge freezes it and frees roughly 85% of the memory it was using. With 10–15 open tabs, that can reclaim 500 MB to 1 GB of RAM — enough to make the entire browser feel faster.
- Click the three-dot menu (•••) in the top-right corner and select Settings.
- Click System and performance in the left sidebar.
- Toggle on Put inactive tabs to sleep after the specified amount of time.
- Set the idle timer. The default is 5 minutes; 15 or 30 minutes works better for most sessions.
Pro tip: If you frequently return to research tabs that reload slowly, set the timer to 60 minutes. You keep the RAM savings without constant interruptions.
2. Set the Right Performance Mode
Path: Settings > System and performance > Optimize Edge for
Edge offers three performance tiers. Many installations default to Efficiency, which prioritizes battery life over speed.
| Mode | Speed | Battery Impact | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency | Slower | Lowest | Laptops on battery |
| Balanced | Middle | Moderate | Most users (recommended) |
| Maximum performance | Fastest | Highest | Desktop PCs or plugged-in laptops |
Switch to Balanced for everyday use. On a desktop or plugged-in laptop, Maximum performance makes tab switching and JavaScript-heavy pages noticeably snappier.
3. Clear the Cache
Path: Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data
Edge accumulates cached files as you browse. A typical installation builds 200–500 MB of cache within a month, and stale entries can slow page rendering when local files conflict with updated versions on the server.
- In Settings, click Privacy, search, and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
- Check Cached images and files. Leave passwords and form data unchecked to keep your logins.
- Click Clear now.
Pages may load slightly slower on the first visit after clearing while Edge rebuilds the cache, then return to normal or faster speed.
4. Disable Unused Extensions
Path: Menu > Extensions > Manage extensions
Every enabled extension runs code on every page you visit. An extension installed for a one-time task and then forgotten still adds 50–200 ms of load time per page. Disabling a handful of unused extensions can cut load times by a measurable margin.
- Click the puzzle-piece icon in the toolbar, or go to Menu > Extensions > Manage extensions.
- Toggle off any extension you haven’t used in the past month.
- Click Remove to permanently uninstall ones you no longer need.
5. Confirm Hardware Acceleration Is On
Path: Settings > System and performance > Use hardware acceleration when available
Hardware acceleration offloads page rendering — scrolling, animations, video playback — to your GPU instead of your CPU. For most PCs this is a clear speed improvement. Make sure the toggle is on, then restart Edge when prompted.
Troubleshooting tip: If Edge crashes or shows visual glitches after a recent graphics driver update, turn hardware acceleration off temporarily. Update your GPU driver via Device Manager, then re-enable it.
6. Adjust Startup Boost Based on Your RAM
Path: Settings > System and performance > Startup boost
Startup Boost keeps Edge partially running in the background so it launches almost instantly. Whether to use it depends on your available RAM:
- 8 GB or more: Keep Startup Boost on. The background memory cost is small and the instant launch is worth it.
- 4 GB or less: Turn Startup Boost off. The background process competes with other apps and can make your whole PC feel sluggish.
7. Simplify the New Tab Page
Path: Gear icon on a new tab page, or Settings > New tab page
Edge’s default new tab page fetches a Microsoft News feed, weather data, and sponsored content every time you open a new tab. On slower connections or modest hardware, this adds a visible delay before the tab is usable.
- Click the gear icon on any new tab page.
- Under Page layout, select Focus or Minimal.
- Toggle off Show news feed if visible.
New tabs will open instantly with a search bar and a clean background — no network request to a content server needed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Clearing saved passwords when clearing cache. Uncheck “Passwords and other sign-in data” when clearing browsing data — otherwise you’ll be logged out of every site and need to re-enter credentials.
- Turning off hardware acceleration on a capable GPU. Most users benefit from keeping it on. Disable it only if you experience crashes or rendering glitches after a driver update.
- Keeping too many pinned tabs. Pinned tabs stay active even with Sleeping Tabs enabled. Keep pinned tabs to the five or six you actually open every day.
- Running Maximum performance mode on battery. It drains a laptop 15–20% faster than Balanced mode. Switch back to Balanced when unplugged.
- Skipping Edge updates. Microsoft ships performance fixes in regular updates. Check your version at Settings > Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge and install any pending updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Edge use more RAM than Chrome?
Generally no — Edge uses slightly less memory than Chrome with the same tabs open, especially once Sleeping Tabs is enabled. For tips on managing Chrome’s memory separately, see our guide on reducing Chrome’s RAM usage.
Will clearing the cache log me out of websites?
Clearing cached images and files will not log you out. Clearing cookies will. Uncheck “Cookies and other site data” if you want to keep your logins intact.
Is Microsoft Edge safe to use?
Yes. Edge includes built-in tracking prevention with three levels (Basic, Balanced, Strict), Microsoft Defender SmartScreen for phishing protection, and regular security patches. For stronger account security across all browsers, see our guide to setting up Bitwarden.
Does Sleeping Tabs cause tabs to lose unsaved data?
A sleeping tab reloads when you click it, which takes 1–3 seconds, and any unsaved form data in that tab is lost. If you’re filling out a long form, increase the idle timer to 60 minutes or keep that tab active.
Should I switch from Chrome to Edge?
Both are fast and secure. Edge integrates better with Windows (PDF tools, Collections, Copilot sidebar) and uses slightly less RAM; Chrome has a broader extension library. For a similar tune-up guide, see our article on speeding up Firefox.
What is the difference between Startup Boost and Sleeping Tabs?
Startup Boost keeps Edge running in the background after you close it so it launches faster next time. Sleeping Tabs frees RAM from idle open tabs while Edge is running. They work independently and are both worth enabling on PCs with 8 GB or more of RAM.
Conclusion
Enabling Sleeping Tabs, switching to Balanced or Maximum performance mode, and clearing your cache will handle the majority of Microsoft Edge slowdowns without installing anything extra. If Edge is still lagging after those steps, disabling unused extensions and simplifying the new tab page are the logical next moves. For Microsoft’s full Edge support resources, visit the Microsoft Edge Help Center.
Start with Fix 1 — Sleeping Tabs takes about 30 seconds to enable and is the single change most users notice immediately.
Last updated: June 22, 2026