How to Speed Up Microsoft Edge: 9 Proven Ways to Make Edge Faster in 2026

Microsoft Edge is one of the fastest and most feature-rich web browsers available today. Built on Chromium, it offers excellent performance, strong security, AI-powered tools, and tight integration with Windows. However, like any browser, Edge Browser can slow over time due to excessive extensions, cached data, too many open tabs, background processes, or outdated settings.

A slow browser can make everyday tasks frustrating. Web pages may take longer to load, videos may stutter, and Edge may consume more memory than expected. Fortunately, most performance issues can be fixed without reinstalling the browser or making major changes to your system.

In this guide, we’ll show you 10 effective ways to speed up Microsoft Edge, improve browser performance, reduce resource usage, and make browsing faster on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Why Microsoft Edge Becomes Slow

Microsoft Edge is designed to be fast and efficient, but its performance can gradually decline over time. In many cases, the browser itself isn’t the problem. Instead, slowdowns are usually caused by settings, extensions, excessive browsing data, or resource-heavy websites.

Some of the most common reasons Microsoft Edge becomes slow include:

• Too many open tabs are consuming memory and CPU resources
• Unnecessary browser extensions running in the background
• Corrupted or excessive cache and browsing data
• Outdated versions of Edge or Windows
• Background processes continue to run after closing the browser
• Hardware acceleration conflicts
• Malware or potentially unwanted software affecting browser performance

Modern websites are also more demanding than ever. Streaming services, online collaboration tools, AI-powered web apps, and media-rich websites can place significant strain on your system, especially on older hardware.

However, most Edge performance issues can be resolved with a few simple adjustments. Let’s start with the easiest and most effective fix.

Check What’s Slowing Down Edge

Before making any changes, it’s worth checking whether a specific tab, extension, or website is consuming excessive resources.

Microsoft Edge includes a built-in Task Manager that shows memory, CPU, and network usage for each tab and extension.

To open it:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Press Shift + Esc.
3. Review the CPU and Memory columns.
4. Look for tabs or extensions using unusually high resources.
5. Close the tab or disable the extension if necessary.

If you identify a resource-hungry tab or extension, you can resolve the issue immediately without applying any of the fixes below.

Remove Unnecessary Extensions

Extensions are add-ons that provide additional functionality to the browser, but having too many or poorly optimized extensions can slow down its performance. Disabling unnecessary extensions can reduce the strain on system resources and improve the overall speed and responsiveness of Microsoft Edge.

To review installed extensions:

1. Open Microsoft Edge, click the three-dot menu, and select Extensions > Manage Extensions.
2. Alternatively, you can type edge://extensions/ in the address bar to display installed extensions.
3. Disable extensions you rarely use.
4. Remove extensions you no longer need.
5. Restart Edge and check if performance improves.

Pay particular attention to VPNs, shopping assistants, coupon finders, toolbars, and other extensions that run continuously in the background.

If you’re not sure which extension is causing the problem, disable them one at a time and test Edge after each change. Many users notice a significant improvement in browser speed after removing unnecessary extensions.

2. Repair Microsoft Edge

If Microsoft Edge suddenly becomes slow, crashes frequently, freezes, or behaves unexpectedly, its installation files may be damaged. Fortunately, Windows includes a built-in repair option that can reinstall Edge without deleting your bookmarks, passwords, or browsing history.

To repair Microsoft Edge:

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed Apps.
2. Find Microsoft Edge in the list.
3. Click the three-dot menu next to Edge.
4. Select Modify. Click Repair and follow the on-screen instructions.

Windows will download and reinstall the latest version of Edge while preserving your personal data.

This fix is particularly useful if Edge became slow after an update, started crashing unexpectedly, or continues to perform poorly even after disabling extensions.

3. Clear Cache and Browsing Data

Over time, Microsoft Edge stores cached files, cookies, and other browsing data to help websites load faster. However, this data can sometimes become outdated or corrupted, causing websites to load slowly or behave unexpectedly.

Let’s clear Microsoft Edge browsing data to free up valuable space and potentially resolve any performance issues caused by excessive data buildup.

1. Open Microsoft Edge, click on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, and go to “Settings.”
2. Select “Privacy, search, and services”, then “Clear browsing data,” click on “Choose what to clear.”
3. Alternatively, you can press Shift + Ctrl + Del or type edge://settings/clearBrowserData in the address bar, then press Enter to open the clear browsing data option.
4. Choose the time range “All time,” then select the appropriate data to clear, such as browsing history, cookies, and cached images.
5. Click “Clear” to remove the selected data.

If Edge feels sluggish, websites are loading incorrectly, or browser performance has gradually declined over time, clearing the cache is a simple fix worth trying.

4. Create a New Edge Profile

Sometimes the problem isn’t Microsoft Edge itself, it’s your browser profile. A corrupted profile can cause slow performance, syncing issues, crashes, and other unexpected behavior.

Creating a new profile is a quick way to determine whether your existing profile is causing the slowdown.

To create a new profile:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click your profile icon in the top-right corner.
3. Select Add Profile.
4. Click Add and complete the setup.
5. Use the new profile for a while and check if Edge feels faster.

If performance improves significantly, your original profile may be corrupted or overloaded with extensions, settings, and browsing data.

You can then move your bookmarks and other important data to the new profile and continue using it as your primary Edge profile.

5. Reset Microsoft Edge Settings

If Microsoft Edge remains slow after trying the previous fixes, resetting the browser can help. This restores Edge’s settings to their default values and can resolve problems caused by incorrect configurations, unwanted changes, or extension conflicts.

Resetting Edge to its default settings can resolve issues caused by misconfigurations.

To reset Microsoft Edge:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the three-dot menu and select Settings.
3. Go to Reset settings.
4. Click Restore settings to their default values.
5. A confirmation dialog will appear. Read the information and understand that resetting will remove your extensions and clear browsing data.
6. Click on “Reset” to initiate the process.

Resetting Edge will disable extensions and restore startup pages, new tab settings, and search engine settings. However, your bookmarks, browsing history, and saved passwords will remain intact.

This fix is particularly useful if Edge became slow after installing extensions, changing browser settings, or applying tweaks that may have affected performance.

6. Check Edge Performance Settings

Microsoft Edge includes several built-in features designed to improve speed, reduce memory usage, and optimize overall performance. While many of these settings are enabled by default, it’s worth checking that they haven’t been disabled.

To review these settings:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the three-dot menu and select Settings.
3. Go to System and Performance.

Verify the following settings are enabled:

• Startup Boost – Helps Edge launch faster after Windows starts.
• Sleeping Tabs – Automatically puts inactive tabs to sleep to save memory and CPU resources.
• Efficiency Mode reduces resource usage and can help improve performance on laptops and older PCs.
• Hardware Acceleration – Uses your graphics card to improve rendering and video playback performance. If Edge becomes unstable or feels sluggish, try turning this setting off and restarting the browser.

These features won’t magically fix every performance issue, but they can help Edge use system resources more efficiently, especially if you frequently keep multiple tabs open throughout the day.

7. Update Microsoft Edge

Running an outdated version of Edge can lead to performance issues, compatibility problems, and security vulnerabilities. Microsoft regularly releases updates that include bug fixes, speed improvements, memory optimizations, and new features.

To check for updates:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
3. Select Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge.
4. Edge will automatically check for updates and install any available version.
5. Restart the browser if prompted.

Keeping Edge updated ensures you’re benefiting from the latest performance improvements and fixes. If you’re already running the latest version and Edge remains slow, continue with the next troubleshooting steps.

8. Scan Your PC for Malware

If Microsoft Edge is still running slowly after trying the previous fixes, it’s worth checking your computer for malware or potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). Some malicious software can inject advertisements into browsers, modify settings, consume system resources, and significantly impact browsing performance.

To scan your PC using Windows Security:

1. Open Windows Security.
2. Select Virus & threat protection.
3. Click Quick scan.
4. Wait for the scan to complete and remove any detected threats.

If the quick scan doesn’t find anything but you still suspect a problem, run a Full Scan for a more thorough check.

Malware-related slowdowns often affect more than just Edge. If you notice other symptoms such as high CPU usage, excessive pop-ups, unwanted browser redirects, or a generally slow computer, a malware scan should be one of your top priorities.

9. Repair Windows System Files

If Microsoft Edge isn’t the only application running slowly, the problem may be related to Windows itself. Corrupted system files can affect browser performance, cause application slowdowns, and lead to stability issues across the operating system.

Windows includes built-in tools that can scan for and repair damaged system files.

To run a System File Checker (SFC) scan:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Run the following command:sfc /scannow
3. Wait for the scan to complete.
4. Restart your computer.

If SFC reports problems it cannot fix, run the following command:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Once the repair process is complete, restart your PC and test Microsoft Edge again.

This fix is most useful when Edge slowdowns are accompanied by other symptoms such as slow applications, Windows errors, crashes, or general system performance issues.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)