Windows 10 and 11 users know how much Microsoft is pushing Edge to be everyone's default browser. If you’re one of those who made the switch, the experience may not be as different from the ubiquitous Google Chrome browser. After all, Edge is based on Chromium, so it behaves similarly to Chrome.
The latest Microsoft Edge comes with many new features such as sleep tabs, tab groups, and more that can help with productivity and efficiency. However, these updates can sometimes slow down Edge. If you are experiencing this, follow the fixes below to speed your browser up.
How to Fix a Slow Microsoft Edge on a Windows 10 or 11 PC
Important reminder: Before doing any troubleshooting steps below, make sure that your internet connection works properly. Often, an intermittent connection can slow down your browser. If you’ve established that there are no network-related issues, you can proceed.
1. Relaunch Microsoft Edge
When we say relaunch, we don’t just mean close the browser and open it again. Most times, exiting a program doesn’t completely stop it from running. They’re just left running in the background. To ensure that the program is completely closed, you need to stop any processes related to it on your Task Manager. Here’s how:
- Press and hold Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open Task Manager.
- Look for Microsoft Edge from the list. Click it and press End Task. This will completely close the app.
- Launch Microsoft Edge and see if it works okay.
2. Update Edge
Outdated programs such as Microsoft Edge can lead to a slow user experience. This is because developers introduced new updates to address several bugs and issues. If you don’t update it, the problems present on the app will stay and hamper your usage. That’s why whenever a new update comes in, install them when you can. Follow the steps below to update your Microsoft Edge:
- Open Microsoft Edge and click the three-dot menu found on the right side of the screen. From this menu, click Settings.
- Once you're in Settings, select About Microsoft Edge from the left-side navigation. Then, install any available updates. If there’s none, proceed to the next fix.
3. Disable the "Preload New Tab Page" Option
Unfortunately, Microsoft Edge’s new tab page includes a lot of content that can consume a lot of resources. Apart from an animated background, it also has Microsoft news, weather widget, traffic updates, and more. Loading all of them in the background can make your browser feel slow, especially if your computer doesn’t have much memory left on it.
5. Clear Cache and Cookies
Sometimes, cookies and cache cause a slow Microsoft Edge on Windows 10 and 11. If the browser has a lot of them, it can affect its speed. Luckily, the fix is easy. You only need to delete them and you’re good to go. However, deleting the data can log you out of some websites you frequently visit. If this is the case, don’t panic. All you need to do is to log in again.
Follow the steps below to clear cache and cookies from your Edge browser:
- Open the Microsoft Edge Browser.
- Then, click the three-dot menu and select Settings from the list.
- On the Settings page, click Cookies and site permissions.
- Next, click Manage and delete cookies and site data.
-
Then, press See all cookies and site data. -
Under All cookies and site data, click Remove all. -
Check your browser and see if the issue persists.
6. Disable Browser Extensions
Since you can use all Chromium extensions on Edge, it can be tempting to install many of them on your browser. However, some of them can cause your app to slow down, especially if it’s outdated or not supported anymore. Unfortunately, there’s no way for you to check which extension might cause the issue. Here’s to manually check which extension is slowing down your browser:
- Open the Edge browser and click the three-dots menu. Then click Extensions.
- From the Extensions page, manually disable all the extensions you have installed by switching the button off found on the right side of each extension.
-
After disabling all your extensions, check whether it solves the problem. If it does, go back to the Extensions page and turn the extensions one by one to see which one is causing it. - Once you find out which extension is slowing down your browser, delete it from your Edge.
Better Browsing With Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge has improved significantly since it was first introduced. That’s why more and more users are now using this app as their default browser. Like other browsers, it can sometimes experience issues that can affect your experience. However, don’t be discouraged. There are various fixes to different issues you encounter on Edge. You just need to be patient, and you’ll be surprised what Edge can do for you.