How Can You Stop Microsoft Edge From Eating Your Computer’s Memory?

Why Is Microsoft Edge Slowing Down Your Windows 11 Computer So Badly?

Your computer feels slow. Edge is taking forever to load pages. Multiple tabs make your system freeze. Sound familiar? You’re dealing with a common problem that affects millions of Windows 11 users every day.

Edge can eat up huge amounts of your computer’s memory. This happens when you have lots of tabs open or too many add-ons running. The good news? You can fix this problem without being a tech expert.

Take Control With Built-In Memory Limits

Microsoft added a powerful new feature to Edge that lets you control exactly how much memory the browser can use. This feature works in Edge version 125 and newer versions.

1. Open Edge and click the three dots in the top-right corner. Pick “Settings” from the menu that appears.
2. Look for “System and performance” on the left side of your screen. Click on it. This is where all the memory settings live.
3. Find the section called “Manage your performance.” Look for “Enable Resource controls” and turn it on.
4. Edge normally only limits memory when you’re playing games. Change this to “Always” if you want it to work all the time. Use the slider to pick how much memory Edge can use. Don’t set it too low or your tabs might close by themselves.
5. The “Browser essentials” section shows you how much memory Edge is using right now. Check this often to see if your settings are working.

Use Efficiency Mode to Save More Memory

Edge has another helpful feature called Efficiency Mode. It makes background tabs use less power and memory.

Here’s how to turn it on:

1. Go back to “System and performance” in Edge settings
2. Find “Efficiency mode” and turn it on
3. Set it to “Always” for best results
4. Turn on “Save resources with sleeping tabs“
5. Also turn on “Fade sleeping tabs” so you can see which tabs are sleeping

When tabs go to sleep, they use much less memory. This leaves more resources for the tabs you’re actually using.

Simple Fixes That Work Right Away

Sometimes the easiest solutions work best. Here are quick fixes you can try:

Close Tabs You Don’t Need

Every open tab uses memory. Close tabs you’re not using right now.

Use Edge’s Task Manager

Press Shift + Esc in Edge to see which tabs use the most memory. Close the ones that are using too much.

Clean Out Old Data

Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to clear cookies and cached files. This removes old data that might be slowing things down.

1. Set “Time range” to “All time“
2. Check “Cookies and other site data“
3. Check “Cached images and files“
4. Click “Clear now“

Warning: This will log you out of most websites.

Turn Off Features That Use Extra Memory

Some Edge features use more memory than others. You can turn these off:

Hardware Acceleration

Type edge://settings/system in the address bar. Find “Use graphics acceleration when available” and turn it off. Restart Edge to see if this helps.

Remove Extensions You Don’t Use

Click the puzzle piece icon in Edge’s toolbar. Remove any extensions you don’t need anymore. Each extension uses memory even when you’re not using it.

Stop Background Processes

In Edge settings, go to “System and performance.” Turn off both “Startup boost” and “Continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed“. This stops Edge from using memory when you’re not even using the browser.

Find Websites That Use Too Much Memory

Some websites are memory hogs. They use way more resources than they should.

To find problem websites:

1. Open Edge’s Task Manager (Shift + Esc)
2. Look for tabs using lots of memory
3. Try opening the same website in Chrome or Firefox
4. If it still uses lots of memory, the problem is with the website, not Edge

Consider using a different browser for websites that consistently cause problems.

Upgrade Your System If Needed

Windows 11 needs more memory than older versions of Windows. If you have 4GB or 8GB of RAM, you might need more.

Add Virtual Memory

If you can’t buy more RAM right now, you can increase virtual memory:

1. Right-click “This PC” and choose “Properties“
2. Click “Advanced system settings“
3. Under “Performance,” click “Settings“
4. Go to “Advanced” and click “Change” under “Virtual memory“
5. Uncheck “Automatically manage paging file size“
6. Set initial size to 1.5 times your RAM amount
7. Set maximum size to 3 times your RAM amount
8. Click “Set” and restart your computer

Buy More RAM

Upgrading to 16GB of RAM or more gives you the best long-term solution. This is especially important if you multitask a lot or use memory-heavy programs.

Keep Your System Running Smoothly

These steps will help you control Edge’s memory use and make your computer faster. Remember to:

• Check your memory usage regularly using Edge’s tools
• Keep Edge updated to get the latest performance improvements
• Monitor which websites and extensions use the most resources
• Adjust your settings based on how you actually use your computer

Your slow computer doesn’t have to stay slow. With these simple changes, you can get back to fast, smooth browsing without buying expensive new hardware.