Discover how to fix slow microsoft edge. More than 80% of people use the Microsoft Windows operating system on their computers. The Windows 10 version offers Edge as the default browser along with optional Internet Explorer.
Besides Microsoft’s failed campaign of Edge being superior to Chrome or Firefox, many of us need to use Edge for various reasons. Especially many corporate companies still insist on using Windows 10 and Edge due to security and dependency on their internal applications.
There are no easy ways to disable Edge browser in Windows 10 unless you change the default browser settings to Chrome or Firefox.
Over time, Edge will start to slow down and open web pages very slowly. If you have been thinking of a way to solve this problem, here is how to fix slow Microsoft Edge browser on Windows 10.
How to fix slow Microsoft Edge
Follow the instructions below to fix slow Microsoft Edge browser.
- Check your internet connection
- Troubleshoot network configuration
- Clear browsing history
- Repair or reset Microsoft Edge
- Set a location for temporary files
- Remove extensions from Edge
- Do a full system scan
- Scan for viruses and Trojans
- Wait before upgrading Windows 10
- Open blank page at startup
- Clear DNS cache
- Delete all favorites
- Disable proxy server settings
- Disable VPN
1. Check your Internet connection
Well, before we go into troubleshooting mode, the first step is to check your internet connection. Sometimes the lag may not even be from your Microsoft Edge; it may just be that your web server is down.
So make sure your network is working and there are no issues with your router, LAN cable, or Wi-Fi connection.
You can simply use any other device like a mobile phone to open websites and make sure the network connection is working. Also check with other browsers like Chrome to reduce the problem with Edge.
2. Check network settings
Click on the network icon displayed on your taskbar.
- Make sure “Airplane Mode” is not enabled by mistake.
- Click the “Disconnect” button of the connected Wi-Fi network and reconnect.
Check if the Internet connection is stable and Edge opens web pages faster. If that doesn’t help, right-click the network icon on the taskbar and select “Troubleshoot.” Now that Windows Network Diagnostics will start checking for the problem.
Windows Network Diagnostics
Follow the wizard’s instructions to check and fix network-related issues.
There have been cases where too much data in your browsing history slows down your browsing speed. You can try to clear your cache and data stored in the browser. Although this will affect the time it takes to load websites for the first time, it will help remove corrupted cookies and cached files.
For example, if the website owner changed the design of the site, then it is necessary to clear the content previously stored in your browser. Otherwise, it will affect the speed or you may see different content compared to the latest available on the site.
Launch your Edge browser and press âControl + Shift + Deleteâ. You will see a settings menu sliding in from the right side. Select the check boxes for browsing history, cookies, cached data, tabs, and download history.
Hit the âClearâ button to delete all selected historical items stored in Edge. It will take some time to clear the history depending on the size of the cached data.
Now check that the websites open correctly in Edge, as mentioned, the sites may load slower the first time due to local cache deletion. But it should load faster from next time.
You can also try browsing using InPrivate mode to see if the speed is better.
- Open Edge and press the âAlt + Xâ buttons to open the settings.
- Select the âNew InPrivate Windowâ option.
- Alternatively, you can right-click the Edge icon on the taskbar and choose the “New InPrivate Window” option.
Remember, Edge will not remember any of your browsing history during InPrivate mode.
4. Repair or reset Microsoft Edge
Sometimes to fix slow Microsoft Edge, it is advisable to reset your browser to revert any changes made to the browser. Resetting your browser automatically returns your browser settings to the default values. This will help ensure if installed plugins or changed settings are causing the slowness.
Microsoft does not offer the reset option in Edge settings. Follow the instructions below to reset Edge from Windows settings.
- Press the âWindows + Iâ hotkeys to open the Windows Settings app and click on the âApplicationsâ option.
- Go to the âApps and featuresâ section and scroll down the left panel to locate âMicrosoft Edgeâ. Click on it and then click on the âAdvanced Optionsâ link.
Microsoft Edge advanced options
- On the next screen, scroll down and click on the âRepairâ button. You will see Windows restart Edge; check sites load faster now.
If the problem is not resolved, go back to the app settings and try the âResetâ option. Remember, repairing will not delete any of the historical data stored in the browser, but resetting will delete history, preferences, and login details.
5. Set location for temporary files
Another of the ways to fix slow microsoft edge. The browser stores many temporary files to increase the loading time of websites. It is a good idea to have enough space to store your temporary Internet files so that the browser works quickly. Try the steps below to restore the temporary files directory and help your Edge work properly.
- Go to the Windows search box and type âinternet optionsâ. Hit Enter to select the first option, alternatively you can go to âControl Panelâ and select âInternet Optionsâ.
- This will open the âInternet Propertiesâ dialog and click the âSettingsâ button in the âGeneral Tab > Browsing Historyâ section.
Internet property settings
The âWebsite Data Settingsâ dialog will open where you can see the disk space allocated for temporary files in the âTemporary Internet Filesâ section.
Change the size of temporary internet files
Windows recommends using 50 to 250 MB, while you can allocate between 8 and 1024 MB. Enter a value greater than the current allocation such as 512 MB or even 1024 MB.
Click the “OK” button and then “Apply” to save your changes.
Go back to Edge and see if it helps load pages faster.
6. Remove Extensions from Edge
Microsoft makes it simple by disabling Edge browser extensions by default. This will help protect your browser and computer from malicious software. You can go to âabout:flagsâ in the address bar and enable the âEnable extension developer featuresâ checkbox.
As also stated in the option, some browser extensions can put your device at risk and make the browser run slow. The tricky part about this is that you can hardly detect which of the extensions is making your browser slow.
If you have installed many extensions on your browser, we suggest you disable them one after another to limit the problem to a specific browser.
Click on the three horizontal dots in the right corner of the Edge browser and go to âExtensionsâ. Right click on an extension to remove it from your browser.
You should also make sure all your extensions are up to date before you consider removing them. This part is very necessary because sometimes your extensions may need an update instead of being completely removed.
7. Perform a full system scan
Windows 10 has a built-in scan option that fixes various system errors, it’s called SFC scan and can also be helpful in fixing Edge issues.
Here’s how to do it.
- Press the âWindows + Xâ keys to open the power management menu.
- Click on the âWindows PowerShell (Admin)â option. If you don’t see PowerShell, choose the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
- At the command prompt, type sfc /scannow Y press enter.
Scanning your computer for errors
- Windows will start to scan your computer. The process will take considerable time depending on the size and memory of your computer.
- After the scan is complete, restart your computer and check if Edge can serve web pages faster.
8. Scan for viruses and Trojans
Most of the time, viruses attack your computer when you are surfing the Internet. It not only affects the computer but also the browser you use. So when you feel that Edge browser is very slow and has suspicious activities on your computer, then virus scanning is essential to find the problem.
Edge has a built-in Windows Defender SmartScreen feature to stop websites that will harm your computer. To run a virus scan, open the Windows Defender Security Center and click the “Scan Now” button available in the “Virus & Threat Protection” section.
Scan for viruses and threats
9. Wait before upgrading Windows 10
As you may have noticed, recent Windows 10 updates have all sorts of issues. Therefore, some updates may negatively affect browser speed depending on the applications you are running on your computer. We strongly recommend updating after a few months of release rather than rushing it.
If you notice issues with Edge after the update, try repairing or resetting Edge to default settings.
10. Open blank page at startup
Like Chrome and Firefox, Microsoft Edge also shows top sites and the newsfeed when you open a new tab. Without a doubt, this will slow down the browser with the feed that needs to be loaded directly from the Internet. Follow the instructions below to set a blank page as a new tab page…
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