How to Fix Microsoft Edge High Memory Usage on Windows

What Causes This?

Microsoft Edge can use a lot of memory when you have many tabs open, especially if some sites run heavy scripts, video, or web apps in the background. Extensions can also increase RAM usage, particularly ad blockers, shopping tools, VPN or security add-ons, and tab managers that stay active on every page. In some cases, Edge features such as Startup boost, background extensions, or tabs that are not going to sleep as expected can keep memory use higher than expected. A damaged browser profile or an outdated Edge build can also make the problem worse.

Common Symptoms

• Edge uses several GB of RAM in Task Manager
• Your PC slows down when multiple tabs are open
• Tabs reload often or freeze when switching between them
• Fans spin up or laptop battery drains faster than normal
• Windows feels sluggish even when other apps are closed

How to Fix It Manually

1. Check which Edge processes are using memory

   • Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
   • On the Processes tab, look for Microsoft Edge.
   • Expand it to see separate tabs, extensions, GPU processes, and background processes.
   • If one tab or extension is using much more memory than the rest, note it.
   • You can also press Shift + Esc in Edge to open Edge's built-in browser task manager and sort by memory.

2. Close heavy tabs and restart Edge

   • In Edge, close tabs you are not actively using, especially streaming sites, webmail, social media, and online editors.
   • Check whether memory usage drops in Task Manager.
   • Then fully close Edge and reopen it.
   • If Edge keeps reopening old tabs, go to Settings > Start, home, and new tabs and change what opens on startup.

3. Disable unnecessary extensions

   • In Edge, click the three-dot menu.
   • Go to Extensions > Manage extensions.
   • Turn off extensions you do not need, especially ones that run on every site.
   • Restart Edge and check memory use again.
   • If memory improves, re-enable extensions one at a time to find the one causing the problem.

4. Turn on Edge efficiency features

   • Open Settings > System and performance.
   • Turn on Efficiency mode if it is available on your version.
   • Make sure Save resources with sleeping tabs is enabled.
   • Set inactive tabs to sleep after a shorter time, such as 5 minutes or 30 minutes.
   • If you do not need Edge running after you close it, turn off background activity there as well.

5. Stop Edge background apps and startup features

   • In Settings > System and performance, turn off Startup boost if Edge is using memory even when you are not browsing.
   • Turn off Continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed.
   • On Windows, also check Settings > Apps > Startup and disable Edge-related startup entries you do not need.

6. Update Edge

   • Open the three-dot menu > Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge.
   • Edge will check for updates automatically.
   • Install any available update, then restart the browser.
   • Updates can fix memory leaks, crashes, and extension compatibility problems.

7. Reset Edge if the problem continues

   • Go to Settings > Reset settings.
   • Click Restore settings to their default values.
   • This resets startup settings, new tab settings, search engine, pinned tabs, and disables extensions, but it does not delete favorites, history, or saved passwords.
   • After the reset, test Edge before turning extensions back on.

Fix It Automatically with Kudu

If you do not want to check browser processes and startup items manually, Kudu can help. Its Performance Monitor shows which processes are using the most memory, and its Startup Manager can help you review and disable unnecessary startup entries on Windows. Kudu can also clear supported browser caches with System Cleaner, but cache cleanup is mainly for reclaiming space or fixing temporary browser issues, not a guaranteed fix for high RAM use.

Download Kudu Free →