How to Reduce RAM Usage in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge has often faced criticism from users due to its abundance of features, many of which are perceived as redundant, unnecessary, or simply excessive. While such critiques have merit—acknowledged by Microsoft through the removal of various features in recent updates—there remain several capabilities that enhance the browsing experience, particularly on devices with lower specifications. One standout feature is its memory consumption limiter. Let’s explore how to utilize this tool.

Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge are notorious for their heavy RAM usage, which can be a significant concern for devices with 8GB of RAM or less. As today’s work increasingly shifts to browser-based platforms, managing memory becomes crucial. This issue is compounded by the fact that many widely-used applications are essentially web-based, such as WhatsApp, which recently transitioned from a native app to a Progressive Web App (PWA).

Although the memory limit in Microsoft Edge won’t grant your device additional RAM, it effectively manages how much memory the browser utilizes, freeing up resources for other applications. The implementation process is straightforward: just toggle a few settings in the options menu. Notably, users can decide when to enforce this limit—either consistently or specifically during gaming sessions. This flexibility is advantageous, particularly when engaging in memory-intensive games, as it automates memory management without requiring manual adjustments.

Steps to Reduce Memory Consumption in Microsoft Edge

To get started, ensure your Microsoft Edge is fully updated. Check for updates by navigating to edge://settings/help. As of this publication, the latest Stable version is Edge 140, while the memory limitation feature has been available since Edge 125.

Select the three-dot menu icon in the upper-right corner and choose Settings.
Access System and Performance > Performance. You may also enter edge://settings/system/managePerformance directly in the address bar.
Toggle the switch for “Enable resource controls.”Additional options will appear once this is activated.
Adjust the maximum amount of memory for Edge, with allowances ranging from 1GB up to the total RAM capacity of your PC. For instance, with 32GB of RAM, I can permit Edge to utilize the full amount.
Decide when the memory limit is applicable. Options include “While PC gaming”or “Always.”If you prefer not to restrict Edge’s memory usage constantly, select “Always.”

It’s important to note that restricting memory allocation may lead to reduced browser performance, including potential tab refreshes and temporary data loss. To enhance efficiency, consider enabling the Sleeping Tabs feature, which minimizes memory usage by putting idle tabs to sleep. You can activate this feature on the same settings page under the “Save resources with sleeping tabs”option, experimenting with different memory limits to find the most suitable setting for your device.

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