Microsoft Edge Memory Usage and Battery Consumption Optimization
Microsoft Edge browser automatically saves the battery as well memory usage of your device. You need to tweak only these settings.
Sleeping Tabs and Efficiency Mode in Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge provides two main ways for improving performance of your device; Sleeping Tabs and Efficiency Mode.
Through both settings, Edge releases trapped memory resources for tabs which are inactive for some time and thus saving battery. You can control this time (for Edge action) in performance settings; say 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or some hours. However, when you turn ON the Efficiency Mode, the browser automatically activates Sleeping Mode relatively fast; say around 5 minutes after there is no activity in the tab.
When a tab becomes faded, it means, it has released CPU resources which now can efficiently be used somewhere else, where they are needed most, for example some media editing software. It is very useful when you have opened multiple webpages of websites, and you are busy in some specific website opened in a tab; so, browser will still utilize CPU and energy resources for the tab where a webpage is visible, but it will release resources for the tabs, you are not interacting with since some time.
On the other hand, Chrome does not provide such optimizations and may use excessive battery power as noted by a Chrome user in this support page.
Update: Google Chrome browser now also has the capability to make idle an used tab.
How Much Memory and CPU Resources Are Saved by Sleeping Tabs?
Just hover mouse over any sleeping tab and it will display the information telling you the amount of memory and processing resources it saved. It is quite beneficial for the working and performance of your device.
According to a recent official Windows article:
“On average, each sleeping tab saves 85% of memory and 99% CPU for Microsoft Edge.”
How to Access Efficiency Settings in Edge Browser?
You can turn OFF or ON the Efficiency Mode, by clicking the Heart symbol in the toolbar of Edge browser. To control settings for Sleeping Mode and its time intervals, click Heart symbol and then select three dots (ellipsis) in small window and select ‘manage performance settings’.
You can also access those settings by clicking three dots in top right corner of web browser, then Settings and System and Performance.
For Which Devices Efficiency Mode Should be Activated?
No need to activate Efficiency Mode for desktop computer (connected through mains supply). For desktop computer, it is enough to just activate Sleeping Tabs for efficient utilization of resources. However, you can activate Edge Efficiency Mode for all other battery-operated devices such as laptops.
Learn to boost speed and performance of Microsoft Edge browser.
Explore more helpful articles about Browser features and settings or visit Home page. Email us to suggest edits and for your feedback about this Article.
