How to Limit How Much RAM Microsoft Edge Can Use
It's no secret that Internet browsers use a lot of RAM which isn't necessarily a bad thing as unused RAM is basically wasted RAM. But there are quite a few instances where you might want to allocate RAM to specific tasks so that certain things get priority. For example, if you want your browser open while gaming but don't want it to consume all of your RAM. Since this is quite a common situation Microsoft has added an option to Edge that allows you to manually set how much RAM can use when gaming or in general and in this guide we'll show you how to configure it.
How to Limit How Much RAM Microsoft Edge Can Use
Before you do anything you'll need to make sure that Microsoft Edge is fully up to date. To do this open Edge then go to Settings > About. As soon as you enter this page Edge will check for updates and install them if any are available.
- Now that Edge is up to date you can access the new Performance settings.
- Open Edge, click the 3 dots in the top right-hand corner then select Settings.
- Here change to the System and Performance tab then scroll to the very bottom of the page. You'll see a section called Manage Your Performance.
- Here there are a few different options. The main one you want to enable is called Resource controls so flip that toggle to On.
- Below that you have a slider that allows you to manually set how much RAM Edge can use at any given time. So adjust the slider to the exact amount of RAM you want it to be able to use.
- Then below this option choose if you want that to be a constant limitation or if you only want it to be used when you're PC gaming.
More Tips for Managing RAM Usage in Edge
Aside from manually limiting RAM usage, there are a few other things you can do to optimize Microsoft Edge's performance. Most of which you're probably already aware of but if you aren't keep them in mind for some further improvements.
Enable Efficiency Mode
Edge has a built-in Efficiency Mode, which helps reduce resource usage when your computer is low on battery or when gaming. To enable it:
- Go to Settings > System and Performance.
- Find Efficiency Mode and toggle it on.
- You can choose to have it always active or only when your device is unplugged.
Close Unused Tabs & Enable Sleeping Tabs
If you have multiple tabs open, Edge will consume more RAM. To counter this, Edge has a Sleeping Tabs feature that automatically puts inactive tabs to sleep:
- In Settings > System and Performance, find Optimize Performance.
- Toggle on Save resources with sleeping tabs.
- You can adjust how long a tab should stay inactive before it goes to sleep.
Disable Unnecessary Extensions (HUGE RESULTS!)
Extensions can add functionality to your browser, but they also use RAM. If you notice Edge consuming too much memory, disable or remove unnecessary extensions:
- Click the three-dot menu > Extensions.
- Disable or remove extensions you don’t use frequently.
Clear Edge’s Cache and Browsing Data
Over time, cached files and browsing data can slow down Edge and increase memory usage. Clearing this data can help:
- Open Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
- Select Cached images and files, then click Clear now.