Microsoft Edge lets you control how long tabs stay active before they go to sleep. The Sleeping Tabs feature helps your computer run smoother by putting unused tabs into a low-power mode, freeing up RAM and CPU for your active work.
By default, Microsoft Edge puts a tab to sleep after 5 minutes of inactivity. You can easily change this time if you want tabs to sleep faster to save more power, or stay awake longer for quicker access to them.
Open Microsoft Edge Settings, navigate to System and performance, then Performance. Ensure “Automatically put tabs to sleep” is on and select your desired inactivity time from the “Put inactive tabs to sleep after” dropdown. This adjustment helps manage your computer’s resources.
Why change this setting?
Changing how long before an Edge tab goes to sleep helps manage your computer’s resources.
What happens when you change this setting?
When you adjust the edge tab sleep duration, your computer either saves power or keeps tabs ready to go.
Adjusting Your Tabs’ Sleep Time
You can change how long Microsoft Edge waits before putting inactive tabs to sleep to save computer resources. This setting controls the edge tab sleep duration, helping your browser run smoother, especially when you have many tabs open.
- Open Microsoft Edge Settings
First, open Microsoft Edge. Click on the three dots in the top-right corner. This is the “Settings and more” button. Then, click on Settings in the menu that appears.
- Go to System and Performance
In the Settings window, look at the left-hand side. Click on System and performance.
- Find the Sleeping Tabs Options
Under the “System and performance” section, find the category called Performance. Click on it.
Scroll down until you see the “Sleeping tabs” section. You will see a switch labeled Automatically put tabs to sleep. Make sure this switch is turned On. If it is off, your tabs will never go to sleep, and you cannot change the time. - Set Your Desired Inactivity Time
Right below the “Automatically put tabs to sleep” switch, you will see another option: Put inactive tabs to sleep after. Click on the box next to it. A list of times will show up, like 30 minutes, 1 hour, or 2 hours. Choose the time that works best for you.
Warning: If you choose a very short time and then find yourself waiting for tabs to reload often, try setting the time longer. Find the time that works best for how you use the internet.- Shorter times (like 30 minutes or 1 hour): These are good if you open many tabs and want to save power quickly. This is especially helpful if your computer is older or you run many programs at once.
- Longer times (like 1.5 hours or 2 hours): These are better if you switch between many tabs often and want them to be ready right away.
Reference:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/learn-about-performance-features-in-microsoft-edge
Summary
In summary, you can control the edge tab sleep duration in Microsoft Edge through the Performance settings to save computer power.
How to stop edge tabs from going to sleep?
To prevent specific sites from sleeping, add them to a block list in Settings. In Microsoft Edge, go to icon Settings ▸ System and performance ▸ Performance, then under Always keep these sites active, select Add site, enter the full URL, and select Add.
Does Edge have a timeout setting?
This policy setting lets you configure the timeout, in seconds, after which inactive background tabs automatically go to sleep (if sleeping tabs is enabled). By default, this timeout is 7,200 seconds, which is 2 hours.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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