How to Enable or Disable Tab Performance Detector in Microsoft Edge

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or turn off the tab Performance detector in Microsoft Edge. You can do this for just your account or for all users on your Windows 11 computer.

What is Microsoft Edge?

Microsoft Edge is a web browser based on Chromium. It came out on January 15, 2020. You can use it on Windows and macOS computers. It is fast, works well with websites and add-ons, and has built-in privacy and security features.

Why Use the Performance Detector?

Microsoft Edge tries to save memory and processing power when your computer is working hard. One way it does this is by putting unused tabs to sleep. But sometimes that is not enough. That is why Microsoft created the Performance detector.

The Performance detector watches for tabs that use too much memory (RAM) or processing power (CPU). When it finds a problem, it alerts you so you can fix it.

How Does the Performance Detector Work?

When everything is running normally, the Performance detector shows Low usage next to Memory and CPU. The gauge below it will be green.

Browser essentials

When Microsoft Edge detects that your background tabs are using too much memory or processing power, a heart pulse icon with a red dot will show up in the toolbar.

If you click this icon, the Performance detector will show High usage next to Memory and CPU. The gauge will turn red. You will see a list of tabs that are using the most memory or CPU.

You can use the Performance detector to close or put to sleep tabs that are using too much memory or CPU. This helps bring your computer back to normal performance.

Option One: Turn On or Off Tab Performance Detector in Microsoft Edge Settings

What happens: You control the Performance detector for your account only.

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the Settings and more (Alt+F) button. It looks like three dots in the top right corner. Then click Settings.
3. Click System and performance in the left pane. Then click Performance in the right pane.
   

   If you do not see a left pane, click the menu button (three bars) at the top left. Or make the Microsoft Edge window wider until you see the left pane.

4. Under General, turn on or off Enable performance detector.

Option Two: Turn On or Off Tab Performance Detector Using Registry [Requires Admin]

What happens: You control the Performance detector for all users on the computer.

You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.

Open Windows Terminal as an administrator and run the command below. Or you can go to the Registry Editor and edit the value directly.

This option uses the policy for Microsoft Edge.

Always Turn On Tab Performance Detector for All Users

This will override and gray out Option One.

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v PerformanceDetectorEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Always Turn Off Tab Performance Detector for All Users

This will override and gray out Option One.

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v PerformanceDetectorEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Default to User Choice for Tab Performance Detector

This is the default setting. It lets users control the Performance detector using Option One.

reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v PerformanceDetectorEnabled /f

More Information

Learn about performance features in Microsoft Edge – Microsoft Support Learn about other performance features in Microsoft Edge. These include sleeping tabs, efficiency mode, and the Performance detector.

Summary

The Performance detector in Microsoft Edge helps you find tabs that use too much memory or processing power. You can turn it on or off in two ways. Option One lets you control it for your account through Settings. Option Two lets an administrator control it for all users using the Registry. The Performance detector shows a green gauge for normal usage and a red gauge with a warning icon when tabs are using too much power. You can then close or put those tabs to sleep to help your computer run better.