How to Enable Microsoft Edge Performance Mode on Windows 10

This brief tutorial shows students and new users how to turn on or off Microsoft Edge browser performance mode in Windows 10.

Microsoft plans to introduce a performance mode feature with its Edge browser, starting with version 91. Currently, this feature isn’t available in the current stable version of Edge.

However, since Edge typically updates to the latest version when available, you’ll begin to see the performance mode feature soon after updating. When it is released, the steps below show you how to enable it when disabled and how to turn it off when enabled.

This mode helps optimize your browser’s performance by saving battery and minimizing resource usage (memory, CPU). Performance improvements might vary depending on your device specifications and individual browser habits. Details:

• Puts background tabs to sleep after 5 minutes of inactivity (if sleeping tabs are on). When you’re not in performance mode, the timer will return to its previous selection.
• While we do our best to minimize the impact on your experience, performance mode may cause:
  • Videos to be less smooth
  • Animations slow down when you’re not interacting with the browser

To enable Edge performance mode, follow the steps below:

Enable Edge Performance mode

To enable, right-click the Edge icon from the task menu or on your desktop.

There are multiple locations where you will find the Edge home folder. These are sometimes based on the user’s profile and how Edge was installed.

The edge browser’s icon is typically stored in the path below for each user on the System.

C:\Users\Richard\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Replace the highlighted username in the path above the user account name on the System.

On some systems, you might also find the Edge browser’s icon in the path below:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application

On other systems, you may find the Edge browser’s icon in the location below:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Where ever you find your Edge icon, right-click it and select Properties as shown in the image below:

When the properties pane opens, in the Target field, add the command option at the end of the line after a space.

--enable-features=msPerformanceModeToggle

The total target command would look like this:

"C:\Users\Richard\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge SxS\Application\msedge.exe" --enable-features=msPerformanceModeToggle

Apply and save your change.

After saving your changes, open Edge and open its settings page. Click the three horizontal dots ( . ) at the top right corner to access its settings page.

Then click System from the left panel, under the “Optimize Performance” section, and use the drop-down menu to select Always On for Performance Mode. 

That’s it!

Disable performance mode

To turn off performance mode, simply reverse the steps above. Remove the command option from the Edge command target field and save.

You can turn off the browser but key the command target field option.

Conclusion

In summary, enabling and disabling Microsoft Edge’s performance mode is a straightforward process that can enhance your browsing experience. Here are the key points to remember:

• Performance mode optimizes browser performance by reducing resource usage and saving battery life.
• The mode activates features such as putting inactive tabs to sleep after 5 minutes.
• Depending on your device, you may experience performance trade-offs, such as smoother video playback and faster animations.
• Adjusting the performance mode is as simple as modifying the Edge properties and settings.
• Always remember to revert changes to disable performance mode when desired.

By following these steps, you can effectively manage Edge’s performance to suit your browsing needs.