Microsoft Edge gets a feature to manage RAM consumption

You'll soon be able to determine how much RAM Edge can use. Microsoft warns that allocating too little RAM can have an impact on browser performance.

Microsoft Edge is getting a new feature where you can set a limit on the amount of memory allocated to the browser. The feature is not yet available, but is being fully tested in the Canary version, according to the screenshot shared via X.

You will find the RAM controller within the menu Browser basics, where you will find information about the Edge's battery consumption and security, among other things. Using a simple slider, you can limit how much RAM Edge gets, from 1GB up to your computer's maximum capacity. You can scale this up and down dynamically as necessary.

The amount of RAM your browser uses depends on the number of tabs you have open. Inactive tabs that you leave open are temporarily stored in memory so you can quickly open them again. You have no idea how much RAM your computer has and how much you have left? You can check it via the task manager below performance.

Don't be too frugal

Microsoft warns not to be too stingy with Edge, too. Setting a low limit can affect the speed of your browser. You shouldn't expect your browser to handle dozens of tabs simultaneously on 1GB of RAM.

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Microsoft has taken several measures in recent years to make Edge use your computer's memory more efficiently. Three years ago, it launched “Performance Mode” where the browser automatically optimizes performance based on your device's capabilities. Edge lets inactive tabs “sleep” after two hours so they don't hog RAM in the background unnecessarily.