Microsoft is making a serious push to improve Edge’s performance. The Chromium-based browser is introducing “smart” enhancements for managing slow extensions, giving users the final say on which ones should be disabled first.
The new extension performance detector helps users identify which add-ons negatively impact the browser’s speed and responsiveness. When certain extensions consistently slow down the browser, Edge will display a pop-up alert. Clicking the alert will show users which extensions are causing slowdowns and how much they are affecting web page load times.
The alert allows users to disable problematic extensions immediately and will only appear if Edge detects ongoing performance issues. This feature will soon be rolled out to some users in Edge Canary 130. Access to Edge Canary requires a Microsoft Edge Insider subscription, which provides the latest development builds.
Microsoft acknowledges that extensions can greatly enhance the browsing experience, offering productivity boosts and customization options. However, a poorly optimized add-on may introduce extra lines of web code that can negatively impact the browser’s overall performance. Add-on developers should focus on optimizing performance, and Microsoft is offering useful advice for programmers interested in creating better extensions for the Edge ecosystem.
The new performance alert feature can also be activated early via an experimental browser flag. To enable it, visit edge://flags/#edge-performance-extension-detection, turn on the option, and restart the browser. This is another step towards making Edge a more efficient and user-friendly browser.
Microsoft recently introduced a feature in Edge that lets users limit how much RAM the browser consumes. This, combined with the new performance detector, shows Microsoft’s commitment to improving Edge’s performance and making it a more viable option for users.