7 Best Ways to Fix Microsoft Edge Not Responding on Windows 10

Microsoft Edge is my go-to browser on mobile and desktop. The browser works on all platforms, feels faster than market leader Google Chrome, and is compatible with all Chromium extensions that were used on the previous browser. However, the Edge experience is not without its problems. After updating Windows again, Microsoft Edge opens automatically on startup. Another issue is that Edge browser sometimes stops responding on Windows.

And users cannot just switch to Edge alternative as they have browsing history, extensions, bookmarks and passwords saved in Edge browser. While it is possible to transfer data from one Edge browser to another, the transition is not as smooth as you might think.

Instead, you can follow this guide and fix the Microsoft Edge not responding error. See the step-by-step instructions below and troubleshoot Edge issues on Windows.

1. make sure you are connected to the internet

Let’s start with the basic troubleshooting step to resolve the Edge issue. You need to check if your device is connected to a stable internet connection.

Open the Settings app on Windows 10 (use the Windows + I keyboard shortcut). Go to Network and Internet> Status and make sure it says “You are connected to the Internet.”

If the state says so, you’ll also want to test the internet connection with a different browser to make sure the issue is focused only on Edge. Open Google Chrome or Firefox and try to open a few sites.

If you can’t connect to the web using other browsers, you know there is still a problem with your internet connection, not with Edge. On the other hand, if the other browser connects correctly, the problem is only with the Edge browser and you can continue with our troubleshooting guide.

2. Clear cache and cookies

A corrupted cache can ruin your day. It’s almost always safe to clear the cache, so there’s no reason not to try it.

If there is overloaded browsing data in your Microsoft Edge, it may slow down the browser or stop responding completely.

When Microsoft Edge is unresponsive in Windows 10, you can clear your browser’s browsing history, cache, and cookies.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Edge and tap on the three-dot menu above.

2nd step: Go to Settings> Privacy, Search and Services.

Step 3: Go to Clear browsing data> Choose what to clear.

Step 4: Select Cookies and cache and tap Clear data at the bottom.

Then relaunch Microsoft Edge browser and check if the issues with unresponsive Edge have been resolved.

3. Close the edge properly

Sometimes Edge stops responding because the tabs you’ve closed over time never actually stop the process. These Edge processes add up and consume a lot of RAM. The behavior ultimately leads to Microsoft Edge crashing, freezing, or not opening at all.

Follow the steps below to completely shut down Edge on Windows 10.

Step 1: Press the Windows key and open the Start menu.

2nd step: Type Task Manager and press Enter to open the program.

Step 3: Right-click on the top-level Microsoft Edge process (the one with the number next to it) and select End Task.

This will close all running Edge processes, free up RAM space, and allow you to relaunch Edge. You should also take a look at other processes running in the background. Close the irrelevant ones, and it should free up more RAM space on your Windows 10 device.

4. Disable Edge Extensions

As you already know, Microsoft Edge is integrated with Google’s Chromium engine. As a result, it works perfectly with all Google Chrome extensions. By using extensions, one can add more functionality to the interface and basic Edge functionality.

However, some may not be actively maintained, may be out of date, or develop incompatibilities with newer Edge versions.

If dozens of Edge Extensions are installed, it can be difficult to determine which one is causing the problem. For this reason, the easiest solution is to deactivate all the extensions and then activate only the ones you need one at a time.

Step 1: Tap the three-dot menu on the Edge home screen.

2nd step: Go to the Extensions menu and select Remove to remove the extensions.

5. Disable Strict Tracking Prevention

Websites use trackers to collect information about your browsing. Websites can use this information to improve the sites and show you content such as personalized advertisements. Some trackers collect and send your information to sites you haven’t visited. Microsoft offers a default Tracking Prevention option to block trackers, harmful content, and ads.

By default, it’s set to Balanced, but if you’ve switched to Strict Prevention, the setting may interfere with some of the websites you visit.

Open Microsoft Edge Settings> Privacy, Search & Services> Tracking Prevention and switch to a balanced approach.

6. Reset all Edge settings

This can help, as there are times when changing the wrong settings could potentially cause issues with Edge, especially if you enable Edge beta.

Follow the steps below to reset all Edge browser settings.

Step 1: Launch Microsoft Edge and launch settings.

2nd step: Go to Reset settings and confirm your decision.

Remember that this will disable all of your extensions, erase temporary data, and erase all cookies. However, it will not affect saved favorites, history and passwords.

7. Install the latest Windows 10 update

Microsoft provides Edge updates through Windows Update. If the problem you are concerned about is widespread, the company is probably already working on a solution.

As soon as this solution is completed, you will get it through Windows Update.

So, just go to Settings> Updates & Security, and check for updates.

Start using Microsoft Edge again

You can easily fix Microsoft Edge not responding error on Windows 10 using the tips mentioned above. I closed Microsoft Edge from the Task Manager app and it fixed the issue for me. Let us know the trick that worked for you in the comments section below.