There have been a lot of improvements to Microsoft Edge, the default browser for the Windows platform. The newer version of Edge has seen some major upgrades since it shifted to the Chromium platform. With that said, users may still experience some issues because Microsoft has added custom features to the new browser. One of the most common issues related to Edge is the Not responding issue.
This problem causes the browser to freeze or become unresponsive, which can be frustrating for users. Luckily the problem can be resolved with some troubleshooting. So if you are experiencing this issue with Edge and want to resolve it then you are in the right place.
I will explain the causes of the problem and ultimately provide a simple method to help you fix your Edge browser.
What Causes Microsoft Edge To Become Unresponsive?
Microsoft Edge’s latest version is relatively stable and can handle most type of usage applications. However, specific scenarios can cause it to become unresponsive. Unless you know the root cause of the problem, it can be challenging to fix it.
Sometimes the reason for the unresponsiveness is associated with how you use the browser. For example, if you open too many tabs simultaneously on MS Edge, the browser may not be able to handle the sudden load and can crash.
In addition to opening too many tabs simultaneously, opening a web page not supported by the browser can also cause the issue of not responding. MS Edge allows you to install and run extensions for added functionality; however, if a particular extension you use is corrupted or outdated, the browser may malfunction.
Finally, if you are using an outdated version of Edge, you may experience issues such as delay or non-responsiveness. Microsoft releases updates for the Edge browser periodically, so if your browser is using outdated versions of files, they won’t perform the functions correctly.
How To Fix The Problem
Now that you know the problem’s potential causes let’s discuss the possible fixes. There is no single sure-shot fix to overcome a non responsive browser. However by applying potential fixes one by one you can eventually troubleshoot the issue and get Edge to work as intended. With that said, here is how you can fix Microsoft Edge when it’s not responding:
Restarting Microsoft Edge
If Microsoft Edge fails to close down properly, it will become unresponsive and might cause your operating system to stop responding. This issue is not unique to Microsoft Edge; any software that doesn’t close properly can become non-responsive. You can fix this issue with the help of these simple steps:
- Press Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys simultaneously and then select Task Manager.
- Once in Task Manager, locate Microsoft Edge and right-click on it to open additional options.
- Select End Task, which should close Edge even while it is non-responsive.
- Now launch Edge, and it should work correctly without getting stuck.
Disable Extensions
If you have recently installed some extensions on your Edge browser and it hasn’t been working correctly since then, the problem might be caused by an extension.
The best way to troubleshoot whether your Edge browser is malfunctioning due to a problematic extension is to disable it.
Here’s How You Can Disable An Extension In Edge:
- Open Edge and paste this address in the address bar edge://extensions/ and click enter.
- You should be able to see a list of all the extensions that are installed in your Edge browser.
- Next, find the extension you recently installed that you suspect as being the cause of the non-responsiveness.
- Find the toggle button next to the extension and click it to disable the extension.
- Now close Edge and restart it. The browser should start working normally again.
Reset Microsoft Edge
Another tested way to resolve the not responding issue in MS Edge is by resetting the browser. Doing so will undo any changes that might be causing the browser to malfunction. You can reset Microsoft Edge directly through the Reset Setting option. However, before you reset Edge, you must ensure that the sync feature is disabled so the problematic settings don’t automatically load up.
You Can Reset Edge And Disable Sync With The Help Of These Steps:
- Open Edge and click on the profile picture on the top right side.
- Click on the settings indicated by the gear icon.
- Click on the profiles option from the side menu and then select sync.
- Simply turn off sync from within the sync option to prevent settings from reloading automatically.
- Now scroll down to find and click on Reset Settings in the side menu, select Restore settings to their default value, and click reset.
- Lastly, restart Edge, and it should be working correctly again.
Install The Latest Version Of Windows
Microsoft Edge may stop responding if you aren’t running the latest version of Windows on your computer. While Windows typically installs available updates automatically, in some cases, the updates may fail to install correctly. Installing the latest Windows version through automatic updates can resolve most crashes.
Here Are The Steps To Update Your Windows To The Latest Version:
- Type Check for updates in the Windows search bar and open the Check for updates option.
- Now click the Check for updates button, and Windows will automatically download any available updates.
- It is recommended to restart your PC after installing new Windows updates. However, in most cases, your PC will restart automatically upon the installation of updates.
Conclusion
All the fixes mentioned above can be applied in no specific order, and they are known to fix the problem. However, it is recommended to restart your PC once you have applied all the fixes because a restart helps implement them.
If your copy of Microsoft Edge still won’t work as intended once you have tried the methods mentioned above, then it might be best to get in touch with customer support for answers.
