This tutorial will show you how to change the background tab inactivity timeout for sleeping tabs in Microsoft Edge for your account or all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
The Microsoft Edge web browser is based on Chromium and was released on January 15, 2020. It is compatible with all supported versions of Windows, and macOS. With speed, performance, best in class compatibility for websites and extensions, and built-in privacy and security features.
The sleeping tabs feature in Microsoft Edge makes background tabs sleep after two hours of inactivity by default in order to free up resources for active tabs, new tabs, and other applications on your device. Sleeping tabs will fade to indicate they’ve released resources. To resume a sleeping tab, click/tap on it like a normal tab. The tab will un-fade and your content will be immediately available.
When efficiency mode is turned on and active, the Put inactive tabs to sleep after the specified amount of time setting will always get set to 5 minutes of inactivity and grayed out. To set the amount of time using the sleeping tabs settings, turn off efficiency mode.
Contents
- Option One: Change Inactivity Timeout for Sleeping Tabs in Microsoft Edge for Current User from Settings
- Option Two: Change Inactivity Timeout for Sleeping Tabs in Microsoft Edge for All Users using REG file
Change Inactivity Timeout for Sleeping Tabs in Microsoft Edge for Current User from Settings
1 Open Microsoft Edge.
2 Click/tap on the Settings and more (3 dots) button, and click/tap on Settings. (see screenshot below)
3 Click/tap on System and performance in the left pane. (see screenshots below step 4)
4 Select an inactivity time you want in the Put inactive tabs to sleep after the specified amount of time drop menu. (see screenshot below)
2 hours of inactivity is the default setting.
Change Inactivity Timeout for Sleeping Tabs in Microsoft Edge for All Users using REG file
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
This option uses the SleepingTabsTimeout policy for Microsoft Edge.
1 Do step 2 (30 Seconds), step 3 (5 Minutes), step 4 (15 Minutes), step 5 (30 Minutes), step 6 (1 Hour), step 7 (2 Hours), step 8 (3 Hours), step 9 (6 Hours), step 10 (12 Hours), or step 11 (default) below for what you want.
2 Put inactive tabs to sleep after "30 Seconds" for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 12 below.
30_seconds_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"SleepingTabsTimeout"=dword:0000001e3 Put inactive tabs to sleep after "5 Minutes" for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 12 below.
5_minutes_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"SleepingTabsTimeout"=dword:0000012c4 Put inactive tabs to sleep after "15 Minutes" for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 12 below.
15_minutes_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"SleepingTabsTimeout"=dword:000003845 Put inactive tabs to sleep after "30 Minutes" for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 12 below.
30_minutes_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"SleepingTabsTimeout"=dword:000007086 Put inactive tabs to sleep after "1 Hour" for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 12 below.
1_hour_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"SleepingTabsTimeout"=dword:00000e107 Put inactive tabs to sleep after "2 Hours" for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 12 below.
2_hours_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"SleepingTabsTimeout"=dword:00001c208 Put inactive tabs to sleep after "3 Hours" for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 12 below.
3_hours_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"SleepingTabsTimeout"=dword:00002a309 Put inactive tabs to sleep after "6 Hours" for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 12 below.
6_hours_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"SleepingTabsTimeout"=dword:0000546010 Put inactive tabs to sleep after "12 Hours" for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 12 below.
12_hours_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"SleepingTabsTimeout"=dword:0000a8c011 Default User Choice Inactivity Timeout for Sleeping Tabs in Microsoft Edge
This is the default setting to allow using Option One.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 12 below.
Default_userchoice_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"SleepingTabsTimeout"=-12 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
13 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
14 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
15 If Microsoft Edge is currently open, then close and reopen Microsoft Edge to apply.
16 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- Turn On or Off Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge
- Use Balanced or Maximum Savings with Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge
- Enable or Disable Tab Performance Detector in Microsoft Edge
- Turn On or Off Sleeping Tabs in Microsoft Edge
- Turn On or Off Fade Sleeping Tabs in Microsoft Edge
- Add and Remove Sites from Sleeping Tabs Exclude List in Microsoft Edge
- Enable or Disable Auto Discard Sleeping Tabs in Microsoft Edge
Attachments
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microsoft_edge_chromium.png -
1_hour_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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2_hours_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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3_hours_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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5_minutes_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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6_hours_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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12_hours_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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15_minutes_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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30_minutes_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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30_seconds_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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Default_userchoice_SleepingTabsTimeout_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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