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, it's the only browser you'll ever need.
Efficiency mode is designed to help extend battery life. It minimizes power usage by reducing resource usage (CPU usage) through modifying certain tab activity on tabs you’re not interacting with and putting inactive background tabs to sleep after 5 minutes or less. Benefits may vary depending on your device, applications, and individual browser habits.
Although efficiency mode has advantages for battery-powered devices, it can also benefit desktop computers. Efficiency mode minimizes browser resource usage so the operating system can focus its resources on other running apps.
When your laptop enters battery saver mode, efficiency mode becomes active and is indicated by a filled heart pulse icon in your browser’s toolbar. Select the icon to see the current status of the mode in the Performance menu. You can also use this menu to change when efficiency mode becomes active.
How it works
- Puts background tabs to sleep after 5 minutes of inactivity, if sleeping tabs is on
- May cause videos to be less smooth, animations to slow down when you're not interacting with the browser
- Unplugged, low battery - Efficiency mode is turned on and only active when your device is unplugged and Battery Saver is on to extend your battery life.
- Unplugged - Efficiency mode is turned on and only active when your device is unplugged to extend your battery life.
- Always - Efficiency mode is always turned on and active.
- Never - Efficiency mode is turned off.
See also:
Learn about performance features in Microsoft Edge - Microsoft Support
Learn about performance features in Microsoft Edge, such as sleeping tabs, efficiency mode, and performance detector.
support.microsoft.com
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge for your account or all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Contents
- Option One: Turn On or Off Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge for Current User from Performance icon on Toolbar
- Option Two: Turn On or Off Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge for Current User from Settings
- Option Three: Turn On or Off Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge for All Users using Policy
1 Open Microsoft Edge.
2 Perform one of the following available actions: (see screenshot below)
- Click/tap on the Performance (filled heart pulse) icon on the toolbar.
- Click/tap on the Settings and more (3 dots) button, and click/tap on Performance.
3 Select Unplugged, low battery, Unplugged, Always, or Never in the drop menu for what you want. (see screenshot below)
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 screenshot below step 4)
4 Select Unplugged, low battery, Unplugged, Always, or Never in the drop menu for what you want. (see screenshot below)
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
This option uses the EfficiencyMode policy for Microsoft Edge.
1 Do step 2 (Unplugged, low battery), step 3 (Unplugged), step 4 (Always), step 5 (Never), or step 6 (default) below for what you want.
2 Turn On Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge when Unplugged, low battery for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 7 below.
Turn_on_effiency_mode_in_Microsoft_Edge_when_Unplugged-low_battery.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"EfficiencyMode"=dword:000000033 Turn On Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge when Unplugged for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 7 below.
Turn_on_effiency_mode_in_Microsoft_Edge_when_Unplugged.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"EfficiencyMode"=dword:000000024 Always Turn On Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 7 below.
Always_turn_on_effiency_mode_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"EfficiencyMode"=dword:000000005 Never Turn On Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge for All Users
This will override and gray out Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 7 below.
Never_turn_on_effiency_mode_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"EfficiencyMode"=dword:000000016 Default User Choice to Turn On or Off Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge
This is the default setting to allow using Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 7 below.
User_choice_Turn_on_or_off_effiency_mode_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"EfficiencyMode"=-7 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
8 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
9 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
10 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- Turn On or Off Efficiency mode for PC Gaming in Microsoft Edge
- Turn On or Off Efficiency Mode for App or Process in Windows 11
- 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
- Turn On or Off Battery Saver in Windows 11
- Change Inactivity Timeout for Sleeping Tabs in Microsoft Edge
Attachments
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microsoft_edge_chromium.png -
User_choice_Turn_on_or_off_effiency_mode_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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Always_turn_on_effiency_mode_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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Never_turn_on_effiency_mode_in_Microsoft_Edge.reg
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Turn_on_effiency_mode_in_Microsoft_Edge_when_Unplugged.reg
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Turn_on_effiency_mode_in_Microsoft_Edge_when_Unplugged-low_battery.reg
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