We live and work in browsers. For most of us, the web is where we spend the majority of our professional and personal time. Yet, despite its centrality, web browsing often feels slow, inefficient, and cluttered with time-sapping annoyances. The good news is that your browser does not have to be a source of friction. With the right configuration, Microsoft Edge can be transformed into a lean, efficient productivity machine.
These tips are designed for users running the latest versions of Edge on Windows 11 25H2 and Windows 10 22H2. While some features may vary slightly across different Windows versions or platforms like macOS, the core strategies outlined here will help you streamline your workflow, protect your privacy, and reclaim your time.
#1 Switch Between Work and Personal Profiles
In an era where remote and hybrid work models are standard, many professionals use a single device for both professional and personal tasks. This overlap becomes particularly problematic when it comes to web browsing. Mixing work-related favorites with personal bookmarks creates a chaotic environment where you might sift through hundreds of links to family photos or entertainment sites just to find a critical work resource, such as an internal compliance portal or a project management dashboard.
Microsoft Edge addresses this challenge through its multi-profile feature, which allows you to completely segregate your browsing data. Each profile operates as an independent environment, maintaining separate favorites, Collections, extensions, passwords, and browsing history. This separation ensures that your professional context remains distinct from your personal one, reducing cognitive load and minimizing distractions.
Each Edge profile is tied to a specific Microsoft account. To utilize this feature effectively, you will need to create a separate Microsoft account for your work or personal use. You can create a new account by visiting the Microsoft account website, selecting the option to create a new account, and following the on-screen prompts. Once you have two distinct accounts, you can configure Edge to switch between them seamlessly.
To add a second profile to Edge, click the user profile icon located at the top right of the browser window. In the pane that appears, select “Set up a new profile” and choose either “Personal” or “Work or School.” You will be redirected to a web page where you can sign in with your second Microsoft account. Once signed in, Edge will create the new profile. You can then switch between profiles by clicking the user profile icon again and selecting the desired profile from the “Other profiles” section. Each profile will open in its own window, allowing you to run both simultaneously with distinct tabs and settings.
For even greater automation, Edge allows you to set up automatic profile switching based on the website you are visiting. In “Profile settings,” navigate to “Profile preferences” and look for the “Automatic profile switching” section. Click “Add site” next to “Custom site switch,” enter the URL of a website, and select the profile you want to use for that site. This feature is particularly useful for professionals who frequently access specific work portals and want Edge to automatically switch to their work profile.
To remove a profile, go to “Settings > Profiles” and scroll to the “More profiles” section. Click the trash can icon next to the profile you wish to delete. You can always recreate it later using the steps above.
#2 Get to Your Most-Used Sites Quickly
While bookmarking and organizing favorites is essential for managing a large collection of websites, it can be cumbersome if you simply want to access a frequently used site with minimal effort. Edge offers several methods to provide instant access to your most-used sites, ranging from pinned new tab pages to taskbar shortcuts.
Add a Site to the New Tab Page
The new tab page in Edge displays news, suggested content, and other items of interest. You can pin specific sites to this page for immediate access whenever you open a new tab. To do this, look toward the top of the page, just below the search box. If you do not see icons for pinned pages, click the settings icon (a gear symbol) in the upper right corner and toggle “Quick links” to On. A row of site icons will appear, along with a “+” icon. Click the “+” icon, enter the name and URL of the site you want to pin, and select “Add.” The site will now appear on your new tab page.
You can rename or remove pinned sites by clicking the three-dot icon next to the site icon and selecting “Rename” or “Remove.” These pinned sites are tied to your current profile, so you can customize them differently for each profile you use.
Pin Tabs to the Top of Edge
For even faster access, you can pin tabs to the left side of the tab bar. Pinned tabs appear as small icons and persist even after you close and restart Edge. To pin a tab, right-click on it and select “Pin tab.” The pinned tab will move to the far left of your tab bar. Like pinned sites, pinned tabs are unique to each profile and will not carry over between profiles.
Pin Sites to the Windows Taskbar
For Windows users, pinning a site to the taskbar provides the fastest possible access. The site will remain visible even when Edge is not running, and you can launch it with a single click. To pin a site, navigate to the website, click the three-dot icon in the top right of the browser, and select “More tools > Pin to taskbar.” A dialog box will appear with the site name; you can edit the name if desired and click “Pin.” The site will now appear on your taskbar.
#3 Create Tab Groups for More Efficient Browsing
Many users keep numerous tabs open simultaneously, which can lead to clutter and make it difficult to locate specific tabs. Tab groups offer a solution by allowing you to organize tabs into categorized groups. This feature is particularly useful for researchers, developers, and anyone who manages multiple projects or topics.
To create a tab group, right-click on a tab and select “Add tab to new group.” Name the group and assign it a color for easy identification. You can then drag other tabs into the group. If you have already created a group, right-clicking a tab will show “Add tab to group” with a list of your existing groups. You can also create a new group from this menu.
Once a tab group is created, you can rename it, change its color, add or remove tabs, ungroup tabs, or delete the entire group. Right-click the group name to access these options. Tab groups help reduce visual clutter and streamline navigation, making it easier to focus on the task at hand.
#4 Enlist a Copilot as You Browse
Microsoft has increasingly integrated its Copilot AI assistant into Edge, positioning the browser as an “AI browser.” While the marketing may sometimes outpace the functionality, Edge does offer several Copilot features that can enhance your browsing experience, particularly for summarizing content and extracting information.
To access Copilot, click the Copilot icon at the top right of Edge to open the Copilot sidebar. Here, you can type prompts for Copilot. One particularly useful feature is the ability to summarize the contents of the web page you are currently viewing. Copilot can provide a high-level overview, capsule descriptions of sections, or extract specific information and organize it into a digest. To use this feature, open a web page, open the Copilot sidebar, and look for suggested prompts related to summarization. If you do not see a relevant prompt, type “Summarize the main points on this page” into the text box.
Copilot can also summarize your recent browsing activity. Click the down arrows at the bottom of the Copilot pane to see a list of previously visited pages. Click the text “Summarize my recent activity on [page]” to generate a summary. Note that if you navigate to a new page, the summary of the previous page may remain. To summarize the new page, scroll to the bottom of the Copilot pane and click “Create a summary of this page.” You can also summarize other open tabs from this section.
While the summarization feature has some rough edges, it represents a significant step toward AI-assisted browsing. For more information on Copilot capabilities, refer to Microsoft’s official documentation on Copilot features.
#5 Remove Clutter When You Launch New Tabs
The default new tab page in Edge can be visually overwhelming, filled with pinned sites, news stories, widgets, and advertisements. If you find this clutter distracting, you can customize the new tab page to be much cleaner and more focused.
To remove the default site icons below the search box, click the gear icon in the upper right of the new tab page to open “Page settings.” In the “Quick links & search” section, click the dropdown next to “Quick links” and select “Off.” This removes the icons. If you have pinned your own preferred sites, you can leave “Quick links” enabled but toggle “Show sponsored links” to Off to remove advertisements.
To eliminate news articles, go to the “Show content” area in the settings panel and toggle “Show feed” to Off. For a completely stripped-down experience, toggle “Show content” to Off, which removes most elements except the weather. To remove the weather widget as well, toggle “Weather” to Off. You can also turn off the “Background” toggle to remove the background graphic, though this will result in a gray page with a Microsoft logo.
#6 Launch Copilot-Centered New Tabs
If you frequently use Copilot, you can configure Edge to open the full Copilot interface whenever you open a new tab. This provides access to the complete Copilot experience, similar to the standalone Copilot app.
To enable this feature, click the three-dot icon to the left of the Copilot icon and navigate to “Settings > Start, home, and new tab page.” In the “New tab page” section, toggle “Copilot new tab page” to On. From then on, every new tab will launch the Copilot interface.
The Copilot new tab page includes a prompt box, suggested prompts, and a vertical navigation bar on the left. This bar provides access to recent chats, new chats, a library of Copilot-created content, tasks, health information, shopping assistance, image creation, and experiments. While many of these features are consumer-oriented, the Copilot new tab page can be a convenient alternative for users who rely heavily on Copilot for their browsing needs.
#7 Put Tabs to Sleep to Conserve System Resources
Keeping multiple tabs open can significantly impact system performance, consuming memory and CPU resources. Edge addresses this with a “sleep tabs” feature that puts inactive tabs to sleep, freeing up resources and improving performance. Microsoft claims that this feature can reduce memory use by an average of 32% and CPU use by an average of 37%.
To enable sleep tabs, click the three-dot icon in Edge and navigate to “Settings > System and Performance > Performance.” In the “Memory” section, toggle “Automatically put tabs to sleep” to On. You can also adjust the time it takes for a tab to sleep, with options ranging from 30 seconds to 12 hours.
To wake a sleeping tab, simply click on it. If certain sites do not function correctly after being put to sleep, you can exclude them from the sleep feature. In the “System and Performance > Performance” settings, scroll to the “General” area and click “Add site” next to “Always keep these sites active.” Enter the URL of the site you want to exclude.
#8 Reduce Power Use with ‘Energy Saver’
Browsers can be significant power consumers, especially when multiple tabs are open or media is playing. This is particularly relevant for laptop users who rely on battery power. Edge’s “Energy Saver” feature reduces system resource usage to extend battery life. Microsoft claims that Energy Saver can provide an average of 25 additional minutes of battery life.
To enable Energy Saver, navigate to “Settings > System and Performance > Performance.” In the “Power” section, toggle “Enable energy saver” to On. You will see two options: “Balanced” and “Maximum savings.” “Balanced” mode reduces power consumption when your laptop is unplugged or has a low battery. “Maximum savings” mode further reduces power usage, potentially affecting video quality, and is ideal for situations where you cannot plug in for an extended period.
You can also enable Energy Saver even when your laptop is plugged in. This mode reduces energy consumption during general use but may cause slowdowns. Use this option if you want to minimize energy usage regardless of your power source.
#9 View and Mark Up PDFs
Edge includes a built-in PDF viewer that allows you to read and mark up PDF documents without launching a separate application. The viewer supports drawing, highlighting, and erasing, making it a convenient tool for reviewing documents directly in the browser.
To open a PDF, simply click on the file. By default, it will launch in Edge’s PDF reader. You can access markup tools from a toolbar at the top of the screen. To open a PDF from your hard disk, press Ctrl+O in Edge and navigate to the file.
If you prefer to use a different PDF reader, you can change your default PDF application. In Windows Settings, go to “Apps > Default Apps” and search for “.pdf” in the search box. Click on “Microsoft Edge PDF document” and select your preferred application from the list.
#10 Turn on Edge’s AI-Powered ‘Scareware’ Blocker
Scareware is a common online threat where websites display fake malware warnings to trick users into calling fraudulent tech support lines or downloading malicious software. Edge includes an AI-powered scareware blocker that uses machine learning to detect and block suspicious behavior.
The scareware blocker is typically enabled by default, but it may be disabled on systems with limited resources, such as those with 2GB of RAM or fewer than 5 cores. Microsoft recommends enabling it on all systems. To enable the blocker, go to “Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Security” and toggle the “Scareware blocker” to On. Ensure that “Block sites detected as scams” and “Share detected scam sites with Microsoft Defender SmartScreen” are also enabled.
#11 Use Edge’s One-Click Form Filler
Filling out web forms can be time-consuming, especially when you repeatedly enter the same information. Edge’s autofill feature can save you time by automatically filling in forms with your saved information, such as addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers.
To enable autofill, go to “Settings > Passwords and autofill > Addresses and more” and toggle “Save and autofill addresses” to On. You can also enable Copilot to analyze web forms and determine which parts of your information belong in each field. Once enabled, autofill will suggest your saved information when you click in a form field, allowing you to fill the form with a single click.
#12 Save Time with Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts can significantly improve your productivity by allowing you to perform actions without navigating menus or using the mouse. Edge supports a wide range of keyboard shortcuts that can streamline your browsing experience.
Some useful shortcuts include:
- Ctrl+Shift+B: Show or hide the favorites bar.
- Ctrl+D: Add the current site to favorites.
- Alt+D or Ctrl+L: Select the URL in the Address bar.
- Ctrl+E or Ctrl+K: Open a search in the Address bar.
- Ctrl+F: Find on the current page.
- Ctrl+R: Reload the current page.
- Ctrl+H: Open your History.
- Ctrl+M: Mute or unmute volume on the current tab.
- Ctrl+N: Open a new window.
- Ctrl+Shift+N: Open a new InPrivate window.
- Alt+F4 or Ctrl+Shift+W: Close the current window.
- Ctrl+T: Open a new tab and switch to it.
- Ctrl+W: Close the current tab.
- Ctrl+Tab: Switch to the next tab.
- Ctrl+Shift+Tab: Switch to the previous tab.
- Ctrl+Plus: Zoom in.
- Ctrl+Minus: Zoom out.
- Ctrl+P: Print the current page.
- Ctrl+Shift+Period: Open the Copilot pane.
For a complete list of keyboard shortcuts, refer to Microsoft’s official documentation on Edge keyboard shortcuts.
What This Means for You
Implementing these productivity tips can transform your browsing experience from a source of friction into a streamlined workflow. By separating work and personal profiles, you can maintain clear boundaries and reduce distractions. Organizing tabs into groups and pinning frequently used sites can save you time and reduce clutter. Leveraging Copilot for content summarization and utilizing Edge’s performance features like sleep tabs and Energy Saver can enhance both productivity and system efficiency. Additionally, enabling security features like the scareware blocker and using autofill can protect your data and save you time. Finally, mastering keyboard shortcuts can significantly speed up your interactions with the browser.
These tips are designed to be practical and immediately applicable. By adopting even a few of these strategies, you can experience noticeable improvements in your browsing efficiency and overall computer usage.
How to Get It
All of the features discussed in this article are available in the latest versions of Microsoft Edge. To ensure you have the most up-to-date version, open Edge and click the three-dot icon in the top right corner, then select “About Microsoft Edge.” Edge will automatically check for updates and install them if available. You can also download the latest version of Edge from the official Microsoft website if needed.
For additional guidance on using Edge features, refer to Microsoft’s official support documentation and the Windows Insider Blog for the latest updates and announcements.
This article was originally published in March 2021 and most recently updated in July 2026.
Source: Computerworld
Over to you: Which of these Edge productivity tips will you implement first to streamline your browsing workflow?
