To make browsing feel instantaneous, Microsoft Edge uses a feature called “Page prediction” or preloading. When you perform a search or hover your mouse cursor over a link, Edge tries to guess which webpage you are going to click next. It then automatically downloads the entire webpage and its associated images in the background before you ever actually click the link.
While this makes page load times incredibly fast, it is a massive waste of data. If Edge guesses incorrectly and downloads three different webpages that you never actually visit, you are silently burning through your internet bandwidth. If you are on a metered connection, a limited cellular hotspot, or simply want to maximize your device’s RAM, this predictive behavior is highly detrimental.
You can turn off page preloading to ensure Edge only downloads the specific data you explicitly request.
How to Disable Page Preloading in Edge
This setting is located in the Cookies and Site Permissions menu.
- Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
- Click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
- Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
- In the left-hand navigation sidebar, click on Cookies and site permissions.
- Scroll down to the “Manage and delete cookies and site data” section and click on it.
- Look for a toggle switch labeled Preload pages for faster browsing and searching.
- Turn this toggle to the Off position.
Edge will immediately stop pre-fetching links. Websites may take a fraction of a second longer to load when you click them, but your overall bandwidth consumption and memory usage will drop significantly.