Microsoft Edge Gets Speed Boost with Faster Page Loads and Smoother Performance

Microsoft is giving its Edge browser a significant speed upgrade, making web browsing faster and more responsive than ever. In a blog post shared on July 7, the company revealed a major milestone in its ongoing performance push: Edge now starts rendering visible site content in under 300 milliseconds.

This improvement targets a key metric known as First Contentful Paint (FCP), which measures how quickly the first visible elements—like text or images—appear on a webpage. Microsoft notes that “industry research shows that waiting longer than 300 to 400ms for the initial content can significantly impact user satisfaction.”

While a fast FCP doesn’t necessarily mean the entire site loads instantly, it can dramatically improve the user experience. These enhancements may help Edge stand out in a market dominated by Google Chrome, which currently holds a massive 68% share compared to Edge’s modest 5%.

The performance gains are a result of Microsoft’s shift to a streamlined WebUI 2.0 architecture. This new system reduces the size of code bundles and cuts down on the JavaScript required to initialize the user interface, resulting in snappier performance.https://youtu.be/86gXSSX4_w0

Earlier this year, Microsoft reported that Edge’s core features—like downloading files, browsing history, and launching private tabs—became 40% faster. The latest update builds on that, with 13 additional features now optimized. These include a faster settings page, quicker split screen transitions, and smoother playback for the browser’s AI-powered Read Aloud tool, which supports accessibility.

Edge’s increased responsiveness may also serve as a strategic advantage as competition intensifies. Microsoft could soon face new rivals like OpenAI, which is reportedly developing its own AI-enhanced browser.

Looking ahead, Microsoft plans to extend these performance improvements to other features, including Print Preview and Extensions, promising an even smoother browsing experience in the months to come.