How to Use Edge Flags to Access Hidden Features

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Plus, the best Edge flags for performance
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Want to unlock experimental features in Microsoft Edge? Edge flags offer a way to enable hidden features in Edge that aren't turned on by default. Whether you're looking for a specific Edge flag or are just curious about which flags you can modify to improve performance or add new features, we're here to help. Just keep in mind that all Edge flags are experimental, so turning them on or off can result in unexpected behavior. This guide will teach you how to find flags in Edge, how to enable or disable hidden features, and help you troubleshoot any issues that arise.

Edge Flags: What to Know

  • To access flags in Edge, type "edge://flags" into the address bar and press Enter or Return.
  • You can modify flags in Edge to improve download speeds and graphics rendering, disable unwanted AI features, and enhance tracking protection.
  • Changing Edge flags can result in unexpected behavior, as these features are experimental. If you run into trouble, click Reset all on the flags page.
Section 1 of 5:

How to Use Edge Flags

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  1. Step 1 Go to edge://flags in Microsoft Edge.
    If you want to enable or disable hidden features in Edge, you can access Edge's "flags" area (also known as Experiments) using this web address. Most flags are available for Windows and Mac, but some are also available for the mobile Edge app for Android.[1]
    • You can also access Edge flags using the URL about://flags.[2]
    • If you're unable to load the Edge flags page, the feature may have been limited by your administrator.
  2. 2
    Search for a specific flag. If you're looking for something in particular, you can type the name of the flag (or a keyword like "performance" or "GPU") into the search bar at the top of the Experiments page. This will instantly narrow down the long list of Edge flags you can change.
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  3. 3
    Use the drop-down menu to enable or disable a flag. Each flag has 3 options: Default, Enabled, or Disabled.
    • Default doesn't always mean the flag is disabled; it often means Edge can manage whether the flag is on or off as needed.
    • If you aren't sure what a flag does, leave Default selected. There's no way to tell whether Edge's default is Enabled or Disabled, and changing flags could result in unwanted behavior.
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Section 2 of 5:

Edge Flags for Performance

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  1. 1
    Force High Performance GPU
    If you have a powerful GPU and want to speed up graphics performance in Edge, set this flag to Enabled.
  2. 2
    Enable parallel downloading
    If you're tired of slow download speeds while downloading multiple files, this flag controls Edge's parallel downloading feature, which splits downloads into multiple chunks. Set this feature to Enabled to improve download speeds overall.
  3. 3
    GPU rasterization
    This flag controls whether the CPU or GPU handles the rendering of text, shapes, shadows, and animations. If you set the flag to Enabled, more of the work will be assigned to the GPU, which can make websites load faster.[3]
    • If websites appear broken, images aren't loading properly, or text looks funny, set this flag to Disabled instead.
    • Tip: To see which Edge features are using GPU acceleration and rasterization, go to edge://gpu/.
  4. 4
    Accelerated 2D canvas
    This flag controls whether the CPU or GPU handles 2D canvas rendering for HTML5. If Edge image rendering is slow, you can try toggling this flag to Enabled for a speed boost. If that doesn't help, try disabling it.[4]
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Section 3 of 5:

Edge Flags for New Features

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  1. Step 1 Experimental Tracking Prevention Features

    Set this flag to Enabled to add support for upcoming and experimental features in web/ad-tracking prevention.
  2. 2
    Enable experimental cookie features
    If you want to bring the latest cookie management features to Edge's DevTools, set this flag to Enabled.[5]
  3. 3
    Experimental JavaScript
    If you're a web developer or are viewing a website that's using JavaScript features that are still in development, enabling the Experimental JavaScript adds support for JavaScript features that haven't yet been integrated into JavaScript.[6]
  4. 4
    Latest stable JavaScript features
    If you're trying to view webpages that use legacy JavaScript extensions that conflict with newer JavaScript features, you can set this flag to Disabled to disable the newer features to make the older websites usable.
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Section 4 of 5:

Edge Flags for AI

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  1. 1
    Edge Copilot Mode Profile Toggle
    If you want to easily switch between Copilot mode and normal mode from the profile menu, set this flag to Enabled. This way, you won't have to dig through settings to enable or disable Copilot in Edge.
  2. 2
    ENC Inline Browsing
    Set this flag to Enabled if you want to be able to continue a Copilot conversation in a sidebar after you click a citation or link in a Copilot chat.
  3. 3
    Enable Compose (AI-writing) on the web
    This feature, which is enabled by default, allows you to use Edge's AI-powered Compose feature to help you write in your browser.[7] If you don't like this feature, you can set this flag to Disabled.
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Section 5 of 5:

Troubleshooting

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  1. Step 1 Reset Edge flags to the default if needed.
    Playing around in Edge's experimental features area can be fun, but making the wrong changes can make it impossible to use your browser. If needed, you can click the Reset all button at the top-right to reset all Edge flags to their default values.[8]
  2. Step 2 Check edge://gpu/ for detailed graphics info and logs.
    If you're having performance or rendering issues after changing GPU and rasterization flags in Edge, this diagnostics page will break down all hardware acceleration information, list errors in the "Problems Detected" section, and display a log of all GPU-specific events.
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References

  1. ↑ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-browser-policies/featureflagoverridescontrol
  2. ↑ https://www.majorgeeks.com/content/page/how_to_enable_or_disable_aboutflags_page_in_microsoft_edge.html
  3. ↑ https://macmyths.com/5-experimental-edge-browser-flags-worth-enabling/
  4. ↑ https://developer.chrome.com/blog/taking-advantage-of-gpu-acceleration-in-the-2d-canvas
  5. ↑ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/devtools/experimental-features/
  6. ↑ https://www.windowscentral.com/understanding-aboutflags-microsoft-edge
  7. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-edge-inline-compose-responsible-ai-faq-383d2792-855a-4fdd-a16b-c59844338c3e
  8. ↑ https://www.dell.com/support/contents/en-do/videos/videoplayer/how-to-reset-microsoft-edge-to-default-settings/6365655765112

About This Article

Nicole Levine, MFA
Co-authored by:
Nicole Levine, MFA
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions.
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Co-authors: 3
Updated: March 9, 2026
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Categories: Internet Browsers
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