Microsoft Edge will soon compress disk caches automatically, which will help improve its performance and give users a noticeable speed boost.
The company says its goal is to "deliver the best possible browser on Windows and other platforms," despite stiff competition from Google Chrome (which, along with Edge, is built on the Chromium platform) and Apple's Safari.
Microsoft said that starting with Edge 102, its browser will "automatically compress disk caches on devices that meet eligibility checks, to ensure compression is beneficial without degrading performance."
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According to Microsoft, the contents of caches created by browsers are "often highly compressible." Caches are an important aspect of fast-loading web pages, but the negative effect they can have on a computer's disk space can slow down the actual machine. By compressing its caches, Microsoft Edge should be able to run quickly while putting less strain on the machine.
Microsoft Edge has long had a competitive disadvantage despite being the default browser on modern Windows machines, but the company has been hard at work pushing updates to make it faster, more responsive, and a better overall offering.
More recently, the browser's processor and memory requirements were reduced, which would have a less damaging effect on battery life. Bleeping Computer (opens in a new tab) reports that idle tabs should use an average of 32% less memory, and CPU usage is reduced by 37%.
Additionally, the company roadmap suggests future upgrades designed to increase productivity. Last month, we reported on a new side-by-side feature that is scheduled to arrive on Edge in August 2022.