Microsoft Edge Keeps Crashing: What to Do With Microsoft Edge Problems

In 2015, Microsoft Edge made history as Microsoft’s grand browser experiment, built from the ground up with the EdgeHTML rendering engine and designed to be fast, secure, and lightweight.

Since then, however, it has faced a swarm of issues, resulting in early rejection among certain users as well as complaints from current ones.

Microsoft Edge Will Not Stay Open and Other Issues

Microsoft users do not shy away from documenting their woes online, revealing how Microsoft Edge keeps crashing, closes randomly, shuts down immediately, or will not stay open. One user managed to open it successfully only to see this message pop up on the search bar after a few seconds…

ms-appx-web:///assets/errorpages/acr_error.htm#https://www.msn.com/spartan/dhp?locale=en-US&market=US&enableregulatorypsm=0&enablecpsm=0&ishostisolationenforced=0&targetexperience=default

… and then the browser just closes without warning.

The problem can persist for a long time, just like in the case of a user who finds Edge malfunctioning on his Windows 10/11 machine for the past two months even with the latest updates. Microsoft Edge closes randomly several times a day, sometimes freezing for a couple of seconds when he is trying to scroll down a page using the touchpad.

It’s largely a mystery why these unexpected crashes occur, but there are clues here and there. Installing early versions of Windows 10/11 from the Fast ring, for instance, meant greater chances of encountering bugs and features working incorrectly. To these issues, Microsoft had often been able to provide workarounds.

What to Do When Microsoft Edge Keeps Crashing

Before working your way down the solution list we provided below, make sure that your computer is in tiptop condition and is optimized for good performance.

Regularly use a reliable tool like Outbyte PC Repair identify and clean out junk files, diagnose your Windows system, and restore system stability to prevent errors and crashes that may be getting in the way of Microsoft Edge and other programs.

Now, here are some fixes you can try to prevent Edge from crashing or dying on you unexpectedly:

Run Windows Troubleshooter

Try to run the troubleshooter for Microsoft apps by selecting Start > Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Windows Store Apps.

Use the System File Checker Tool

For Microsoft Edge crashes, you can use the System File Checker (SFC) in order to scan Windows and restore your files. Follow these steps to run the tool:

1. Open an elevated command prompt. For Windows 10/11, Windows 7, or Windows Vista, click Start, type cmd in the Search box, and right-click Command Prompt. Next, click Run as administrator. If prompted for an admin password or a confirmation, type the password or simply click Allow.
2. Run the inbox Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool (DISM) before running SFC (skip this step id you’re running Windows 7 or Vista). Type the command exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and press Enter.
3. At the command prompt, type the command sfc /scannow. Press Enter. This will scan all protected system files as well as replace corrupted ones with a cached copy. Remember: do not close the Command Prompt window until the verification is at 100 percent.
4. Once the process is finished, you may receive one of different messages, including these two:

• Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

This means that you do not have any missing or corrupted system files.

• Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them. Details are included in the CBS.Log %WinDir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log.
  To view the detail information about the system file scan and restoration, go to How to view details of the System File Checker process.

Restore Your Computer from System Restore Point

This fix takes your computer back to system restore point, an earlier point in time, but won’t affect your personal files. Note, however, that it will remove apps, drivers, as well as updates installed after the restore point is made. Follow these steps:

1. Choose the Start Type control paneland select it from the list of results.
2. Search Recovery in the Control Panel.
3. Select Recovery> Open System Restore > Next.
4. Choose the restore point linked to the problematic app, driver, or update. Afterwards, choose Next> Finish.

You might not see any restore points, in which case you can go to Control Panel, look for Recovery, and select Recovery > Configure System Restore > Configure. Ensure that you select Turn on system protection.

Reinstall Microsoft Edge

You can try to reinstall and then re-register your Microsoft Edge. Here are the steps:

1. Right-click on the Start menu, and then open Windows Powershell.
2. Copy and paste this command there: Get-AppXPackage -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose}
3. Once done, close Windows Powershell. Try to open Microsoft Edge again.

Perform a Clean Boot

This might come in handy if your Edge issue is caused by software conflicts. A clean boot is a troubleshooting method where you can identify the reason why you are having the said issue. Follow the steps here and once your computer is in clean boot state, check the apps that are crashing.

Modify the Registry

This can effectively stop Microsoft Edge from crashing at startup, but know beforehand that modifying the registry is rather risky and can cause irreversible damage when done incorrectly. Thus, we recommend creating a full backup of your computer before you proceed with the following steps:

1. Open the Run command by using the Windows key + Rshortcut on your keyboard. Type regedit and click OK. This opens the registry.
2. Once there, you will see the new address bar that informs you about where you’re in registry. Copy and paste the following command in the address bar before pressing Enter: Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.microsoftedge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\Children
3. Right-click every subkey or subfolder key. Next, choose Delete.
4. Click Yesto confirm the deletion and to finish the task.

Make sure that you do NOT delete the Children key, as it will hinder Microsoft Edge from starting up. Delete the subkeys alone. See if this addresses the problem.

Final Notes

Several Microsoft users have reported that Microsoft Edge keeps crashing, shuts down immediately, and just won’t stay open when it should. Try one or more of the solutions we outlined above and see if the problem gets fixed.

More bad news seems to be in store for Edge, as Microsoft has already confirmed its plans of rebuilding the browser, replacing the EdgeHTML rendering engine with the open-source Chromium code base.

Let’s see how that plays out. In the meantime, tell us about your own Microsoft Edge experience!