Microsoft Edge in 2025: Limitations, Misconceptions, and the Reality of Enterprise Browsing

Microsoft Edge in 2025 is a browser of contrasts. On paper, it boasts a robust feature set, enterprise integrations, and a commitment to privacy and security. But for many users and IT professionals, the day-to-day experience is defined by a series of persistent limitations and unexpected headaches.

Performance and resource management remain a challenge. Edge's new RAM limiter aims to reduce memory consumption, but users report increased tab reloads and performance degradation, especially on systems with 8GB of RAM or less. Background processes and excessive tabs can spike CPU usage, forcing workarounds like disabling hardware acceleration. Edge's RAM usage is still a sore spot, with users seeing 2–4GB consumed by just a few tabs.

Security vulnerabilities and exploits are a constant concern. Critical flaws like CVE-2025-2476 enable remote code execution, requiring urgent updates to prevent credential theft. Patched vulnerabilities in Edge's private APIs have allowed attackers to install extensions without user consent, exposing sandbox escape risks.

Privacy and data collection concerns are growing. Edge's default telemetry collects third-party search data without explicit user consent, raising GDPR compliance questions and fueling user skepticism.

Developer tools and compatibility issues further complicate the picture. Edge 125 crashes when accessing the DevTools Application tab, disrupting developer workflows. Persistent DevTools crashes in managed environments are often traced to corrupted preferences and extension conflicts.

Enterprise and update management challenges are ever-present. Delayed patch deployments for Chromium-based flaws leave organizations vulnerable, while frequent critical updates strain IT teams managing cross-platform deployments.

User experience and stability issues round out the list. High memory usage with multiple tabs leads to daily crashes and slowdowns, while workarounds like disabling startup boost highlight systemic inefficiencies in resource allocation.

All of these challenges—performance overhead, security gaps, privacy trade-offs, developer tool instability, and enterprise complexity—underscore the tension between Edge's feature-rich design and its operational reliability. For organizations and users alike, the promise of Edge in 2025 is often tempered by the reality of its limitations.