Windows 10: Multi-process architecture in Microsoft Edge

Brink · Sep 30, 2020

Browsers today are more like operating systems than document viewers. Users are performing an increasing number of tasks in the browser, and fewer in desktop applications. However, every web page, web app, and extension uses memory. As a result, users are often concerned about how memory usage impacts their experience.

Weâre working to develop solutions to address this concern. These solutions include providing websites and extensions developers with information to help them use fewer resources and helping users understand how their browsing habits can affect Microsoft Edgeâs resource usage.

Weâll be sharing more about Microsoft Edgeâs memory usage over the coming months, starting with todayâs post diving into Microsoft Edgeâs multi-process architecture. We hope this will provide insight into how Microsoft Edge is using your computerâs resources, how browsing habits impact resource usage, and how you can help us make Microsoft Edge even better.

How multi-process architecture helps improve browser security and reliability

Many browsers are built using a multi-process architecture, which means the browser is split into different processes.

Browser process: This is the main process, which helps manage windows and tabs, and controls the browser frame such as the address bar and forward and back buttons. It also routes privileged access to utility processes like network requests and file access.

Renderer processes: These control how websites are rendered in a tab by executing code provided by the website. They handle HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), JavaScript, images, and more. The resource usage of each renderer process varies depending on the content being hosted.

GPU process: This process is responsible for communicating with the GPU (graphics processing unit) and handles all GPU tasks. The GPU is a piece of hardware that performs graphics-related calculations quickly and sends the output to a monitor for display. Modern browsers use the GPU to quickly render web pages.

Utility processes: Audio playback, network service, video capture, data decoding, and collections manager are all handled by these processes, so that Microsoft Edge can control and audit access to these resources and coordinate the use of global system resources.

Plug-in processes and extension processes: Plug-in processes contain active plug-ins such as Adobe Flash, and extension processes contain active extensions. Each process executes the code provided by the plug-in or extension. The resource usage of each process varies depending on the code provided. Each process also has code that allows the plug-in or extension to communicate with the browser and renderer processes.

Crashpad handler process: This tracks the health of the different processes in Microsoft Edge. If Microsoft Edge crashes, this process will help the browser capture and transmit crash reports to Microsoft servers. We use these crash reports to find and fix crashes.

Now that weâve covered what each process does, letâs walk through an example of processes that would be running for a user who has one tab open and has two extensions turned on in Microsoft Edge.

Browser Instance with one tab open and two extensions turned on

If a user opened Windows Task Manager, this is how the processes would be displayed:

In this example, the user would see nine processes running:

A browser process for the frame of the browser

A GPU process to help display the graphics

A renderer process that is running the code provided by an example site

A network service utility process to help with network requests

An audio service utility process to help with playing audio

A plug-in process that is running the code provided by Flash

Two extension processes, one for each extension, that are running code provided by the extension

A crashpad handler process that is monitoring the health of Microsoft Edge

All these processes work together to give you the browsing experience that you use today.

Now letâs look at another example. In this next example, the user has four tabs open and two extensions enabled (Figure 2). Each tab has one advertisement (two from one origin, and two from a second origin).

Browser instance with four tabs open and two extensions turned on

In this example, if the user opened Task Manager, they would see 14 processes running:

A browser process for the frame of the browser

A GPU process to help display the graphics

Six renderer processes:

Four renderer processes for the tabs: Each tab has its own renderer process and is running the code provided by the website. Occasionally, tabs from the same domain will share a process.

Two renderer processes for the ads: Ads from the same domain will share a process and will run the code provided by the ad. In this example, the two ads for the first origin will share a process and the two ads for the second origin will share a separate process. These ads are embedded in the web page using something called a subframe. (Weâll talk more about subframes later.)

A network service utility process to help with network requests

An audio service utility process to help with playing audio

A plug-in process that is running Flash

Two extension processes, one for each extension, that are running the code provided by the extension

A crashpad handler process that is monitoring the health of Microsoft Edge

Some examples are more complicated. You might see additional processes for subframes that arenât visible to you, or you might see itemsâlike service workers or web workersâshare a process with tabs or subframes. Service workers and web workers are scripts that run in the background to improve performance and allow you to use some sites and apps without an internet connection.

Benefits of a multi-process architecture

Every process has a distinct purpose, and there are numerous factors that affect the total number of processes. So why does Microsoft Edge use this multi-process architecture?

Like other modern browsers, Microsoft Edge uses this architecture for better security, reliability, and resource accountability into how the browser is using resources. Microsoft Edge is built on the Chromium project and shares a common implementation with other Chromium browsers.

Enhanced security:

If malware takes advantage of a security weakness in one of the renderer processes, it is difficult for it to escape that process and affect another process.

The renderer process is the process most likely to get attacked because it is the process interacting with the website. This process has low privileges, and extremely restricted access to the operating system, so if malware were to take control of that process, it would be unable to take control of the machine. The communication between the renderer process and the browser process are narrow in scope and protected. It is hard for malware to take advantage of this to exploit the browser process.

Additionally, process isolation prevents one process from accessing another processâs memory, which also improves a browserâs security. Letâs say, for example, that youâre purchasing a shirt online and thereâs an ad on the site. The site that youâre on needs access to your credit card information to complete the transaction; however, the ad does not need access to this information. Ads are put in their own process so that even if the ad is compromised, it wonât have easy access to your sensitive information.

Reliability

If a crash occurs on a web page, web app, extension, or plug-in, only the process that experiences the crash will be affected, improving the browserâs reliability. The rest of the browser, including most other tabs, will remain stable.

Resource accountability

Isolating each process makes it easier to see in Task Manager which process is using the most resources, and provides information about whatâs contributing to the resource usage. Is Microsoft Edge using the most resources, or is it a website, extension, or plug-in? You can also see this information in Microsoft Edgeâs internal task manager, which you can open by pressing Shift+Esc while in Microsoft Edge or by going to the top corner of the browser and selecting Settings and more (â¦) > More tools > Browser task manager.

Listening to your feedback

We recognize that people rely on their browser more than ever before, and we want browsing the web to be effortless. If you experience an issue with Microsoft Edge, send us feedback with as much detail as possible. Please include information such as steps to reproduce the issue, the URL of the page you visited, diagnostic data, a screenshot, and your email address, so we can email you for more information. This will help us address your feedback.

Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post where weâll learn how computers manage memory.

âAllison Pastewka, Program Manager, Microsoft Edge
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Source: Microsoft Edge’s multi-process architecture - Microsoft Edge Blog

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hurricane51 · Sep 30, 2020

Edge Search Does Not Permit Change of Region

I got these suggestions from the Microsoft Community forum.No. 1 worked for me:

Thank you for posting the query on Microsoft Community. I am glad to assist you on this.
We have reproduce the issue here and we are able to access non-regional search for google using Microsoft Edge.
I would suggest you to try the below steps and check if it helps.
Step 1:
Clear browsing data option of Microsoft Edge and check if you face the issue. To do so perform the steps below.

Click on the More actions icon next to the feedback icon present on top right corner of the Project Spartan homepage.

Select Settings and click on Choose what to clear.

Check the boxes Browsing history, Cookies and saved website data and Cached data and files and click on Clear.

Step 2:
I suggest you to create a new user account and check if the issue occurs.

Go to Settings.

Choose Accounts and then select Family and other users.

Select add someone else on this PC.

Enter a user name and hit next.

Click on Finish.

Sign out from the current Account and Log into the new account.

Step 3:
It could also happen because of network issue. I suggest you to try with different network connection and check if it helps.

Harshavardhan Rathod · Sep 30, 2020

what is the microsoft edge content process and is it ok to disable it

Hi Romip,

Thank you for being a part of Windows 10.

I appreciate you for providing details about the issue and we are happy to help you.

I would recommend you not to disable the Microsoft Edge content process as its required for the functioning of the Microsoft Edge.

Try the following steps and check if it helps:

Step 1:

I suggest you to refer to the following Microsoft article on
How can I clear and manage cookies in Microsoft Edge?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-10/edge-privacy-faq

If the issue persists then follow the below step.

Step 2:

Make sure your computer is up to date:

Please check your Windows updates (including optional updates).

At the Start screen, type Windows Update.

Select Check for Update.

Download and Install the latest Windows Updates.

You may receive updates related to Microsoft Edge in Windows 10.

Reference: Refer to the following Microsoft article on
Windows 10 help & how-to.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/support

Kindly let us know if you need any further assistance with Windows. We are happy to assist you.

Thank you.

Karthicka_R · Sep 30, 2020

Microsoft Edge..

Hi,

Thank you for contacting Microsoft community.

I suggest you to follow the below steps if you are using Microsoft edge in MSN home page for changing your current location and check if it helps.

Open edge browser login to msn.com.

Then on the right hand side, click on gear icon.

Go to settings, then under “market and language” and “home location” option change your current location and check whether it shows correct.

If you are using bing.com through edge browser then I suggest you to follow the below steps and check.

Open edge browser login to bing.com.

Then on the right hand side, click on gear icon.

Go to “region” option and click on “change your region” link.

Then select your country it will take your location.

Hope this information was helpful and do let us know if you need further assistance. We will be glad to assist.

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