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Deregistering Service Workers using the URL edge://serviceworker-internals/ can indeed help speed up Microsoft Edge. These are scripts that run in the background, separate from web pages, to enable features like offline functionality, push notifications, and background sync. They can sometimes slow down the browser if they are not managed properly.
Additionally, Service Workers can also store a significant amount of data in the cache and IndexedDB. Deregistering them clears this data, which can free up resources and improve browser performance. Regarding the large folder at /Users/name/Library/Application Support/Microsoft Edge/Default/Service Worker/CacheStorage, this folder can grow large because it stores cached data from websites you visit, which helps to load pages faster on subsequent visits. If you visit many websites regularly, especially those with heavy content like videos and images, the cache can fill up quickly. Some browser extensions and web apps might also store a lot of data in the cache. Another reason is that Edge and its components might be updating frequently, adding to the cache size. Microsoft Edge for Mac has a feature that allows you to automatically clear browsing data when you close the browser. This includes clearing the cache. Here’s how you can set it up:
- Open Microsoft Edge and click on the three-dot menu button in the toolbar.
- Go to Settings.
- Navigate to the Privacy, Search, and Services section.
- Under the Delete Browsing Data section, click on Choose What To Clear Every Time You Close The Browser.
- Toggle on the types of data you want to clear, including Cached images and files.
Also, when you open Edge, it has to initialize all active Service Workers. By deregistering unnecessary ones, you reduce the number of processes that need to start, leading to faster browser launch times.
Yuhao L
Microsoft Community Technical Support