Microsoft Edge Not Loading Pages? Here's How to Fix It

You open Microsoft Edge, type an address or click a link, and the page just sits there. Maybe you get a spinning wheel that never resolves, or the blunt message "Hmm, we can't reach this page." Sometimes it is one site; sometimes nothing loads at all.

That error usually points at the connection layer between Edge and the site (DNS, a proxy or VPN, security software, or Edge's own state) rather than the website being down. The good news: most of these fixes take under a minute, and the quickest ones resolve the majority of cases.

Work through the fixes below in order. Each is its own section, quickest and most common first, so you can stop the moment pages load again.

First, Figure Out the Scope

Thirty seconds here saves you from chasing the wrong fix. Try loading a second, different website in Edge.

• If another site loads fine, your connection works and the problem is that one site (or its cache).
• If no sites load in Edge, suspect your network, DNS, a proxy or VPN, your profile, or security software.
• Open the same page in a different browser. If it also fails there, the issue is your network or the website itself, not Edge specifically.

Keep that result in mind; it tells you which sections below are worth your time.

Check Your Connection and Restart Your Router

A dropped connection on your device, not the website, is the single most common reason pages won't load.

1. 1.Go to Settings > Network and confirm Wi-Fi is connected and Airplane mode is off.
2. 2.If pages load but load slowly, restart your device.
3. 3.Power off your router or modem, restart it, wait for the internet to reconnect, then reload the page.

Free Up Memory and Pause Downloads

If your device is out of memory, a page simply can't finish loading. This is common when many tabs, apps, or extensions are running at once.

1. 1.Close every tab except the one showing the error.
2. 2.Close other apps and programs running in the background.
3. 3.Pause any active downloads, then retry the page.

One note: Edge's Sleeping tabs feature can make a background tab look "not loaded" until you click it. Clicking the tab wakes it.

Disable Extensions to Test

A misbehaving extension or add-on can quietly interfere with the connection.

1. 1.Select the extensions icon that looks like a puzzle piece, just to the right of the address bar.
2. 2.Turn your extensions off temporarily.
3. 3.Reload the page. If it works, re-enable extensions one at a time to find the culprit.

A faster way to confirm this: open a new InPrivate window (Settings and more "..." > New InPrivate window) and load the site. InPrivate runs without most extensions, so if the page loads there, an extension is your problem.

Clear the Browser Cache and Cookies

Corrupted or stale cache and cookies cause page-display problems. Clearing them is the targeted fix, especially when only certain sites misbehave.

1. 1.Select Settings and more (the "..." menu) > History > Open history page > Delete browsing data. (Alternate path: Settings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data > Choose what to clear.)
2. 2.Under Time range, select All time. Choosing All time is what actually clears everything.
3. 3.Check Browsing history and Cached images and files. To clear everything, also check Cookies and other site data and the remaining boxes.
4. 4.Select Clear now.

Important: if Sync is on, clearing browsing data can clear it across all your synced devices, not just this one. To clear only this device, first go to Settings > Profiles > Sync and select Turn off sync before clearing.

Update Microsoft Edge

An update that has not been applied can leave pages failing to load. Edge checks automatically when you open the About page.

1. 1.Select Settings and more ("...") > Settings > About Microsoft Edge.
2. 2.Edge checks for updates on this page. If one is available, apply it here.
3. 3.Restart Edge to finish, then retry the page.

Clear the Cache on iPhone, iPad, or Android

On the Edge mobile apps, stale browsing data causes the same loading problems. The menu and wording differ slightly by platform.

On iPhone or iPad:

1. 1.Open the Edge app and tap the Menu (the three dots "...") at the bottom of the screen.
2. 2.Tap Settings > Privacy.
3. 3.Select the data types you want to clear using the checkboxes.
4. 4.Tap Clear browsing data.

On Android:

1. 1.Open the Edge app and tap the Menu (the three dots "...").
2. 2.Tap Settings > Privacy > Clear browsing data.
3. 3.Either toggle Clear browsing data upon exit on, or select specific data types with the checkboxes.
4. 4.Tap Clear.

Rule Out a Proxy or VPN

Edge uses your Windows system proxy settings, so a leftover or misconfigured proxy can silently block traffic. A VPN can do the same.

1. 1.Open Windows Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy.
2. 2.Turn off Use a proxy server unless you knowingly rely on one.
3. 3.Temporarily turn off Automatically detect settings to rule out a faulty auto-config script.
4. 4.Alternatively, press Win + R, type inetcpl.cpl, press Enter, go to the Connections tab > LAN settings, and uncheck Use a proxy server for your LAN, then click OK.
5. 5.Disconnect any active VPN.
6. 6.Fully close Edge and reopen it. If pages load, the proxy or VPN was the blockage.

Fix DNS Resolution

If Windows can't resolve domain names, Edge can't reach sites even when your connection is otherwise fine. Two things to check: the DNS Client service and your DNS servers.

1. 1.Press Win + R, type services.msc, press Enter. Find DNS Client, set Startup type to Automatic, and click Start if it isn't running.
2. 2.To change DNS servers, right-click the Start icon > Network Connections, open your adapter's Properties, and select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Properties.
3. 3.Choose Use the following DNS server addresses and set Preferred to 8.8.8.8 and Alternate to 8.8.4.4 (Google Public DNS), then click OK.
4. 4.Close and reopen Edge, then retry the page.

Flush DNS and Reset the Network Stack

A stale Windows DNS cache or a corrupted TCP/IP or Winsock stack can block Edge until you reset it. These commands must run in Command Prompt opened as Administrator, or they fail.

1. 1.Press the Windows key, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
2. 2.Run: netsh winsock reset
3. 3.Run: netsh int ip reset
4. 4.Run: ipconfig /release
5. 5.Run: ipconfig /renew
6. 6.Run: ipconfig /flushdns
7. 7.Restart the computer to complete the reset, then reopen Edge and retry the URL.

Scan for Malware and Update Security Software

Malware can interfere with the browser, and third-party security software (such as Norton or McAfee) that is out of date can block traffic outright.

1. 1.On Windows 10 or 11, open Windows Security and use Run a scan manually to scan for malware. On macOS, follow Apple's malware-protection guidance.
2. 2.Verify any third-party security software is up to date via its own app or website.
3. 3.Restart your computer and retry the page.

Check Microsoft Family Safety

If Family Safety was recently enabled, its web restrictions can block sites so that pages show only a spinning wheel. This has been confirmed as a real cause, so it is worth ruling out if the timing fits.

1. 1.If Microsoft Family Safety was recently turned on, temporarily remove or relax the Family Safety web restrictions.
2. 2.Try loading the sites again to confirm whether the restriction was the cause.

Test a Fresh Profile

A corrupted browser profile can stop sites from loading while everything else works. The test is simple: sites that load in a new profile point to a damaged original.

1. 1.Go to Settings > Profiles > Add profile.
2. 2.Switch to the new profile and test the site there.
3. 3.If sites load in the new profile, the original is likely corrupted; migrate to the new profile.

Repair Microsoft Edge

If Edge itself is corrupted, Repair effectively reinstalls it while keeping your data. Repair preserves your browsing data and settings, but it requires an internet connection. Use Repair before Reset.

1. 1.Close Microsoft Edge completely (for all users if applicable).
2. 2.Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps. (On some builds this is Apps & Features.)
3. 3.Select Microsoft Edge, then select Modify.
4. 4.Confirm the User Account Control prompt.
5. 5.Make sure you're connected to the internet, then select Repair. Your browsing data and settings won't be affected.
6. 6.Restart your computer and try the page again.

Reset Edge to Default Settings

If nothing above worked, reset Edge as a near-last resort. It keeps your favorites, history, and saved passwords, but it resets the startup page, new-tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs, disables all extensions, and clears cookies and site data.

1. 1.Open Edge and select Settings and more (the ellipsis, top-right) > Settings.
2. 2.Select Reset settings (or type edge://settings/reset in the address bar and press Enter).
3. 3.Click Restore settings to their default values.
4. 4.Click Reset to confirm.

Run a Full Network Reset

As a final network-layer resort when no sites load in any browser, reset the network adapters entirely.

1. 1.Open Settings > Network & Internet > Network reset.
2. 2.Click Reset now and confirm. Windows removes and reinstalls your network adapters, then restarts shortly after.
3. 3.After the restart, reconnect to Wi-Fi and retry Edge.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "Hmm, we can't reach this page" actually mean?

It is Edge's connection-failure message. It usually points to a connectivity layer (DNS, a proxy or VPN, security software, or the browser's own state) rather than the website being down. Start by checking whether other sites load.

Only one website won't load. Where do I start?

If other sites work, your connection is fine and the problem is that single site. Clear your cache and cookies first, and try the page in a new InPrivate window to rule out an extension.

Will clearing my cache or resetting Edge delete my passwords and favorites?

Clearing cache and cookies does not touch passwords or favorites. Resetting Edge keeps your favorites, history, and saved passwords too, but it disables all extensions and clears cookies and site data. Repair keeps everything.

Should I use Repair or Reset?

Try Repair first. It effectively reinstalls Edge without affecting your data or settings, though it needs an internet connection. Use Reset only if Repair doesn't help, since Reset disables extensions and clears site data.

Why do the network commands fail when I run them?

Commands like netsh winsock reset and ipconfig /flushdns must be run in a Command Prompt opened as Administrator. Run them in a normal window and they fail. Always restart the computer afterward.

Edge won't load anything, but my Wi-Fi shows connected. What now?

Confirm the problem isn't site-wide by testing another browser. If nothing loads anywhere, work through the DNS, proxy or VPN, and network-stack sections; a stopped DNS Client service or a leftover proxy is a frequent cause.