How to mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser

How to mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser

Last updated: July 2, 2018 

Deficient by comparison in so many areas, the Microsoft Edge web browser is a work in progress. With every passing update, however, Edge gets functionally closer to its rivals. The recent Windows 10 April 2018 Update afforded Windows’ default web browser with several catch-up features. Perhaps the most useful change is the option to mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser. All major web browsers already include the option to mute tabs and have for some time. The ability to take action against noisy tabs in Edge is far more useful than just identifying which tab is the source of sounds.

To mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser, Windows users need to upgrade their installation to the Windows 10 April 2018 Update (Version 1803). Microsoft released the Windows 10 April 2018 Update on May 8, 2018. To request the update, go to Start > Settings and choose Update & Security > Windows Update. Click the Check for updates button to see if your device is up to date.

mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser

Muting Edge Tabs

With Windows 10 April 2018 Update installed, the option to mute tabs in Edge is present. As with previous versions, a speaker icon displays to denote when sound plays within a tab.

mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser

The speaker icon is no longer functionless. Single-click on the speaker icon to mute sounds in that tab. The sound waves from the icon change to an X to denote a muted tab.

mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser

Edge users can also mute a noisy tab by right-clicking on the tab and choosing Mute tab from the right-click menu.

mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser

Unmuting Edge Tabs

To unmute a tab in Edge browser, click on the muted speaker icon.

mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser

Edge users can also unmute a tab by right-clicking on the tab and choosing Unmute tab from the right-click menu.

mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser

Unexpected behavior

Microsoft Edge browser does not allow users to pre-mute a tab if they expect unwanted noise ahead. The option to Mute tab from the right-click menu is not selectable with a quiet tab.

mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser

However, if a user mutes a noisy tab, and navigates to a quiet site in the same tab, a muted tab remains muted. Click the muted speaker icon to unmute the tab, or choose Unmute tab from the right-click menu.

mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser

So if you expect to hear sound from a visited site, but don’t, it may be that a tab remains muted from a previous visit to a noisy site. Thank you for visiting Tech Help Knowledgebase to learn how to mute tabs in Microsoft Edge browser.