For me, Efficiency Mode has had no adverse effect on Google Chrome, which continues to run well.
I don't doubt that you're having trouble with the internet. I'm just saying don't blame Efficiency Mode.
Efficiency mode is ruining my ability to use the web
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Russell Harris
0
Reputation points
Since my last windows update I have been unable to use the internet. Pages aren't loading on Google or Fire Fix due to "Efficiency Mode" somehow installed itself and activated without me even having a say so in the matter. I can't load Amazon, Ebay, half of my bill payinging websites, news, FB etc etc. I have tried everything, to include task manager, with one by one disabling and it continues to run and F' up my ability to do anything other than watch movies on the web. I have researched this and tried everything out there that I can find on this issue and nothing disables it or works. I did not ask for my PC to be throttled, have used my own programs to disable or "sleep" programs not needed and was having no issues before this Efficiency Mode BS. The system won't allow me to deactivate Efficiency Mode even though there is a button to do so???? It is greyed out. Please for the love of GOD help me turn this "Efficiency Mode" ridiculousness OFF and get back to normal browsing.
Windows for home | Windows 11 | Settings
3 answers
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Russell Harris 0 Reputation points
2026-08-04T22:51:56.87+00:00 Hey Emma1. It did affect all browsers. I tried a few of the things you listed (option1 and option2) before I got your response. My PC was still "throttled" and slow to respond so I saved the information/documents I needed and then I did a full system "reset" to factory specs. I rebooted Windows and reloaded a few programs. It is working fine now after the reboot. Still not sure what caused efficiency mode to be installed or so stubborn but it is something I will monitor going forward. Thank you!
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Emma1-N 10,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator2026-08-06T07:38:27.6633333+00:00 Hello Russell Harris,
Thank you for the update. I'm glad to hear that your PC is now working normally after the system reset and reboot.
I appreciate you taking the time to share the outcome. If you notice any similar symptoms in the future or have any other questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'll be happy to assist.
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Emma1-N 10,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-08-01T03:35:57.74+00:00 Welcome Russell Harris,
I understand how frustrating it can be after a recent Windows update, you are unable to browse many websites normally, and you suspect Efficiency Mode is causing the issue because it cannot be disabled and appears greyed out.
Before proceeding, could you clarify:
- Does the issue occur on all browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Firefox?
- Do the affected websites display any specific error message, or do they simply fail to load?
In the meantime, you can try these steps below to troubleshoot the issue:
Option 1: Perform a clean boot to check whether a background service is causing the behavior.
- Press Windows + R, type
msconfig, and press Enter - On the Services tab, select Hide all Microsoft services
- Click Disable all
- Open Task Manager > Startup and disable all startup items
- Restart the PC and test browsing
Option 2: Check for network filtering software.
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps
- Look for security, VPN, optimization, or network management software installed around the time the issue began
- Temporarily uninstall any recently installed applications and test
Option 3: Reset network components.
- Open Terminal (Admin)
- Run:
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netsh winsock reset -
netsh int ip reset -
ipconfig /flushdns
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- Restart the computer
Option 4: Remove the latest quality update if the issue started immediately afterward
- Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates
- Remove the most recent quality update and test again
I hope the steps above help you deal with your issue.
If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes". If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".
Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.
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Emma1-N 10,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-08-04T01:39:55.4166667+00:00 Hello Russell Harris,
I just wanted to check if my previous response addressed your question correctly. If there is anything I may have misunderstood, I would truly appreciate it if you could provide a bit more detail to help me better understand your needs.
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Russell Harris 0 Reputation points
2026-08-04T22:51:18.2033333+00:00 Hey Emma1. It did affect all browsers. I tried a few of the things you listed (option1 and option2) before I got your response. My PC was still "throttled" and slow to respond so I saved the information/documents I needed and then I did a full system "reset" to factory specs. I rebooted Windows and reloaded a few programs. It is working fine now after the reboot. Still not sure what caused efficiency mode to be installed or so stubborn but it is something I will monitor going forward. Thank you!
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