If Microsoft Edge keeps opening new tabs with ads, the cause may be a site permission, an unwanted extension, a changed startup setting, or software on your device. These ten checks move from quick browser changes to deeper Windows troubleshooting, so you can match the fix to what you are seeing without resetting everything first.
1. Block Pop-Ups and Redirects
In Edge, open Settings, choose Cookies and site permissions, then select Pop-ups and redirects and turn on the block setting. This prevents many websites from opening conventional pop-up windows or redirecting you without permission, and it is a sensible first check if ads appear while you browse. It may not stop every ad that opens as a regular tab, because some sites use scripts or deceptive buttons instead of browser pop-ups; if the tabs continue, work through the other checks rather than assuming this setting has failed.
2. Remove Permission for Suspicious Site Notifications
Web notifications can look like ads from Edge even when no webpage is currently open, and clicking one may launch an advertising page in a tab. Go to Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Notifications and review the sites listed as allowed; remove or block any name you do not recognize, especially a site that asked you to click Allow before showing a video, download, or article. You can also block notification requests more broadly if you do not use them, but removing only the suspicious permission is a useful way to preserve alerts from sites you trust.
3. Disable or Remove Unfamiliar Extensions
Extensions can change search behavior, display ads, or send you to an unwanted page, so check them at edge://extensions. Turn off extensions you do not recognize, recently installed, or no longer need, then use Edge for a while to see whether the tabs stop; if the problem disappears, remove the likely cause rather than re-enabling everything at once. Add-ons from the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store are not automatically harmless, and an extension installed from another source deserves particular scrutiny, but do not remove a work or accessibility extension unless you understand what depends on it.
4. Check Edge’s Startup and New-Tab Settings
Enter edge://settings/onStartup in the address bar and inspect the selected startup behavior, especially any websites listed under Open these pages. Delete an address you did not choose, or select the New tab page if you want Edge to open its standard start page; also review the Home button and search settings if Edge is sending you to an unfamiliar site during ordinary use. A setting such as Continue where you left off can reopen tabs from the previous session, but it does not normally create new advertising pages by itself, so look for a suspicious page address rather than blaming that option alone.
5. Uninstall Recently Added Suspicious Software
If the unwanted tabs began after you installed a free utility, downloader, toolbar, or other program, check Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps and review recently added applications. Uninstall a program only when you can identify it as unwanted; avoid deleting unfamiliar Microsoft components or drivers just because their names are unclear, and restart the computer after removing a likely culprit. Some unwanted software changes browser settings or installs extensions, so check Edge again afterward and repeat the extension and startup-page checks if the behavior remains.
6. Run a Windows Security Scan
On Windows, open Windows Security, choose Virus & threat protection, then Scan options and run a Full scan if you suspect adware or another unwanted program. A full scan takes longer than a quick scan, but it checks files and running software across the device; follow Windows Security’s instructions if it identifies a threat rather than dismissing the result. You can also look under App & browser control for Reputation-based protection settings and potentially unwanted app blocking, where available, to help prevent some unwanted applications from being installed in the future.
7. Clear Data for the Site Causing the Tabs
If one particular website seems responsible, remove its stored data and permissions instead of immediately deleting all of Edge’s browsing information. In Settings, open Cookies and site permissions and use the site-data controls to find and remove the site; the exact labels can vary slightly by Edge version, and the address edge://settings/content/all opens the stored site-data list in many current versions. This can clear a saved redirect or site permission, but it will also sign you out of that site and may remove its preferences, so note any login details you need before clearing data.
8. Reset Edge’s Settings
If several browser settings appear to have changed, open edge://settings/reset and choose Restore settings to their default values. Edge’s reset returns settings such as the startup page, new-tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs to their defaults, turns off extensions, and clears temporary data such as cookies; favorites, history, and saved passwords are not cleared by this reset. Because it changes multiple preferences at once, try the more targeted checks first and make sure you know how to restore any custom settings or extensions you rely on.
9. Inspect the Edge Shortcut on Windows
A modified desktop or taskbar shortcut can start Edge with a website address, making the same ad page appear whenever you use that shortcut. On Windows, right-click the shortcut, open Properties, and inspect the Target field: it should launch Microsoft Edge, and an unfamiliar web address appended after the program path is a reason to investigate. Do not delete normal-looking command-line options blindly; if you are unsure whether the shortcut is legitimate, remove that shortcut and create a fresh one from the Start menu, then test whether Edge still opens the unwanted page.
10. Update or Repair Microsoft Edge
Open edge://settings/help to check Edge’s version and let the browser install an available update, then restart it when prompted. Updates address browser bugs and security issues, although updating alone will not remove a malicious extension, notification permission, or Windows program. If Edge itself still behaves abnormally on Windows, go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select Microsoft Edge, choose Modify, and use Repair if that option is available; Microsoft’s repair process requires an internet connection and is intended to preserve browser data and settings.
How to Choose
Start with the pattern, because it points toward the likely cause. Ads that appear as desktop alerts, even when you are not actively browsing, make notification permissions a priority; tabs that start after opening a particular site point toward pop-ups, redirects, or that site’s stored data. If the same page opens every time you launch Edge, inspect startup settings and the shortcut before changing unrelated options.
Next, consider whether the behavior began after installing something. A new extension or free program makes the extension list and installed-app list especially relevant, while ads across multiple browsers or other unusual device behavior are reasons to run a Windows Security scan. Change one thing at a time and test Edge between steps; this helps identify the source and avoids removing useful settings or add-ons unnecessarily.
Use a reset only when targeted changes have not worked or you find several altered browser preferences. It is broader than removing one site permission, but it is less disruptive than uninstalling software at random. If the problem continues after a clean Edge reset and a security scan, check that Windows and Edge are up to date and consider getting help from a trusted technician, particularly on a managed work or school computer where an administrator may control browser settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Edge open ad tabs when I click a website?
A site may use pop-ups, redirects, or deceptive page controls, and an extension can also change what happens after a click. Test with extensions disabled and review the site’s permissions; if it happens only on one site, avoid interacting with its ads and clear that site’s data.
Can Edge notifications open advertising pages?
Yes. A notification can display an ad outside the page, and clicking it can open a website in Edge. Remove permission for unfamiliar sites under Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Notifications.
Will resetting Edge delete my favorites or passwords?
Edge’s Restore settings to their default values option does not clear favorites, browsing history, or saved passwords. It does reset several browser preferences, disable extensions, and clear temporary data such as cookies, so you may need to sign in to websites again.
Should I uninstall Edge to stop the ads?
Usually, no. Check site permissions, extensions, startup pages, and potentially unwanted software first; on Windows, Edge also offers a Repair option through Installed apps when available.
What if the tabs return after I remove an extension?
Check for a second extension, a notification permission, a changed shortcut, or software that reinstalls the unwanted setting. Run a Windows Security scan and test a fresh Edge shortcut; on a managed device, ask the organization’s IT administrator before changing controlled settings.
Final Thoughts
Edge’s unwanted ad tabs can come from very different sources, so the most effective fix is the one that matches when and how they appear. Check permissions and extensions first, then investigate startup settings and Windows software; reserve a browser reset or repair for cases that persist after those targeted steps.