Latest Edge update causes pages with service worker to crash

I am experiencing the same issue with Microsoft Edge after recent updates.

• When I visit certain websites that use a service worker, the page becomes extremely slow and sometimes does not load at all.
• The only way to make the page open instantly is to go to edge://inspect/#service-workers and manually click Terminate on the service worker.
• After doing this, the site loads immediately.
• I also noticed that the service worker appears duplicated in the list, which seems abnormal.

Environment details:

• Edge version: 145
• Operating system: Windows 11

I have tried clearing cache, restarting the browser, and even using InPrivate mode, but the issue persists. It looks like the service worker is blocking navigation until it is terminated.

I am posting this here to confirm that the problem is reproducible and not isolated. Hopefully, this additional information helps the Edge team investigate and fix the bug.

Hi,

The tab freeze happens because the service worker takes control after the first registration and intercepts navigation requests incorrectly. When the browser is reopened, the page is loaded under the service worker’s control, and if its fetch handler or activation logic doesn’t return a valid response or gets stuck in a loop the browser waits indefinitely, causing the tab to hang.

The first visit works because the page loads without the service worker controlling it. After refresh or relaunch, the SW is active, and any broken logic in fetch or activate blocks the page.

Adjust the service worker so it doesn’t intercept navigations blindly, add timeouts and error handling, and clear old caches before retesting. I Hope this helps!

It seems that you are experiencing issues with Microsoft Edge where pages using service workers become unresponsive after the initial registration and subsequent browser restarts. This could be related to known issues with service workers in Edge, especially if the service worker is not handling state correctly after being restarted.

To troubleshoot this issue, you might consider the following steps:

1. Check for Updates: Ensure that you are using the latest version of Microsoft Edge, as updates often include fixes for known issues.
2. Clear Cache: Sometimes, clearing the cache can resolve issues related to service workers. You can do this by going to Edge settings and clearing browsing data.
3. Test in InPrivate Mode: Open an InPrivate window to see if the issue persists. This can help determine if the problem is related to cached data or extensions.
4. Disable Extensions: Temporarily disable any extensions to see if they are causing conflicts with the service worker.
5. Review Service Worker Code: Ensure that your service worker code is correctly handling events and states, especially during the installation and activation phases.
6. Report the Issue: If the problem continues, consider reporting it to Microsoft Edge support, providing them with details about the issue and your environment.

These steps may help mitigate the issue you're facing with service workers in Microsoft Edge.

References:

• Debug a Progressive Web App (PWA)
• Microsoft Edge known issues