Calculate window occlusion on windows

Может, кому сгодится. Кстати, можно ставить и на Хром, и вообще на любой хромоподобный браузер. Ставьте смело, глюков быть не должно.

Картинка с сайта: sergeytsvetkov.livejournal.com

Секретные настройки edge://flags (включено, Enabled)

Решают следующие задачи: быстрота, производительность, улучшенный рендеринг страниц, устранение размытости шрифтов (конкретное назначение каждой настройки вы легко посмотрите сами при помощи онлайн-переводчика).

Override software rendering list

Overrides the built-in software rendering list and enables GPU-acceleration on unsupported system configurations. – Mac, Windows, Linux

Smooth Scrolling

Animate smoothly when scrolling page content. – Windows, Linux

GPU rasterization

Use GPU to rasterize web content. – Mac, Windows, Linux

Zero-copy rasterizer

Raster threads write directly to GPU memory associated with tiles. – Mac, Windows, Linux

Threaded scrolling

Threaded handling of scroll-related input events. Disabling this will force all such scroll events to be handled on the main thread. Note that this can dramatically hurt scrolling performance of most websites and is intended for testing purposes only. – Mac, Windows, Linux

Parallel downloading

Enable parallel downloading to accelerate download speed. – Mac, Windows, Linux

Enable lazy image loading

Defers the loading of images marked with the attribute ‘loading=lazy’ until the page is scrolled down near them. – Mac, Windows, Linux

Calculate window occlusion on Windows

Calculate window occlusion on Windows will be used in the future to throttle and potentially unload foreground tabs in occluded windows – Windows

Enable Fullscreen Dropdown

Drops down browser frame during browser fullscreen. – Windows

Enable immediate timeout for sleeping tabs

Ignore the sleeping tabs timeout setting and put background tabs to sleep immediately. – Mac, Windows, Linux

Quieter notification permission prompts

Enables quieter permission prompts for notification permission requests. When a site wishes to show notifications, the usual modal dialog is replaced with a quieter version. – Mac, Windows, Linux

Heavy Ad Intervention

Unloads ads that use too many device resources. – Mac, Windows, Linux

Установленные расширения

Из Microsoft Store

MONKNOW Новая вкладка — Личная панель инструментов

Это новая вкладка о которой вы мечтали. Поддержка управления группами сайтов, синхронизация данных, поддержка темной темы.

Tab Session Manager

Менеджер сессий позволяет сохранять и восстанавливать состояние окон и вкладок. Поддерживает автоматические сохранения.

Tampermonkey (скрипты на ваш вкус)

The world’s most popular userscript manager

uBlock Origin

Наконец-то, быстрый и эффективный блокировщик для браузеров.

Из других источников (магазин Хром)

Don’t Close Window With Last Tab (не закрывать браузер вместе с последней вкладкой)

Prevent closing of Google Chrome with the last tab, the least intrusive way.

Font Rendering Enhancer (улучшение чёткости шрифтов)

Font Rendering Enhancer for Chrome. Darker and clearer text on the pages (http and https).

Google Переводчик

С помощью этого расширения, разработанного командой Google Переводчика, можно быстро переводить веб-страницы.

Notebook Web Clipper (веб-клиппер для удобного и красивого блокнота)

Clear the clutter. Clip the web. Save to Notebook.

Search by Image (поиск по картинке в различных системах)

A powerful reverse image search tool, with support for various search engines, such as Google, Bing, Yandex, Baidu and TinEye.

Zoom for Google Chrome (изменение масштаба страниц и текста — можно задать минимальный шаг и многое другое)

Zoom in or out on web content using the zoom button for more comfortable reading.

ezLinkPreview Modal (просмотр ссылок, не уходя со страницы)

Open links in a modal overlay without leaving the page, send PDF/PPT to google viewer.

Жесты smartUp

Лучшее расширение для жестов.

Microsoft Edge’s “Calculate window occlusion on Windows” feature once had an experimental toggle for performance-related adjustments. But in 2024, that flag no longer works. Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about what changed, why, and what you can do instead.

TOC

Understanding the “Calculate Window Occlusion on Windows” Feature in Microsoft Edge (2024)

Microsoft Edge has come a long way since its early days, evolving into a browser recognized for speed, security, and unique features. One such feature was “Calculate window occlusion on Windows,” an internal process that helped manage Edge’s resource allocation by identifying which windows or tabs were hidden (occluded) behind others. In essence, it tries to optimize performance by deprioritizing windows that are not actively visible. However, many power users discovered ways to disable it—often for troubleshooting or compatibility reasons—using the now-deprecated command-line flag, --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows.

Even though disabling this feature was experimental at best, certain environments—particularly those using remote desktop or specialized software—reported performance improvements when the occlusion mechanism was turned off. But with the release of Microsoft Edge in 2024, the old flag is no longer recognized, prompting users to look for alternatives or official solutions.

What Is Window Occlusion?

Window occlusion is the process by which an operating system or application detects whether a given window is visible to the user or covered by other windows. If a window is completely hidden, or “occluded,” the system may decide to reduce its resource usage. In browsers, this concept can extend to background tabs and processes, optimizing memory and CPU consumption.

While on the surface, this approach seems helpful—after all, why allocate resources to something the user cannot see?—it sometimes introduces complications:

• Remote Desktop Sessions: Users who run Microsoft Edge within a virtual desktop or remote session have encountered display issues or delayed updates when window occlusion incorrectly categorizes a window as hidden.
• Legacy Extensions: Certain older or specialized extensions might conflict with how Edge interprets visibility, leading to unexpected behaviors when occlusion detection is enabled.
• Multi-Monitor Setups: In some edge cases, multi-monitor users reported display flickers, performance dips, or other visual glitches when Edge mistakenly identified a window as occluded on a secondary screen.

Why the Feature Was Useful for Some Users

Disabling window occlusion was a niche practice. Most users wouldn’t notice or need to worry about these internal calculations. However, for a small but significant group:

1. Remote Desktop Performance: Some found that turning off occlusion improved performance in remote desktop environments, especially where screen updates are crucial.
2. Extension Development: Developers testing custom or legacy extensions sometimes used this flag to ensure consistent performance metrics.
3. Troubleshooting: Disabling experimental features is a common troubleshooting step when diagnosing browser slowdowns or visual quirks, making it easier to narrow down the source of issues.

Why the Command-Line Flag No Longer Works

The removal or deprecation of --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows is not officially documented in detail by Microsoft. However, there are likely several reasons behind this change:

1. Codebase Simplification: Large software projects regularly remove or modify outdated experimental features to streamline the codebase and reduce maintenance overhead.
2. Enhanced Native Optimization: Microsoft Edge may now manage resources more intelligently, making manual toggles for window occlusion less relevant.
3. Incompatibility with Newer Updates: The introduction of new features, such as advanced memory-saving techniques, might have rendered the old occlusion toggle obsolete or contradictory.

No Known Alternatives or Workarounds

As of 2024, no direct replacement for --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows exists. Neither are there hidden flags in edge://flags that provide the same functionality. While advanced users might attempt to search for newly added flags in experimental channels like Edge Canary or Dev builds, early reports indicate no comparable workaround has surfaced.

Below is a quick comparison of old vs. current Edge flag availability related to occlusion:

Why Microsoft Removed or Deprecated It

Although no official statement has been made, Microsoft’s constant improvement and integration of resource-saving features suggest the occlusion calculation is now deeply woven into Edge’s core. That could mean:

• Better Automatic Performance Management: If the browser is already managing resources efficiently, offering a user-accessible toggle might lead to confusion or unintended side effects.
• Security and Stability Concerns: Experimental flags can sometimes open up vulnerabilities or create conflicts with updates. Removing them ensures a more controlled and stable environment.

Potential Impact on Users

Most Edge users will not notice a difference. Still, specific scenarios may be affected:

1. Remote Desktop Lag: If you relied on disabling occlusion to reduce lag or flickering in remote sessions, you might experience these issues again.
2. Compatibility Testing: Web developers or extension developers who previously tested under non-occlusion conditions no longer have that environment for debugging.
3. Niche Configurations: If you’re running Edge on specialized hardware, unusual multi-monitor setups, or enterprise solutions with custom group policy configurations, you may encounter unexpected resource behaviors.

What You Can Do Instead

Since no direct command-line replacement exists, the options remain limited. However, there are a few steps you can take:

1. Send Feedback to Microsoft Edge Developers

Microsoft actively monitors user feedback to shape its development roadmap. If disabling window occlusion was critical for you:

• Use the Built-In Feedback Tool: Press Alt + Shift + I in Edge, explain your use case, and request that the feature (or a similar option) be reinstated.
• Microsoft Tech Community: You could post on official Microsoft forums or the Tech Community platform, where developers and other Edge users might suggest alternative tweaks or confirm future changes.

2. Explore Group Policy Settings (Enterprise Environments)

In enterprise or managed environments, Edge offers advanced policy controls. While no known policy precisely disables occlusion, browsing the Microsoft Edge for Business documentation may reveal new or adjacent settings that mitigate performance issues. For instance:

• Sleeping Tabs Policy: If performance is your main concern, adjusting sleeping tab thresholds might help reduce resource usage in other ways.
• Hardware Acceleration Policies: Toggling or fine-tuning hardware acceleration through policy could impact rendering performance on remote sessions or multi-monitor setups.

Example Group Policy Adjustments

Below is a brief table illustrating some potentially relevant policies, though none directly disables occlusion:

Remember to test these settings thoroughly before rolling them out in a production environment.

Managing Performance and Stability Without Occlusion Flags

While disabling occlusion once seemed like a cure-all for certain performance hiccups, modern Edge releases bundle various optimizations that may fill that gap without the old toggle. Here are some tips:

1. Keep Edge Updated

Browser performance often depends on the latest patches and improvements. Ensure you’re running the newest stable version of Microsoft Edge:

• Automatic Updates: By default, Edge updates silently in the background.
• Manual Check: Go to Settings > About Microsoft Edge to force a manual update check.

2. Use Task Manager (Edge-Specific or System) to Pinpoint Issues

Both Windows and Edge include task management utilities:

• Microsoft Edge Task Manager: Press Shift + Esc in Edge to see a list of open tabs, extensions, and processes. Check which ones hog resources.
• Windows Task Manager: Identify if Edge processes are being flagged as “Not Responding” or spiking in CPU/GPU usage, which might indicate a more generalized performance issue.

3. Disable Unnecessary Extensions

Extensions can consume significant resources, especially older or unoptimized ones. If you’re seeking performance gains:

1. Navigate to edge://extensions/.
2. Toggle off or remove extensions you rarely use.
3. Test if performance issues persist, as some background processes are more resource-intensive than others.

4. Optimize Other System Settings

If the lack of an occlusion toggle leads to performance degradations, you might offset that by ensuring optimal system settings:

• Adjust Power Options: Switch to a “High Performance” or “Balanced” plan if you’re on a laptop or a Windows device with multiple power plans.
• Close Background Applications: If you open many RAM-intensive apps (like design or development tools), consider closing them when you need maximum browser responsiveness.
• Check for GPU Driver Updates: Especially important for multi-monitor users or those who run 3D-intensive tasks, as out-of-date drivers can conflict with browser rendering.

Real-World User Scenarios

To better illustrate the impact of the now-deprecated occlusion flag, let’s look at a few hypothetical scenarios:

Scenario A: Remote Desktop Worker

Context: A user logs into a powerful workstation via Remote Desktop, using Microsoft Edge for daily tasks like email, project management, and streaming presentations.
Prior Experience: When “Calculate window occlusion on Windows” was disabled, they noticed smoother transitions and fewer rendering glitches, likely due to simpler resource handling.
Current Situation: With the flag gone, the user occasionally sees reduced performance when switching between windows, as the system might be re-allocating resources or misidentifying hidden windows.
Workaround: The user ensures they’ve disabled unneeded background applications within the remote session, uses Sleeping Tabs for heavy websites, and sends feedback to Microsoft.

Scenario B: Extension Developer

Context: An independent developer testing an extension that manipulates tab layouts in real-time.
Prior Experience: They once disabled occlusion to ensure consistent resource usage across all tabs, preventing Edge from deprioritizing background processes.
Current Situation: Without the toggle, some extension features are harder to test, as Edge’s internal optimization occasionally suspends or throttles background tabs.
Workaround: The developer uses the built-in Edge DevTools to track background script behavior and invests in more thorough stress testing to see how the extension behaves under resource constraints.

Scenario C: Multi-Monitor User

Context: A data analyst working across three monitors—spreadsheets, streaming real-time dashboards, and video conferencing in one of the monitors.
Prior Experience: The user disabled window occlusion after noticing that the secondary monitor’s Edge window sometimes lagged or flickered.
Current Situation: With the toggle removed, they rely on updated GPU drivers and Edge’s internal resource management. While occasional minor hiccups persist, the general performance may have improved in the 2024 Edge build.
Workaround: The user experiments with hardware acceleration policies and sends feedback to Microsoft, citing multi-monitor performance concerns.

Submitting Feedback to the Microsoft Edge Team

If the loss of the occlusion toggle directly affects your workflow, the best step is:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Press Alt + Shift + I or click the menu, then “Help and feedback,” and choose “Send feedback.”
3. Describe the Issue: Outline your scenario, emphasizing the positive impact disabling window occlusion once had. Include environment details (OS version, Edge version, hardware setup).
4. Attach Screenshots if Applicable: Visual proof or steps to reproduce the issue can help developers identify patterns.
5. Submit: Your feedback goes to Microsoft’s development team, who track user requests to guide feature changes and updates.

Though not immediate, consistent user feedback can influence future reintroductions of advanced toggles or the creation of new, similarly helpful policies.

Further Notes and Best Practices

It’s worth remembering that:

1. Experimental Flags Are Unstable: They can break at any time, as they’re not officially guaranteed.
2. Documentation Might Lag Behind: Because this was never widely documented, official references may be sparse or outdated.
3. Check Insider Builds: If you’re keen on advanced features, Microsoft’s Edge Insider channels (Canary, Dev, Beta) sometimes contain under-development flags or toggles. However, these can also change without notice.

Possible Future Developments

• Official Announcement: Microsoft might eventually clarify the removal or produce an alternate method for advanced users.
• New Performance Settings: Edge could introduce refined user-facing toggles, such as “resource prioritization,” merging older experimental options with modern performance insights.
• Community Workarounds: Tech-savvy individuals might discover registry hacks or new command-line flags that replicate partial functionality. Always proceed with caution and test thoroughly.

Conclusion

In 2024, the command-line argument --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows no longer functions in Microsoft Edge. Microsoft has either removed or deprecated this experimental option. Unfortunately, no known direct replacements or alternative flags exist. While this might be frustrating for users who relied on disabling window occlusion for performance or compatibility reasons, there are still ways to optimize Edge without it:

1. Send Feedback: Let Microsoft know the specific issues you face without an occlusion toggle.
2. Adjust Policies and Settings: Although no exact alternative exists, exploring sleeping tabs, hardware acceleration options, and group policy configurations could yield partial relief.
3. Adopt Good Browsing Habits: Keep extensions under control, update your system and drivers, and ensure background apps aren’t overly consuming resources.

Ultimately, staying aware of Edge release notes, reaching out to community forums, and systematically testing your configuration remain the most viable paths forward. If enough users express the need for a feature or flag to disable occlusion, it’s possible—though not guaranteed—that Microsoft could reintroduce it or provide a new solution in future versions.