What You Need to Know Before Starting
Workspaces in Microsoft Edge allow you to organize your browsing sessions into separate, clearly defined groups. Each workspace keeps its own set of open tabs, history, and frequently visited sites, so you can separate work browsing from personal browsing without logging in and out of profiles or cluttering a single window with dozens of unrelated tabs. Workspaces are built directly into Edge and do not require any additional software or extensions.
To use Workspaces, you need a version of Microsoft Edge that supports the feature. The feature is available on the stable release channel of Edge for Windows, macOS, and Linux. You also need to be signed into Edge with a Microsoft account. Workspaces sync across your signed-in devices, so you can resume the same set of tabs on another computer.
How to Create a Workspace
Creating a workspace takes only a few clicks. Follow these steps:
- Open Microsoft Edge on your computer.
- Look for the Workspaces button in the top-left corner of the browser window. It appears as a small square icon next to the profile button. If you do not see it, click the three-dot menu (Settings and more) in the top-right corner, then select “Workspaces” from the menu.
- Click “Create new workspace.” A small window will appear.
- Enter a name for your workspace, such as “Work,” “School,” or “Research.” You can also choose a color to make the workspace easier to identify visually. Edge offers several color options.
- Click “Create” or press Enter. A new browser window will open, dedicated to that workspace.
You can now start opening tabs in that window. All tabs you open will belong to that workspace. If you close the workspace window and reopen it later, the same tabs will still be there, provided you are signed into Edge.
How to Switch Between Workspaces
Switching between workspaces is straightforward:
- Click the Workspaces button (the square icon) in the top-left corner of any Edge window.
- A list of your existing workspaces will appear. Click the workspace you want to open. Edge will either bring an existing window for that workspace to the front or open a new window with that workspace’s saved tabs.
Each workspace operates in its own window. You can have multiple workspaces open at the same time, each in its own window. This makes it easy to glance at your taskbar and see which browsing context is which.
How to Rename or Delete a Workspace
If you need to reorganize:
- Click the Workspaces button in the top-left corner.
- Find the workspace you want to modify.
- Click the three-dot menu (more options) next to that workspace’s name.
- Choose “Rename” to edit the name, or “Delete” to remove the workspace entirely.
Deleting a workspace will close all tabs within it. If you think you might need those tabs later, you can bookmark them before deleting the workspace.
One of the more useful features of Edge Workspaces is the ability to share a workspace with other people. This is intended for collaborative work, where multiple people need access to the same set of tabs.
- Open the workspace you want to share.
- Click the Workspaces button in the top-left corner.
- Click “Share” (or the share icon) next to the workspace name.
- Enter the email addresses of the people you want to invite. You can also copy a link to the workspace and send it through email, chat, or any other method.
- Choose whether each person can edit (add or remove tabs) or only view the workspace.
- Click “Send” or “Share.”
When someone accepts the invitation and joins the shared workspace, they will see the same set of tabs as everyone else. Changes made by any member – such as opening a new tab, closing a tab, or navigating to a different page – are visible to all members in real time. This works best for group projects, research sessions, or team planning.
To leave a shared workspace, open the Workspaces menu, click the three-dot menu next to the shared workspace, and select “Leave.”
How to Close a Workspace Without Losing Tabs
Closing a workspace window does not delete the workspace. Edge saves the state of the workspace, including all open tabs, as long as you are signed in with your Microsoft account.
- Simply close the browser window for that workspace. The next time you open that workspace, Edge will restore all the tabs that were open when you last closed it.
- If you want to prevent Edge from restoring tabs for a particular workspace, close each tab individually before closing the window, or manage the workspace settings from the Workspaces menu.
Alternative Methods
While Workspaces is the main method for organizing tabs in Edge, you can also use Collections or vertical tabs as complementary tools. Collections allow you to save groups of links, images, and notes without keeping the tabs open. Vertical tabs move the tab strip to the side of the window, which can make it easier to manage many tabs within a single workspace. Neither of these replaces Workspaces, but they can be used together for more granular organization.
Common Problems
Workspaces button is missing.
If you do not see the Workspaces button, make sure Edge is updated to the latest version. You can check for updates by going to Settings and more (the three-dot menu) > Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge. Edge will automatically check and install available updates. After updating, restart the browser. The feature may also be hidden if your organization manages Edge policies; in that case, contact your IT administrator.
Workspaces are not syncing across devices.
Workspaces sync requires you to be signed into the same Microsoft account on all devices. Check that sync is enabled in Edge settings under Profiles > Sync. Make sure “Workspaces” is turned on in the sync options. It may take a few minutes for changes to appear on other devices.
Shared workspace tabs are not updating for other members.
All members must be signed into Edge with their own Microsoft accounts and must have joined the workspace through the invitation link. If real-time updates stop working, ask each member to refresh the workspace window. Network restrictions or firewall settings in some workplaces may prevent real-time synchronization.
A workspace window keeps opening automatically.
If Edge starts with a workspace window that you do not want, you can change the startup behavior in Edge settings. Go to Settings > Start, home, and new tabs and set “When Edge starts” to “Open a new tab page” or “Open these pages” and specify the pages you prefer. Workspaces that reopen automatically may also be caused by previous session settings; you can clear this by closing all workspace windows individually before closing the browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Workspaces without signing into Edge?
No. Workspaces require you to be signed into Edge with a Microsoft account. Without signing in, you can still use tab groups manually, but Workspaces will not be available.
Do Workspaces use more memory than regular browsing?
Each workspace runs in its own window, and each open tab consumes memory. If you have many tabs open across multiple workspaces, memory usage will be higher than if you kept all tabs in a single window. However, Edge’s sleeping tabs feature can help reduce memory consumption for inactive tabs.
Can I move a tab from one workspace to another?
There is no direct move command. You can manually open the destination workspace, then copy and paste the URL from the source tab, or right-click the tab, select “Copy link,” and paste it into the other workspace window. Bookmarks are a more reliable way to transfer links between workspaces.
Are Workspaces private from other accounts on the same computer?
Workspaces are tied to the Microsoft account you are signed into. If other people use the same computer with a different account or profile, they will not see your workspaces. However, within the same signed-in session, workspaces and their tabs are visible to anyone using that browser profile.
Can I have a different set of extensions for each workspace?
No. Extensions apply to the entire Edge profile, not to individual workspaces. If you need separate extension sets, consider using separate browser profiles instead of workspaces.
- Price and Features Comparison: Best Options 2026 - 30 August 2026
- Foldable iPhone Release Date: 2026 Trend - 30 August 2026
- iPhone 18 Pro Max Features: Everything We Know - 29 August 2026