This browser does not support WebAssembly – Edge

If you see the error This browser does not support WebAssembly while trying to access a webpage on Edge, this post may help resolve the issue. WebAssembly, also known as WASM, is a web technology designed to compile high-level language code into a binary bytecode that’s highly optimized to speed up page execution in web browsers.

While most modern browsers, including Microsoft Edge, support WebAssembly, the error may arise sometimes due to the following reasons:

1. You may be using an outdated version of Edge.
2. WebAssembly has been disabled in your Edge browser.
3. Edge may be using the ‘Enhanced Security’ mode.

In either of these cases, you will see the following error message:

Uncaught Error: This browser does not support WebAssembly.

This browser does not support WebAssembly – Edge

If you cannot access a website that needs WebAssembly, you will see the error This browser does not support WebAssembly. The following suggestions may help you fix the problem:

1. Enable WebAssembly in Edge.
2. Set up an Exception.
3. Turn off Enhanced Security mode.
4. Reset Edge to fix faulty settings. 
5. Repair Edge.

Let’s discuss these solutions in detail.

1] Enable WebAssembly in Edge

Start by checking if WebAssembly is disabled in your Edge browser.

1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
2. Type edge://flags/ in the address bar.
3. Press the Enter key.
4. Type WebAssemby in the Search bar on top.
5. Enable all options that contain the word WebAssembly (e.g . ‘Experimental WebAssembly’, ‘WebAssembly baseline compiler’ etc.).
6. Relaunch Edge and see if the problem is fixed.

2] Set up an Exception

Edge uses an enhanced security mode to add an extra layer of protection while browsing the web. This helps in reducing the risk of attacks from malicious websites and provides a rich browsing experience. Microsoft disables WebAssembly when the Edge browser is set in the Enhanced Security mode. So a website that needs WebAssembly may not run in this mode.

To fix this problem, you can set an exception or tell Edge to bypass a specific website while implementing the enhanced security feature.

1. Click on the three-dots icon on the top right corner of the Edge browser.
2. Select Settings.
3. Click on ‘Privacy, search and services’ on the left panel.
4. Navigate to ‘Enhance your security on the web’.
5. Click on Exceptions.
6. Click on the ‘Add a site’ button.
7. Enter the site name in the dialogue box that appears.
8. Click on the Add button.
9. Relaunch Edge and check if the problem is fixed.

3] Turn off Enhanced Security mode

If setting an exception doesn’t work, try turning off the enhanced security mode.

1. Open Settings in Edge.
2. On the left, click on ‘Privacy, search and services’.
3. Scroll down to find ‘Enhance your security on the web’.
4. Toggle off the button in front of the option.
5. Restart Edge and try accessing the website again.

4] Repair Edge

Try repairing Edge. The repair option reinstalls edge to resolve most of the browser issues.

1. Click on the Start button on the taskbar.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Click on Apps on the left.
4. Click on ‘Apps and features’.
5. Type ‘Edge’ in the App list search bar.
6. Click on the three-dots icon in front of Microsoft Edge.
7. Click on Modify.
8. Select Yes in the user account control prompt.
9. Click on Repair in the dialogue box that appears.
10. Wait for Windows to repair Microsoft Edge.
11. Restart Edge to get the problem fixed.

5] Reset Edge to fix faulty settings

If the above suggestions did not work, try resetting Edge to its default values.

The ‘Reset’ action resets the Edge browser to its factory values, eliminating all possible errors that may have been caused due to extensions, cookies, or cache information.

1. Click on the three-dots icon to open Edge settings.
2. On the left, click on Reset settings.
3. Click on ‘Restore settings to their default values’.
4. Click on the Reset button.
5. Restart Edge and see if you’re able to access the website.

Note: Microsoft doesn’t allow uninstalling Edge since it comes as a built-in browser with Windows. However, you can manually uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Edge in case it seems necessary.

What browsers support WebAssembly?

All modern web browsers including Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera, and Firefox support WebAssmebly. You can also use WebAssembly in mobile browsers, such as iOS Safari, Firefox for Android, Chrome for Android, and Samsung Internet. WebAssembly may not work for you if you’re using an outdated version  of these browsers.

How do I enable WebAssembly in Chrome?

To enable WebEssembly in Chrome, type about://flags in the address bar of your browser. Now type ‘WebAssembly’ in the Search flags box. Enable all options that appear in the search results. Relaunch Chrome to reflect changes.

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