Microsoft Edge Follows Chrome With a 20GB AI Storage Requirement

A few days ago, it was spotted that Google Chrome had updated its requirements to require roughly 20GB of free storage for on-device AI. Now, Microsoft Edge is following suit with the same storage requirement.

The 20GB figure does not mean the AI models themselves necessarily take up that much space. Instead, both browsers appear to use it as the minimum amount of free disk space required before starting the download and installation process.

The requirement is not entirely surprising. Chrome was previously spotted downloading a roughly 4GB AI model automatically. Users can now block automatic AI model downloads in Chrome and Edge if they do not want local AI components installed.

Edge also requires at least 5.5GB of VRAM

Microsoft lists an additional hardware requirement for Edge’s on-device AI features. The browser requires at least 5.5GB of VRAM alongside the 20GB free-storage requirement.

Users with large SSDs may not notice the storage requirement, but it could become more important on laptops and other devices with limited storage.

Chrome users can disable on-device AI from Settings > System, which prevents the browser from downloading the local AI components.

Edge can automatically delete its AI model

Microsoft has also added a storage safeguard to Edge.

If available disk space drops below 10GB, Edge will automatically remove the downloaded AI model to make more room for other browser functions.

The model can presumably download again later once the system has enough free storage.

The storage requirements arrive as Google and Microsoft continue expanding AI features across their Chromium browsers. Microsoft is also making other major changes to Edge and recently started phasing out Manifest V2 extensions.

Via Neowin