Stop Microsoft Edge from Opening on Startup: 4 Easy Ways
- If you want to stop Microsoft Edge from opening at startup in Windows 11, the first step is to identify whether it's set to launch when you boot the OS.
- If that's the case, remove Edge as a startup app or change the sign-in settings.Â
- In case it's a bug or misconfigured settings, try updating the browser, amongst other methods here.
Microsoft Edge is one of the popular browsers and is known for low resource consumption and high performance. However, many users still prefer other browsers over it and have been looking for ways to stop Microsoft Edge from opening on Startup in Windows 11.
Microsoft is keen on pushing users to switch the browser and has made some considerable improvements in terms of design and performance on Edge on Windows 11. Also, Edge is now listed as Microsoft Recommended Browser.
But, some users reported that no matter what they did, Edge kept opening on startup in Windows 11. Read the following sections to find out all about the problem, and the solutions for it.
Why does Microsoft Edge open on startup in Windows 11?
For many who face the problem, Edge may be added as a startup up, and subsequently, loads every time you turn on the computer. Fixing this is simple. But, some were unable to stop Microsoft Edge from popping up even after removing it as a startup app.
This is due to a bug in Edge, and a patch for it was released. Also, certain settings in the browser may also lead to this problem.
No matter which of the two is causing the problem, here’s how can stop Microsoft Edge from opening on startup in Windows 11.
How do I stop Microsoft Edge from opening on startup in Windows 11?
1. Disable Edge from the Task Manager
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch the Task Manager, and go to the Startup tab from the top.
- Now, select Microsoft Edge from the applications listed here, and click on the Disable button.
If Microsoft Edge automatically opens in Windows 11, this is probably the simplest fix for it. Here, you can disable other non-critical startup apps as well to boost the system performance.
In case Microsoft Edge is not listed in the Task Manager or disabling it didn’t work, try the next method.
2. Delete Edge from the Startup folder
- Press Windows + R to launch the Run command, enter shell:startup in the text field, and either click on OK or hit Enter to launch the Startup folder.
- Now, if you find a shortcut for Microsoft Edge listed here, select it, and hit the Delete key.
- Click Yes, in case a confirmation prompt pops up.
Another way to stop Microsoft Edge from opening at startup in Windows 10 and Windows 11 is to delete the shortcut for it in the Startup folder. The apps in this folder load automatically when you boot the OS. If this method too doesn’t work, head to the next one.
3. Modify the Registry
- Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Registry Editor in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result.
- Click Yes in the UAC (User Account Control) prompt that pops up.
- Paste the following path in the address bar at the top, and hit Enter:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft
- Right-click on Microsoft in the navigation pane on the left, hover the cursor over New, and select Key from the context menu. Name this key as MicrosoftEdge.
- Now, right-click on MicrosoftEdge, hover the cursor over New, select Key, and name it Main.
- Similarly, create a new key under MicrosoftEdge and name this one as TabPreloader.
- Next, go to the Main key, right-click on the empty portion, hover the cursor over New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name this DWORD as AllowPrelaunch.
- Right-click on it, and select Modify from the context menu.
- Make sure 0 is entered under Value data, and then click on OK to save the changes.
- Next, go to the TabPreloader key (the second one you created) from the navigation pane, right-click on the other side, hover the cursor over New, select DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it as AllowTabPreloading.
- Right-click on the DWORD, and select Modify from the context menu.
- Now, enter 0 under Value data if it’s not already there, and click on OK.
- Finally, restart the computer for the changes to come into effect.
That’s it! Once you are done making the changes, the system would stop Microsoft Edge from opening on startup in Windows 7 and Windows 11 anymore.
4. Change the sign-in settings
- Press Windows + I to launch the Settings app, and select Accounts from the tabs listed in the navigation pane on the left.
- Click on Sign-in options on the right.
- Now, disable the toggle for Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in.
Certain system settings can also be behind Microsoft Edge opening on startup in Windows 11, so make sure to reconfigure these accordingly and check if the browser is now disabled.
If none of the four methods listed here have worked, it’s most likely a bug or a problem with the browser itself. To eliminate that, follow the three quick fixes listed in the next section.
What do I do if Edge keeps loading at Startup?
1. Update Edge
- Launch the Microsoft Edge browser, click on the ellipsis near the top-right corner, hover the cursor over Help and feedback, and select About Microsoft Edge from the context menu.
- If there’s an update available, install it, and restart the browser for the changes to come into effect.
As mentioned earlier, there was a reported bug in Microsoft Edge that lead to it opening every time you turn on the computer. So, try updating the browser and check if the problem is fixed.
Besides, installing the latest version of the browser would also help if Microsoft Edge automatically opens Internet Explorer.
2. Make changes to Edge’s settings
- Launch Microsoft Edge, click on the ellipsis, and select Settings from the flyout menu.
- Select System and performance from the tabs listed on the left.
- Next, disable the toggle for Startup boost and Continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed.
- Restart the browser for the changes to fully come into effect.
The Startup boost feature in Edge helps it load quickly when you turn on the device and has often been found to be behind the problem. Simply disabling it and preventing extensions from running when the browser is closed should do the trick.
Once done, check if Microsoft Edge stops opening on startup in Windows 11. In case the problem persists, head to the last method.
3. Remove Edge as the default browser
The last fix to stop Microsoft Edge from opening on startup in Windows 11 is to remove it as the default browser. This has been found to resolve the issue for many. So, change the default browser and check if that helps.
You can set Google Chrome as the default browser or try other secure and fast browsers in Windows 11.
By the time you reach this part of the article, the problem should be long gone, and you shouldn’t face it anymore. In case this started recently, you can also perform a system restore, but remember to choose a point that was created before the problem started.
Also, find out how to disable Microsoft Edge in Windows 11.
Tell us which fix worked and your review of the new Microsoft Edge, in the comments section below.
