How to Stop Microsoft Edge from Opening on Startup

There are few things more frustrating than turning on your computer and waiting for it to boot up, only for Microsoft Edge to immediately force itself open and aggressively demand your attention. Even if you use Chrome or Firefox as your primary browser, Windows 11 has a persistent habit of launching Edge in the background, consuming valuable system memory and slowing down your PC.

Stopping Edge from launching at startup requires a two-step process. First, you must disable it in the Windows Task Manager. Second, and most importantly, you must disable a hidden setting inside the browser itself that allows it to run quietly in the background even when closed.

Step 1: Disable Edge in the Task Manager

The first line of defence is to stop Windows from officially launching the application when you log in.

1. Right-click on your Start button on the taskbar and select Task Manager from the menu. (Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
2. In the left-hand sidebar of the Task Manager, click on the Startup apps icon (it looks like a small speedometer).
3. Look through the list of applications and locate Microsoft Edge.
4. Check the “Status” column. If it says “Enabled”, right-click on Microsoft Edge and select Disable.

The status will immediately change to “Disabled”. However, your job is not done yet. Microsoft uses a feature called “Startup boost” that bypasses the Task Manager.

Step 2: Disable Startup Boost Inside Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge includes a feature that keeps a core set of browser processes permanently running in the background. This makes the browser load slightly faster when you click it, but it drains system resources constantly. You must turn this off.

1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
2. Click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner to open the main menu.
3. Scroll down to the bottom and click on Settings.
4. In the left-hand sidebar menu, click on System and performance.
5. Look at the top of the page under the “System” header. You will see an option called Startup boost. Click the toggle switch to turn it Off.
6. Directly below that, locate the setting called Continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed. Click the toggle switch to turn this Off as well.

Step 3: Stop Windows from Reopening Last Session Apps

If Edge is still launching when you reboot, it might be because Windows is trying to be helpful by automatically reopening whatever apps you had running before you shut down.

1. Click the Start button and open the Windows Settings app (the gear icon).
2. In the left-hand sidebar, click on Accounts.
3. Scroll down and click on Sign-in options.
4. Scroll down to the “Additional settings” section.
5. Look for a toggle switch labelled: Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in.
6. Turn this switch to the Off position.

Once you have completed these three steps, you can safely restart your computer. Microsoft Edge will remain completely dormant until you explicitly choose to click its icon.