If you notice that Microsoft Edge launches on its own when you turn on your computer, even if you are not using it, the pre-launch feature is most likely to blame. This is not a bug, but a special mechanism that speeds up the opening of the browser when you need it. But this convenience comes at a price: Edge constantly runs in the background and consumes system resources.
This background behavior can be annoying, especially if you prefer a different browser. Fortunately, there are several ways to disable this feature. Some of them are simple and can be done with a couple of clicks in the settings, while others require a little more effort. Choose the method that seems most convenient for you.
In this article, we'll look at four working methods for stopping Microsoft Edge from launching spontaneously. You will be able to regain control over startup and free up system resources.
Microsoft Edge often starts up on its own when you turn on your computer, even if you don't use it — this is annoying and slows down the system. Fortunately, there are several simple ways to disable this pre-launch: through startup settings, the program's own settings, the registry editor, or group policies (in Pro versions of Windows). Each of these methods works, and at least one will be suitable for you, regardless of whether you have Windows 11 or 10.
How to disable Edge's “Startup Acceleration” in the browser settings
The user can configure its behavior on the page edge://settings/system.
Step 1: Using the menu “Start” or any other way, open the Edge browser.
Step 2: Open the menu in the upper right corner “Settings and other stuff” (… three dots) and select “Settings”.
Step 3: On the left side of the window, in the section “Options” for the system to function correctly, there must be at least 15 GB of free space on the system drive to store temporary data and settings. If the partition is completely “clogged,” then in the work “System”.
Step 4: The first item in the section that opens is “Startup acceleration”, move the slider to the far left to disable this feature.
Prevent Edge from preloading in Windows 11 using Group Policy
The latest version of Microsoft Edge includes new policies. These policies can be used to configure Microsoft Edge in your organization. To avoid any possibility of Microsoft Edge preloading, which would cause background processes to consume your computer's resources again. You can disable Edge browser “Startup Acceleration” at the system level using the Group Policy Editor.
This method must be used for Microsoft Edge version 77 or higher. It is worth noting that this method will not work if you are using the home version of Windows 11.
Note: According to the documentation, you need to download and add new Chromium Edge ADMX files to the folder “PolicyDefinitions”. After that, you will be able to see the new policies in the editor.
Step 1: Go to the page https://www.microsoft.com/ru-ru/edge/business/download, and download “Windows Policy” depending on whether your system is 64-bit or 32-bit.
Step 2: Unzip the downloaded archive and copy the contents of the folder “MicrosoftEdgePolicyTemplates\windows\admx” in the following path:
Step 3: Open the Group Policy Editor and navigate to the following path:
Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Microsoft Edge → Performance
Step 4: On the right side, find and double-click the policy “Enable startup acceleration”, See the image above:
Step 5: Now select the option “Disabled”. See the following image:
Step 6: Then click the buttons “Apply” and “OK”.
Exit the Group Policy Editor. You don't even need to restart your system for the changes to take effect; the policy takes effect immediately. Just close all open Edge windows, and you will see that all processes disappear from the Task Manager.
The Edge browser will no longer preload processes, freeing up resources for more important applications and services.
How to disable Edge preloading in Windows 11 using the Registry Editor
It is worth noting that this method will work for all versions of Windows 11, including Windows 10.
Note: According to the documentation, you need to download and add new Chromium Edge ADMX files to the folder “PolicyDefinitions”. After that, you can control the behavior of the Edge browser using the registry editor. Follow steps 1-2 from the previous method.
If for some reason you do not want to or cannot use the previous method, you can do this using the Registry Editor.
Step 1: Open the registry editor in any way convenient for you.
Step 2: Now go to the next section within the registry editor:
Step 3: Right-click on the folder named “Microsoft” and create a new section in it with the name “Edge”.
Step 4: Then, in the section “Edge” create a new parameter “DWORD (32-bit)” named Turned off. Click on.
Step 5: Double-click the newly created parameter “StartupBoostEnabled” and set its value to «0».
- 0 — preloading disabled
- 1 —preloading enabled
As you can see, disabling Microsoft Edge background activity in Windows is not that difficult. Choosing the right method depends on your comfort level with system settings.
By following these steps, you can regain some control over your computer's resources. The browser will only start when you really need it, which can have a positive effect on system boot speed and battery life.
Ultimately, it's a matter of personal preference. If you actively use Edge, preloading may even be useful. But if you rarely need this browser, disabling it is a simple and effective solution.
