> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://techbytefix.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# How to Stop Microsoft Edge Opening at Startup on Windows
- URL: https://techbytefix.com/stop-microsoft-edge-opening-startup-windows/
- Published: 2026-10-25T00:16:04.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T00:16:04.000Z
- Author: Jake Whitman
- Tags: Windows, Troubleshooting

To stop Microsoft Edge from opening when you sign in, turn off Edge’s startup and background options, then disable Microsoft Edge in Windows Startup apps. If Edge still opens, check session-restore settings, scheduled tasks, Windows app-restart settings, organization policies, and unwanted software. These changes do not uninstall Edge or stop you from opening it manually.

## Before you start

You need:

- Access to the Windows account where Edge opens automatically.
- Microsoft Edge installed on the computer.
- Permission to change Edge and Windows settings. You do not need administrator permission to change Edge’s own startup options, but an organization-managed computer can prevent or undo some changes.

## First, stop Edge from launching in its own settings

Turn off the Edge settings that let it prepare itself or keep parts of the browser running after you close it.

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Select the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner, then select `Settings`.
3. Select `System and performance` in the left sidebar.
4. Turn off `Startup boost`.
5. Turn off `Continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed`, if that option appears.

The wording can vary slightly between Edge versions. Disable the option that keeps Edge extensions, apps, or processes running after the browser closes.

1. Close Microsoft Edge.

These settings stop Edge from preparing in the background. If a full Edge window appears as soon as you sign in, also disable Microsoft Edge in Windows Startup apps.

![A monitor displays Microsoft Edge settings on a Windows computer.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=Microsoft%20Edge%20settings%20on%20Windows%20monitor&w=624&h=352&c=7)

## Disable Microsoft Edge in Windows Startup apps

Windows has a separate list of apps that can start when you sign in. Disable Edge there even if its own settings are already off.

On Windows 11:

1. Open `Start` and select `Settings`.
2. Select `Apps`, then select `Startup`.
3. Find `Microsoft Edge` in the list.
4. Switch Microsoft Edge to `Off`.

On Windows 10:

1. Open `Start` and select `Settings`.
2. Select `Apps`, then select `Startup`.
3. Find `Microsoft Edge`.
4. Switch Microsoft Edge to `Off`.

The change takes effect the next time you sign in. If Microsoft Edge is not listed in Settings, use Task Manager instead:

1. Right-click an empty area of the taskbar and select `Task Manager`. You can also press `Ctrl` \+ `Shift` \+ `Esc`.
2. If Task Manager opens in its compact view, select `More details`.
3. Select the `Startup apps` tab on Windows 11, or the `Startup` tab on Windows 10.
4. Select `Microsoft Edge`.
5. Select `Disable`.

If several Edge-related entries appear, disable entries clearly identified as Microsoft Edge. Do not disable unrelated Windows services simply because their names are unfamiliar.

![Windows Settings displays Microsoft Edge in the list of startup applications.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=Microsoft%20Edge%20Windows%20Startup%20apps%20settings&w=624&h=352&c=7)

## Make sure Edge is not restoring an old window

A new Edge window that appears as soon as you sign in is being launched by a startup setting, startup app, scheduled task, or policy. Tabs from a previous session are a separate issue: Edge’s startup-page or session-restore setting controls what appears after the browser has opened.

Check Edge’s startup page with these steps:

1. Open Edge and select the three-dot menu, then `Settings`.
2. Select `Start, home, and new tabs`.
3. Under `When Edge starts`, choose `Open the new tab page` if you want Edge to open without restoring a previous browsing window.
4. Remove any unwanted entries under options such as `Open these pages`.
5. If your Edge version shows `Open tabs from the previous session`, turn it off when you do not want old tabs restored.

This setting changes what Edge displays after it has been opened; it does not, by itself, make Edge launch at Windows sign-in.

If only certain tabs return, check for pinned tabs, a saved startup-page list, or a browser session that Edge did not close cleanly. Close each unwanted tab, then close Edge normally before testing again.

![A Microsoft Edge window is open on a Windows desktop after sign-in.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=Microsoft%20Edge%20browser%20window%20after%20sign-in&w=624&h=352&c=7)

## Restart Windows and confirm Edge stays closed

Restart Windows to verify that Edge’s settings and Windows’ startup list are working.

1. Save any open work and close your applications.
2. Select `Start`, select the power button, and choose `Restart`.
3. Sign in to Windows and wait briefly for the desktop to finish loading.
4. Confirm that no Microsoft Edge window appears on its own.
5. Open Task Manager with `Ctrl` \+ `Shift` \+ `Esc` and check the `Processes` list if you want to confirm that no Edge process is running after startup.

If Edge stays closed, the change worked. Edge remains available from the Start menu, a desktop shortcut, the taskbar, or a web link. Disabling startup behavior controls automatic launching; it does not remove Edge or block manual use.

## If Edge still opens, check these less obvious causes

If Edge still launches after the restart, identify what is starting it before changing anything else.

Check scheduled tasks. Open `Task Scheduler` from the Start menu and inspect `Task Scheduler Library` for tasks that clearly reference Microsoft Edge or an organization’s browser-management software. Read a task’s `Actions` tab before changing it. Disable only a task you can identify confidently, and do not delete system tasks as a first response.

Windows can also reopen applications after an update or restart when its sign-in settings allow apps to be restarted. In Windows Settings, search for `sign-in options` and review the option that automatically saves or restarts apps after signing in. Turn that option off if it is enabled, then restart Windows and test again.

A work or school computer may be controlled by organization policies. In that case, Edge startup settings can be restored after you change them. If the computer belongs to an employer or school, contact its administrator rather than trying to override the policy.

Finally, check for unwanted software if Edge opens unfamiliar pages, shows unexpected extensions, or returns after you disable every legitimate startup entry. Run a scan with Windows Security, review recently installed programs, and remove extensions you do not recognize. Do not begin by editing the Windows registry. Registry changes can damage startup behavior and are unnecessary for the normal Edge startup settings described above.

## Conclusion

Turn off \`Startup boost\` and Edge’s background-process setting, disable Microsoft Edge in Windows Startup apps, and restart the computer. If Edge still appears, check scheduled tasks, Windows app-restart behavior, organization policies, and unwanted software to find what is launching it. Once automatic launching is disabled, Edge remains available whenever you open it yourself.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Will disabling Microsoft Edge in Startup apps uninstall it?

No. It only prevents Edge from launching automatically when you sign in. You can still open Edge manually from the Start menu, a shortcut, the taskbar, or a web link.

### Why does Edge still show my old tabs after I open it manually?

Edge is probably restoring the previous session. Open \`Settings\`, select \`Start, home, and new tabs\`, and choose \`Open the new tab page\`. If your version shows \`Open tabs from the previous session\`, turn that option off.

### What if Microsoft Edge is not listed in Windows Startup apps?

Turn off \`Startup boost\` and \`Continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed\`, if that option appears. If Edge still launches, check Task Manager’s \`Startup apps\` or \`Startup\` tab, scheduled tasks, Windows sign-in options, and any organization policy controlling the computer.