How To Fix ‘Microsoft Edge Automatically Opening’ Issue

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In this article, we’ll look at what to do if ‘Microsoft Edge Automatically Opening’ Issue on windows 11/10. Users who are affected say that Edge opens automatically every time they turn on their computers. Other users say that Edge opens automatically whenever they are using the desktop computer.

Microsoft Edge, the default web browser in Windows 11 and 10, will sometimes open even if you have set a different browser as your default. It could load with the operating system when the computer starts up, load background processes before the user logs in, or appear on its own after a restart. If you use Edge on a Mac, you will also learn how to stop macOS from automatically loading the browser.

We mentioned below are the ways to fix ‘Microsoft Edge Automatically Opening’ Issue. If you’ve tried all of these solutions and you’re still having the same problem in your devices, you should go to their official Microsoft support website for more information.

Ways To Fix ‘Microsoft Edge Automatically Opening’ Issue

Disable Edge From the Startup Apps

Startup apps are programmes that run when Windows starts up, even if the user doesn’t do anything. If you’ve already set Edge as a startup programme, it will still open when your computer starts up. You can use Task Manager to see a list of programmes that start up with your computer and turn off Edge from there. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Press Win + X and select Task Manager from the resulting menu.
2. Switch to the Startup apps tab.
3. From the list of programs, look for Microsoft Edge. Right-click on it and select Disabled.

You’ll also need to make sure that Edge is not added to the Windows startup folder. You can do this through the Task Manager. Here is how to find out.

1. Launch the Run dialog box with Win + R.
2. Type shell:startup in the Open field and click OK.
3. Locate the shortcut labeled Microsoft Edge within the Startup folder. Right-click on it and select Delete.

Check Active Tasks in Task Scheduler

If Microsoft Edge is still opening on its own, you should look in Task Scheduler to see what tasks are running. There’s a chance that Edge is opening on its own because of a task on your computer that is set to run automatically. Here’s how to check on tasks that run automatically in Task Scheduler:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type taskschd.msc in the box and press Enter. This will bring up the Task Scheduler window.
3. Select Task Scheduler Library from the left side of the window. You’ll see a list of tasks in the middle pane.
4. Locate and select any Edge-related tasks. Then, select Disable from the right pane.

Disable Edge Pre-Loading From Group Policy Editor

You can also change a few group policies to stop Edge from starting up automatically. But you can only do this if you have Windows Professional, Windows Education, or Windows Enterprise. With a quick workaround, you can get to the Group Policy Editor on Windows Home.

1. Open Start, search for gpedit.msc, and select the first result that appears. This will open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2. Use the left pane to navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Edge.
3. Double-click the Allow Microsoft Edge to pre-launch at Windows startup, when the system is idle, and each time Microsoft Edge is closed policy.
4. Select the Disabled option.
5. Hit Apply followed by OK.
6. Similarly, disable the Allow Microsoft Edge to start and load the Start and New Tab page at Windows startup and each time Microsoft Edge is closed policy.

Make Sure Edge Is Not Your Default Browser

Microsoft Edge is the browser that comes with Windows 10 and Windows 11. But if you don’t like Edge, you can change the default browser so that Edge doesn’t open when you click on a link. To change your default web browser in Windows 11, do the following:

1. Open the Start menu and head to Settings > Apps.
2. Click on Default apps.
3. Scroll through the list or use the search bar at the top to locate and select your preferred browser.
4. Click on Set default to set the browser as your default option.

Turn Off Startup Boost in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge has a useful feature called “Startup Boost” that is already turned on. It speeds up the opening of Edge by loading the browser every time your PC starts up. Follow the steps below to turn off the startup boost in Edge if you don’t want that to happen.

1. Open Microsoft Edge on your PC.
2. Click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner and select Settings.
3. Select the System and performance tab from the left sidebar.
4. Toggle off the Startup boost option from the right pane.

Stop Windows From Restarting Apps Automatically

When you turn off your PC, Windows remembers which apps you had open and opens them again when you turn your PC back on. Because of this feature, Edge may open on its own. So, it’s best to turn it off. To stop Windows from opening apps again, do the following:

1. Open the Start menu and select Settings.
2. Use the left pane to switch to the Accounts tab.
3. Select Sign-in options.
4. Disable the toggle next to Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign in.

FAQ

How do I stop Microsoft Edge from opening on Mac?

How to Stop Microsoft Edge from Opening Automatically on a Mac. If you’re using macOS and chose Microsoft Edge as your browser, it’s easy to stop the browser from opening when you log in. Right-click on the Edge browser in the Dock and uncheck the box that says “Open at Login.” You can also use the shortcut Command + Space to open Spotlight, type System Preferences.

How do I get Microsoft Edge to open automatically in Windows 11?

If you don’t make your preferred browser the default, Microsoft Edge will continue to open automatically whenever you click on a link. In Windows 11, you can:

1. Click on “Start” and then “Settings.”
2. Go to the sidebar and click on Apps. Then, choose the group called “Default apps.”