Opening Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 is getting faster — provided the browser is already running.
Microsoft announced Oct. 29 that its Accelerated App Launches feature improves Edge launch speed by 15% for most eligible users, with gains reaching 33% during heavy multitasking. The improvement requires Edge version 150 or later and a supported Windows 11 update.
The boost applies when Edge is already open or running in the background. It does not cover cold starts when no browser process is active, making both system compatibility and browser state important when comparing performance across managed PCs.
How Windows makes Edge launch faster
The change eliminates an extra step in how Windows opens an existing browser process. In its October 29 announcement, Microsoft explained that Edge can register its running process with Windows, allowing subsequent launch requests to reach it directly.
Previously, Windows started an intermediary process to locate an existing Edge instance and forward the request. The new mechanism bypasses that lookup, reducing delays, particularly when a PC is handling multiple tasks.
Accelerated App Launches supports opening Edge from the Start menu or taskbar and launching supported links that use Edge as the default browser. Microsoft’s figures compare Edge launch times with and without the new mechanism, under conditions where an Edge process is already running.
The figures do not represent faster webpage loading or guarantee identical results across devices. Independent benchmarks would be needed to establish how the gains vary by hardware and workload.
The update follows Microsoft’s wider Windows 11 memory and performance improvements, including efforts to improve responsiveness on PCs with 8GB of RAM. That work is separate from Edge’s accelerated-launch mechanism.
Supported Windows 11 versions and updates
Accelerated App Launches requires Edge 150 or later and Windows 11 version 25H2, 26H1 or 26H2 with the applicable October 2026 update or a later release containing the improvement.
Microsoft’s Oct. 28 preview updates identify two packages:
Windows 11 version 24H2 is not supported. Microsoft released its final Windows 11 24H2 non-security preview update in September 2026. Home and Pro editions reached end of support on Oct. 13, while Enterprise and Education editions continue receiving security updates until Oct. 12, 2027. Organizations still running 24H2 should review its support deadlines and upgrade options.
For newer devices, Windows version numbers alone do not determine upgrade eligibility. Windows 11 26H1 follows a separate upgrade path from 25H2 and 26H2, as explained in the Windows 11 26H2 upgrade guide.
Users can check their Windows version under Settings > System > About or by running winver. The installed Edge version appears at edge://settings/help, while Windows Update history shows installed cumulative updates.
Accelerated App Launches differs from Startup Boost, which keeps Edge processes running in the background. Startup Boost has configurable settings and enterprise policies, but enabling it is not required for the new launch mechanism.
Microsoft plans to contribute the technology to Chromium so other Chromium-based browsers could eventually adopt it. The company is also exploring additional uses in Edge, including PDF opening, without a confirmed rollout schedule.
IT teams should verify Windows and Edge versions before comparing launch performance across managed devices. Even on supported systems, the improvement depends on Edge already running, so Microsoft’s reported gains should not be treated as guaranteed performance across an entire fleet.
Read more: Google is also changing its browser experience with new Chrome security warnings and ClickFix protection, adding another consideration for organizations managing Chromium-based browsers.