Microsoft Edge Launches 15% Faster on Windows 11

Accelerated App Launches speeds Edge startup for running or background instances on supported Windows 11 updates.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Computers

Closed silver laptop on a light grey desk beside a window with a soft blue streak of light suggesting speed. — Microsoft said its Accelerated App Launches feature speeds Edge startup by 15% on most eligible Windows 11 devices, rising to 33% during heavy multitasking. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Microsoft announced on October 29 that its Accelerated App Launches feature improves Edge launch speed by 15% for most eligible users, rising to 33% during heavy multitasking. The change requires Edge version 150 or later and a supported Windows 11 update.

Why it matters

The improvement targets a common friction point for users who keep the browser open or running in the background. It also changes how Windows hands off launch requests to Edge, a mechanism Microsoft says could later be adopted by other Chromium-based browsers.

The feature lets Edge register its running process with Windows so later launch requests reach it directly, bypassing the intermediary lookup step that previously located an existing instance. Microsoft has not published the test conditions behind the 15% and 33% figures, and cold-start performance is not addressed.

The players

Microsoft

Microsoft is the technology company that develops Windows 11 and the Edge browser, and it has been expanding its Chromium-based browser work for years.

The details

Accelerated App Launches supports opening Edge from the Start menu or taskbar and launching supported links that use Edge as the default browser. Microsoft also said it plans to contribute the technology to Chromium and is exploring other uses in Edge, including PDF opening, without a confirmed rollout schedule.

October 29: Microsoft announces Accelerated App Launches.
October 13: Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro editions reach end of support.
October 12, 2027: Windows 11 24H2 Enterprise and Education security updates end.

The Tech Race

Microsoft is contributing the Accelerated App Launches mechanism to the open-source Chromium project, which could let other Chromium-based browsers adopt the same Windows integration. The move positions Edge against rival browsers that also rely on Chromium for their core engine.

Users who keep Edge open or running in the background should see faster launches after updating to Edge version 150 or later on a supported Windows 11 release. Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro users are no longer supported, so they will need a newer version of Windows 11 to receive the feature.

The takeaway

Keeping Edge updated and running in the background is the simplest way to benefit from the faster launch behavior. Users on unsupported Windows 11 24H2 editions should move to a supported release to receive it.

What happens next

Microsoft has said Accelerated App Launches will be contributed to Chromium, but no date for that contribution or for adoption by other browsers was provided.