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Microsoft Edge is pre-installed on, and deeply integrated with, every Windows 10 and 11 computer. Even if you use a different browser, Edge continues to run in the background, pops up where it doesn’t belong, and overrides your chosen defaults.
If you are wondering how to disable Microsoft Edge to free up system resources, or just want it to stop bugging you like a petulant child, this guide will help.
In newer versions of Windows, Microsoft Edge is deeply integrated into the system. Forcibly removing the browser can cause system instability and crashes, especially if you’re unsure of what you’re doing. For most users, disabling its ability to run in the background and opening on startup is an effective compromise.
This stops Edge from silently consuming your memory and CPU in the background, freeing up your computer to run other programs more smoothly.
1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the three-dot menu (⋯) in the top-right corner.
3. Select Settings.
4. In the left sidebar, scroll down and click System and performance.
5. Select System.
6. Toggle these two features off:
You may have to restart the browser for the changes to take effect.
Quick tip: If you usually close Edge by clicking the X in the corner, try going to Menu → Close Microsoft Edge instead. This should shut everything down properly, rather than just hiding the window.
Even after turning off Startup Boost, Edge might still launch when you boot your computer. Here’s how to prevent that using Task Manager on Windows 11 and 10:
1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Click the Startup tab (or Startup apps on Windows 11).
3. Find Microsoft Edge, right-click it, and select Disable.
This makes sure that when you click a link in an email, a document, or anywhere else, it opens in the browser you actually want.
On Windows 11:
1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Apps, then Default apps.
3. Search for your preferred browser and click on it.
4. Click Set default.
Note: Some users report that Microsoft sometimes overrides this setting and opens Edge anyway. Go to the Default App settings page and look under the By file type section. Changing your preferred browser separately for each file type should reduce how often Edge gets unintentionally launched.
On Windows 10:
1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Apps, then Default apps.
3. Under Web browser, click on Microsoft Edge to change your default browser.
If your device is in the European Economic Area (EEA), you can uninstall Microsoft Edge through normal Windows settings, thanks to the EU’s Digital Markets Act. This works on Windows 11 version 23H2 or later, and the EEA covers EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. (Windows determines eligibility from the region set during device setup).
1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Apps, then Installed apps.
3. Find Microsoft Edge and select Uninstall.
If you have the technical know-how, you can remove the app entirely. But with Edge being so integrated into modern versions of Windows, removing it can cause issues such as Windows Search and widgets to not work properly, Microsoft integrations breaking, and PDFs not opening.
If you decide to continue, proceed cautiously and ensure you have a System Restore point created first. Note that future Windows updates may reinstall Edge.
Editing the registry can make an uninstall button for Edge appear in Windows Settings (this may not work on 24H2+).
1. Run CommandPrompt or PowerShell as administrator. Press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
2. Run this command:
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Microsoft Edge" /v "NoRemove" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
3. Restart your computer.
4. Go to Apps, then Installed apps.
5. Find Microsoft Edge and select Uninstall.
You can force Edge to uninstall with this method.
1. Open File Explorer.
2. Go to: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\
3. Open the folder with the highest version number
4. Open the Installer folder
5. Right-click an empty space
6. Select Open in Terminal or Open PowerShell window here
7. Run the uninstall command:
.\setup.exe --uninstall --system-level --verbose-logging --force-uninstall
Edge is built into Windows in a way that makes it feel almost impossible to escape. It’s designed to be “always on,” which means it reserves space in your RAM before you even click a button. If you’re running an older laptop or just like your computer to run lean, this background activity eats up resources that your actual work or games could be using.
Microsoft also uses Edge as a funnel for its own services, sometimes overriding your default browser settings to push Bing or personalized ads through Windows Search and widgets. It can feel like your own computer is trying to push you to use Edge on every corner of the operating system, in the same way that Microsoft Authenticator users were forced into using Edge to store passwords.
Then, there’s privacy. Your browser is how you access the online world, and it can see everything you type and every site you visit. While Edge is generally secure from hackers, as a closed-source tool, we won’t know just how invasive it actually is. And when Microsoft’s business model involves targeted advertising, keeping Edge around essentially grants the company access to your private online life.
There are better alternatives. Consider using the best browsers for your privacy, such as:
Microsoft Edge is also used to store passwords. If you’re planning to disable the browser, you’ll need a new password manager. Proton Pass is an end-to-end encrypted password manager that ensures only you can access your passwords and other stored data. Even if you weren’t uninstalling Edge, moving your passwords out of Edge is good, because it exposes your stored passwords.
Proton Pass is free to use, and you can store as many passwords as you want. Plus, we’ve made importing your passwords from Edge easy.
Disabling Edge is the first step to going online more securely, and choosing a private browser is half of the picture. To truly go online privately and safely, you need to shield your online activity from your internet service provider (ISP) and any other network you connect to.
Whether you choose Firefox or any other browser to replace Edge, be sure to pair it with Proton VPN. When you go online with a VPN, your ISP (and by extension your government) can’t see what you do online, and websites you visit can’t see your real IP address.
Proton VPN has a strict no logs policy and is based in Switzerland, outside of US and EU surveillance programs. Proton is supported by paying subscribers; unlike Microsoft, we will never show you ads or collect your data and sell it. You can trust us to keep your digital presence truly private.
Microsoft considers Edge to be a system component because of how deeply integrated it is with Windows. System updates often repair and patch the system, which may include reinstalling any missing core apps and files.
The Startup Boost feature is the main culprit. It pre-loads Edge into memory when your PC starts, so that it launches faster when you do use it. This consumes memory and processing power even when you’re doing something unrelated on your computer.
Edge is also deeply embedded in Windows. Some Windows features may open Edge, such as Windows Search or when you open PDF files, even if you’ve changed your default browser.
To stop Edge processes that are currently running:
1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Click on the Processes tab.
3. Look for Microsoft Edge in the list.
Right-click any Edge process and select End task.
Note: If multiple processes are listed, you may need to repeat this for each one. To prevent it from returning automatically, you must also disable Startup Boost within the Edge browser settings.
It can be risky because of how deeply integrated Edge is in Windows. Force-removing it can break the system and cause errors in some apps or features. Unless you have the technical expertise, it’s best to just disable Microsoft Edge instead.
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