Microsoft Edge will now deliver faster, more consistent browser launches with accelerated app launches on Windows.
Microsoft Edge is getting faster on Windows. ⚡
Accelerated app launches help Edge open more quickly when you start it from the taskbar, desktop, or other apps.
Learn what’s changing: https://t.co/yXiy3TEEqw
— Windows Update (@WindowsUpdate) October 30, 2026
Microsoft Edge supports accelerated app launches on Windows
The company has announced that Edge is the first browser to support accelerated app launches on Windows.
With accelerated app launch, most Windows users will see a 15% improvement in launch speed, with gains of up to 33% under heavy multitasking. The Edge and Windows teams partnered to bring this new Windows accelerated app launch capability to Edge users quickly. A visible Edge window might already be open, or Edge might already be running in the background through features such as Startup Boost.
Now, with accelerated app launches on Windows, when an Edge process starts, it sends a registration request to Windows. Windows checks and accepts the request. Later, when Edge is launched again, Windows can use the accelerated-launch registration to notify the already running Edge process directly.
Accelerated app launches are supported by the Start menu and the Taskbar, and by opening supported links that open in Edge by default. The Microsoft Edge Team is working with Windows on adding other ways to utilise this feature, such as when opening PDF files.
The company is also contributing this work to Chromium, the open-source project on which Edge is based, so other Chromium-based browsers can benefit from accelerated launches on Windows in the future.
Availability
Accelerated app launch has already rolled out starting with Microsoft Edge version 150 and later and is supported on Windows 11, versions 25H2, 26H2, 26H1 with the October 2026 non-security update (KB5127936) or later.
