How to stop Edge browser from preloading in Windows 10?

For some time now, Microsoft has been trying to get users to surf the web through Edge, which is currently the default browser for Windows devices. Before the release of Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer had been the Microsoft branded browser for the Windows operating system.

In the early web age, Internet Explorer reigned supreme. It was by far the most popular browser on desktop devices at some point in time. Well, it started struggling to keep its place not long after Firefox came along. However, even Firefox’s campaign to get to the top position was short-lived as Chrome from Google arrived and soon leapfrogged every app to become the number one browser.

Currently, Chrome is significantly ahead of all other programs used for browsing. We have not seen many changes in the last few years. Nevertheless, Microsoft is unlikely to give up on its promotion of Microsoft Edge as the best browser app for Windows users.

When the operating system manufacturer released the Windows 10 October Update (a major or feature update), a performance boost for Microsoft Edge got embedded in Windows. Microsoft programmed Windows to prelaunch Edge’s processes (and preload its Start and New tabs).

The described operations are typically executed in the background when Windows starts up, so you might not have noticed them. This way, the Microsoft Edge browser launches incredibly fast once you click on its app (or icon).

There is a catch, though. If you do not use the Edge browser — which is likely to be the case since Microsoft browser has few fans among internet users— you might consider optimizations for it a waste. In other words, the preloading operations slow down your Windows startup without you enjoying any benefits. To this end, it is imperative you stop Microsoft Edge from having its way.

You have to block Windows 10 from preloading Microsoft Edge on Startup, and we will show you how to do this. Here we go.

How to prevent Edge from preloading itself on Windows 10?

The 3 processes involved in the preloading operations for the Microsoft Edge browser are MicrosoftEdge.exe, MicrosoftEdgeCP.exe, and MicrosoftEdgeSH.exe. If you launch the Task Manager app to view the status for these processes, Windows should state that they are currently suspended, but this does not mean much.

To stop Edge from preloading itself, you must disable the listed processes. You can do this in 2 ways. You can get the job done through operations performed on the Registry editor app, or you can make the necessary changes in the Group Policy setting.

If your PC is running the Home edition of Windows 10, you can only work through the Registry app because the Group Policy program is not available for your operating system environment. On the other hand, users with computers running the Enterprise, Pro, or Education editions of Windows 10 can use any of the 2 methods below.

1. How to disable Microsoft Edge pre-launching in Windows 10 through the Registry editor:

Before you begin making changes, we recommend you back up the contents of your system registry. Since the registry is a sensitive component of Windows, erroneous edits to it can cause some serious problems. For example, your computer could end up being unstable, inoperable, or unbootable.

In other words, mistakes made while working with the Registry Editor app might prove very costly. Precautions (like the recommended backup) and extreme care should come in handy. Once you are ready to proceed, go through the instructions below:

• The first step here could not be more obvious: You have to launch the Registry Editor app. Press the Windows button on your PC’s keyboard, then hit the letter R key. Once the Run program window shows up, you must type in the following the code into its text box: regedit

Tap the Enter key. Once Windows executes the code, the Registry Editor app will come up on your screen.

(If a prompt from User Account Control shows up to get permission for the operation, click on the Yes button there)

• Starting from the list on the left pane (Computer is the root item), you must navigate through the following directories: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ MicrosoftEdge \ Main

(TIP: On the Registry Editor app on Windows 10, you can copy and paste the address above into the required text field to get to your destination)

• Now, you have to right-click on the Main key or folder, then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value from the options displayed. Input AllowPrelaunch into the name text field for the new value and save it.
• Here, you must double-click on the newly created AllowPrelaunch value (in the right pane) to edit it. Replace whatever digit you see in the field for Value data with 0, then click on OK button.

You have successfully set Windows 10 to stop loading Microsoft Edge processes.

Note: If you want to reverse this operation, all you have to do is repeat the same steps above and replace 0 with 1 as the figure in the field for Value Data.

Now, you must move to prevent the preloading of Start and New tabs for the Microsoft Edge app. Continue with the instructions below:

• Launch the Registry Editor app as you did earlier (if you closed it already). This time, you must navigate through the following directories: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ MicrosoftEdge
• There, right-click on the MicrosoftEdge key, click on New, then select Key from the options displayed. Type in TabPreloader into the name text field for the new value and save it.
• Here, you must right-click on the newly created TabPreloader value, click on New, then select DWORD (32-bit) Value. AllowTabPreloading must be inputted as the name for this new value.
• To edit the new AllowTabPreloading value, you have to double-click on it. Type in 0 in its field for Value data, then click on the OK button.

Note: If you ever need to reverse the changes you just made, all you have to do is follow the same steps above and input 1 in the Value data field for the final value you created (in place of 0).

Now, given the operations you carried out, the next time Windows starts up, it will do so without preloading processes or tabs for the Microsoft Edge browser.

2. How to disable Microsoft Edge pre-launching in Windows 10 through the Group Policy editor:

If your PC is running a supported edition of Windows, then operations carried out through the Group Policy constitute the easiest way of getting Windows 10 to stop preloading the Start and New tab pages for Microsoft Edge.

The same precautions against making mistakes are applicable here. Furthermore, if your PC is on a company network, the changes you make will probably affect other users (since the systems are linked). You will do well to check with your admin first.

• Here, you obviously have to launch the Local Group Policy Editor app. Press the Windows button on your keyboard to see the Start menu programs and options. Type in the following code into the text field available: gpedit.msc

Click on the first result that shows up or hit the Enter key.

• Starting from the items on the left-hand pane of the Local Group Policy Editor window, you have to navigate through the following directories: Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Edge
• Look to the right pane once you are at your destination. You should see some policies. The Allow Microsoft Edge to pre-launch at Windows startup, when the system is idle, and each time Microsoft Edge is closed policy is of interest to us now.

Double-click on that policy. Windows will launch its configuration menu.

Click on the radio button for the Disabled option to select it, then click on the OK button.

• The other policy of interest to us is Allow Microsoft Edge to start and load the Start and New Tab page at Windows startup and each time Microsoft Edge is closed.

Double-click on that policy too. Once its configuration menu shows up, you have to click on the Disabled option there as you did for the other policy earlier, then click on the OK button.

• You can close the Local Group Policy Editor app now.

Note: If the need to reverse the changes you just made arises, you must go through the same steps above and select the Not configured option on the configuration menu for the 2 policies whose parameters you altered.

If you did everything correctly as required, Windows will not preload stuff for the Microsoft Edge browser the next time your computer boots up.

TIP:

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