Edge startup boost and background mode

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Recommendation

Disable

Disable startup boost and background mode if Edge should not run before opening and after closing the last window.

Edge will stop starting in advance and running in the background after windows are closed. The first launch may become slower, and background apps will stop working.

Background activity: Reduced
First launch of Edge: May slow down
Tabs: Not discarded

What changes

Startup boost allows Edge processes to start at Windows sign-in and to restart in the background after the last window is closed. Background mode keeps background apps and the current browser session running after windows are closed.

After both features are disabled, this background activity stops. There are fewer background processes, CPU wake-ups and memory occupied by them in cases where Edge would otherwise keep running. The amount of freed RAM depends on the profile, extensions and the open session.

Registry changes

Path	Name	Disabled	Revert
`HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge`	`StartupBoostEnabled`	`REG_DWORD 0`	delete the value
same	`BackgroundModeEnabled`	`REG_DWORD 0`	delete the value

Who should keep it enabled

Keep the features enabled if you need a fast first launch of Edge, background extensions, notifications or web apps working after the window is closed.

How to change and revert

In BoosterX, open “Optimization” → “Basic” → “Services and background processes” → “Edge startup boost and background mode” and set the toggle to “Enabled”: BoosterX will disable Edge prelaunch and background activity. Click “Apply” at the bottom of the page, then close Edge completely. If “Instant apply” is enabled, the change is applied immediately.

To revert, set this toggle to “Disabled” and click “Apply”: BoosterX will remove the policy overrides, and Edge itself will be able to control the behavior again.

Sources and verification limits

Disabling the described Edge background features is confirmed. A fixed amount of freed memory, an increase in FPS or overall performance is not guaranteed.

Last verified: 2026-09-20.