Microsoft is working on making Windows 11 feel snappier, and its Edge browser is getting the first taste of a new optimization that could noticeably reduce launch times. The feature is called Accelerated App Launch, and Microsoft’s testing suggests it can make Edge open around 15% faster under normal conditions. On heavily loaded systems, the improvement could reach 33%.
The trick isn’t simply making Edge load faster. Microsoft has changed how Windows locates applications that are already running in the background. Previously, when a user clicked a link that needed to open Edge, Windows had to start an additional process to check whether the browser was already running. That extra step could introduce delays, particularly when several applications were competing for system resources.
With Accelerated App Launch, Edge registers itself with Windows when it starts for the first time. The operating system can then locate the browser more directly when another link needs to open it. There is one catch, and that is the improvement only kicks in after Edge has already been launched and remains running in the background. It isn’t designed to make the initial browser startup faster.
The feature works with links opened through the Start menu, Taskbar, and supported applications that use Edge by default. Microsoft is also exploring its use when opening PDF files. Accelerated App Launch arrives through Windows 11’s optional October update, KB5127936, alongside other changes such as an updated context menu and Cloud Rebuild.
Interestingly, Microsoft isn’t keeping the technology exclusive to Edge. The company is contributing its work to Chromium, meaning other browsers built on the same platform could eventually benefit as well.