How to Disable Microsoft Edge from Running in the Background

Microsoft Edge can sometimes run in the background, consuming system resources and potentially draining your battery. Fortunately, there are simple steps to stop its background activity. Here’s how to do it.

1. Disable Background Activity through Edge Settings

The easiest way to disable Edge’s background activity is through its own settings. Follow these steps:

  1. Open Microsoft Edge and click on the three dots in the upper-right corner.
  2. Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
  3. Go to the “System and Performance” section.
  4. Turn off the option that says “Continue running background apps when Microsoft Edge is closed”.

After doing this, Edge should no longer run in the background, saving system resources.

2. Disable Edge in Windows Settings

If Edge still runs in the background, try disabling it in your Windows settings:

  1. Open “Settings” in Windows by pressing Win + I.
  2. Go to “Privacy”, then select “Background Apps”.
  3. Find Microsoft Edge in the list and switch it off by toggling the button to “Off”.

This approach can effectively prevent Edge from background activity at the OS level.

3. End Background Processes via Task Manager

Sometimes, Edge processes remain active in the background. To manually stop them, follow these steps:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
  2. In the “Processes” tab, locate Microsoft Edge and any related processes.
  3. Select the process and click “End Task”.

This is a temporary solution that will end the background processes for the current session.

4. Disable Microsoft Edge Notifications

To prevent Edge from activating for notifications, you may want to turn them off:

  1. In Edge settings, go to “Cookies and Site Permissions”.
  2. Open “Notifications” and either disable notifications entirely or block specific sources as needed.