Windows 11 can now open running apps faster, and Edge is first to benefit

• Windows 11 introduces Accelerated App Launch to reduce delays when reopening already running apps.
• Microsoft Edge version 150 is the first browser to support the feature, with Microsoft claiming 15 percent faster launches for most users and up to 33 percent under heavy multitasking.
• The feature is rolling out to Windows 11 versions 25H2, 26H2, and 26H1 through the KB5127936 and KB5127653 updates.
• Other apps and Chromium-based browsers could support the optimization in the future, but developers must implement it.

Windows 11 is getting a new feature that makes apps respond faster when you try to open them while they’re already running. It’s called “Accelerated App Launch,” and it reduces the extra work the operating system does to find an existing app and send it a new launch request.

Microsoft Edge is the first browser to support this improvement, with Microsoft claiming up to 33 percent faster launches under heavy multitasking.

The feature started rolling out with the update KB5127936 and KB5127653 for Windows 11 versions 25H2, 26H2, and 26H1. In the browser, support is available starting with Microsoft Edge version 150.

What is Accelerated App Launch?

Accelerated App Launch is a Windows 11 capability that makes it faster to open apps that are already running.

For example, imagine you already have Edge open, or the browser is running in the background through its Startup Boost feature. When you click its icon on the Taskbar, open it from the Start menu, or select a link that uses Edge as the default browser, the system needs to determine whether the app is already running.

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Previously, Windows started an intermediary process to locate the existing app and forward the new launch request.

With Accelerated App Launch, supported apps can register themselves with the system while running. When another launch request arrives, Windows can notify the existing app directly, eliminating the need for that additional process.

As a result, the app responds faster, making the experience feel quicker and more responsive.

How does Accelerated App Launch work?

The difference comes down to how the operating system communicates with apps that are already running.

Without the optimization, Windows starts an intermediary process to check whether an app is already running. If it finds an existing instance, it forwards the launch request to that instance.

When using Accelerated App Launch, the app registers with the system and identifies a window that can receive launch notifications. When another request arrives, Windows 11 can communicate directly with the registered app.

This optimization supports launches from the Start menu and Taskbar, as well as supported links that open apps through registered URL protocols.

Microsoft Edge is the first browser to support Accelerated App Launch

Microsoft announced on October 29, 2026, that Edge is the first browser to take advantage of the new capability.

The company says most users should see a 15 percent improvement in launch speed, with improvements reaching up to 33 percent under heavy multitasking.

These figures compare Edge launches with and without the optimization when the browser is already running. They don’t represent improvements when starting the browser from a completely closed state.

The improvement is particularly useful because Edge often remains running in the background through features such as Startup Boost. This lets the system communicate with an existing browser process instead of doing the extra work of locating it.

Microsoft says its Edge and Windows teams worked together to bring the capability to the browser. The software giant is also contributing the technology to Chromium, the open-source project behind Edge, which could allow other Chromium-based browsers, including Google Chrome, to benefit in the future. However, the company hasn’t announced when other browsers will support the feature.

Microsoft is also working on expanding Accelerated App Launch to additional scenarios, including opening PDF files.

When is Accelerated App Launch coming to Windows 11?

Microsoft has started rolling out the capability through the October 2026 updates.

Accelerated App Launch is available for Windows 11 versions 25H2, 26H2, and 26H1 with the non-security KB5127936 update or later. Edge users also need version 150 or later.

The company says the feature is rolling out gradually, so installing the required updates doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll become available immediately on every computer.

Can other apps use Accelerated App Launch?

Yes. Microsoft has published a developer support page explaining how developers can implement the capability in their apps.

The support page includes examples using C++ and WinUI 3, along with APIs that allow apps to register for accelerated Start menu, Taskbar, and protocol launches. However, these APIs are currently part of a Limited Access Feature, meaning developers need an unlock token from Microsoft to use them.

This means other apps won’t automatically benefit from the optimization. Developers must implement the necessary support before the operating system can deliver launch requests through the accelerated mechanism.

For now, Edge is the first browser to take advantage of this improvement, but Microsoft’s contribution to Chromium could eventually bring the same benefit to more browsers.

Accelerated App Launch is a relatively small Windows 11 improvement, but it addresses an everyday inconvenience. Instead of doing extra work to locate an app that’s already running, the system can communicate with it directly, making the experience feel more responsive.