Edge keeps running in the Background

Anonymous
2023-10-23T13:57:28+00:00

Hi All,

I know ... this is old and usually easy ... turn off "Startup Boost" and "Continue running background apps ..."

I have those off and it always worked they way it supposed to.

All of a sudden Edge keeps running.

Indication for still running comes from Ccleaner, which removes all trackers. All of a sudden I get the message:

(paraphrased) Ccleaner can't clean because Edge is still running ... needs to be forced shut down"

In Task manager I also still see 11 Edge processes going even though Edge is shut off.

Again ... "Startup Boost" and "Background Apps ..." are unchecked in settings.

Any suggestions?

I repaired Edge already and nothing changed. Its updated.

PS: I checked in another machine (Win10), same Edge version ... no problems here ... all Edge processes in Task Manager disappear

when shutting Edge down.

Thanks

Microsoft Edge | Other | Windows 11

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-12-16T11:39:47+00:00

    This issue is in Windows 11 Edge & Windows 10 Edge.

    I have 2 machines, both configured the same regarding Edge & Settings etc.

    Before the latest Microsoft update I previously had an update for Windows 11 Edge installed & this issue suddenly appeared. My Windows 10 machine did not have the issue after the update.

    I downloaded the Windows 11 Edge Canary version & the problem existed on that version as well.

    However, since installing Windows 11 "2023-12 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5033375)" & Windows 10 with "OS Builds 19044.3803 and 19045.3803" this issue now appears in both Windows 11 & Windows 10.

    The only workarounds I've found to work are to use the Task Manager & "End Task" or restart or shutdown the machine, only then can the cookies be cleaned by ccleaner or whichever cookies cleaner is used.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-12-13T19:23:06+00:00

    That's right ... non of these steps does anything. Edge keeps running.

    Strangely, it closes completely (no processes in Task Manager) if only started shortly without using it / opening a website, etc.

    But when opening a site (Youtube/Amazon, etc.) and close, Edge keeps going.

    And it's not always the same. After going onto some sites Edge (after closing) disappears from the top in task manager, but continues further down in background apps ... and after others it won't even move down ... stays right in regular processes at the top ...??

    And ... again ... NO problems with any of this on my other machine with Win10.

    They must have introduced something nasty with Win11 that keeps Edge on at all times.

    Cheers

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  3. Paulo GM 72,145 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-12-09T10:57:35+00:00

    I believe this is because of Copilot, and I may have found a method that could work. What I did to test this theory was to make sure the option "Continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed" was turned off, and then I disabled Copilot for all users using option two from here. After I gave the computer a restart, Edge did not appear to be running in the background when I closed it. Perhaps this can work for everyone as well.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-12-07T18:37:54+00:00

    There is a solution, after some experimenting, which I prefer (@Vivaldi browser) But I have taken the time to explore this. Make a GPO as above but you want is set to disabled, make sure the policy is under computer not user. You must have enterprise or pro-11. Turn off Startup boost and continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed, in Edge settings. Go to your search type "services" look for Microsoft edge, there should be three, make sure each one is set to manual, Apply restart. SOLVED, I've tested this over and over and every time Edge is opened and closed it is not running in the background. And yes you can leave hardware acceleration on.... Make sure this is set to disabled, "Allows Microsoft Edge to pre-launch at Windows Startup, when the system is idle, and each time Edge is closed" Also, make sure Edge under task manager is not set to startup enabled if so set to disabled. Some of you might have to also disable Co-Pilot in the sidebar.

    Under task bar settings. I have copilot disabled group policy since it's useless, same as Bing Chat just the ability to change PC settings. If all else fails a guaranteed way is make a new text file, place this in it without the parentheses.

    (taskkill /f /im msedge.exe) save as all files and with the .bat extension, example- KillEdge.bat Run this after using edge.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-12-04T15:07:47+00:00

    Turning off Hardware Acceleration does NOT do anything.

    My other machine has it ON and does NOT have the problem.

    Also - Hardware Acceleration was always on, even before the problem first occurred.

    Be reminded that the problem only occurred lately ... was never a problem in the past.

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