Posted on 03/09/2025 5:20:00 PM PDT by Angelino97
Every time I boot up my Windows 11, I'm greeted by MS Edge. I can't seem to shut it down for good. I searched the internet, followed all the advice, but it doesn't work.
I tried the following tips I found on the internet:
1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run application. Type “regedit” in the dialogue box and press Enter.
2. Once in the registry editor, navigate to the following file path: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NlaSvc\Parameters\Internet
3. Now, look at the right side of the screen where different keys are listed. Search through them until you find “EnableActiveProbing”. Double-click it to open its properties.
4. Set the currently set value to zero “0”. Press Ok to save changes and exit.
Okay, I did that. Edge still pops up.
I tried this:
Go to the following path: C:WindowsSystemApps. Find the folder named “Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe”.
Right-click the folder and select “Rename.” Change the folder’s name to something like “Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe_disabled.”
Renaming the folder tricks Windows into thinking Edge is gone. But remember, this won’t fully uninstall it, just disable it.
Okay, I did that. Edge still pops up.
I found that running CCleaner apparently shuts down Edge, because CC shuts down all web browsers when cleaning. But if I shut the laptop lid for a while, then open it ten or so minutes later, Edge greets me again.
Forgt to mention- Check out Chris Titus on youtube- he has a fantastic script that cebloats windows and is always improving his script. He is sell respected and,is a guru -
Useless advice. Tell someone to change their operating system.
You must not be a vegan or you would have said that, too.
That’s how I use windows 10 too - with a Linux distribution in a virtual box vm. I figure that using vm to go online with, with a Linux distribution, is say safer than using windows to access the internet. Plus I cns do very very quick snapshots of the vm and restore very quickly if anything borks the Linux vm. I open windows, then a vm, and keep the vm running until I close windows. Allowing sharing between host and guest for just 2 folders only- this way I can run all jy windows only programs, plus still get online fairly safely with Linux vm throughout the day, thouhg I also,have Linux as my main os on its own drive too- but lately have been using windows 10 with the vm- just z lot more convenient- don’t have to reboot to use windows now. This way.
There is a virtual machine program for Linux called qemu which allows you to,create a lot of vms with all different kinds of Linux distros without the need to download, and create .iso’s and install- been trying it lately, and it’s really fast and quite nice, although I couldn’t get mac os or windows to work on it, but the Linux distros have worked great so far. Tried PopOs, didn’t really like it-gonna try a few more soon. Kinda neat to be able to have a bunch to check out-
Thanks for that link- looks pretty neat-
Imran into that keyring issue too- can’t remember how I fixed it- but I have the link somewhere. If I can remember, ill post it tomorrow- something about “users” setting if I recall correctly
In Edge under Settings, click “Start, Home and New Tab Page”. At the bottom is a setting to run Edge when you start Windows - turn it off. Worked for me - turns out you can’t disable it through the Windows start-up app settings. I found this by accident because I had to reset DuckDuckGo as my start page after the last update.
In my Win10 and Win11 computers I just make sure Edge is not in the Startup items list, and it doesn’t start up on its own. Granted I have the Pro editions, I can’t vouch for Home editions.
Try Linux mint cinnamon flavor- it’s about the easiest, and kinda sorts like windows, only better-
If,you want to,try different kinux distros, check out thus link that let’s you try them without installing them or having to make usb’s to try- its slower than. If you did a USB or cd disk, but it will let you explore a number of different distros without installing-

How do,you unistall and leave the empty folders? Would like to do thst myself as I have no use for edge at all.
Just run CCleaner every time you re-open your computer. That's what I do. And yeah, it's annoying.
Me too.
Bookmarked
Thank you! I have saved a bunch of freepersbLinux advice from past months...yours is probably in it, if only I could easily locate it.
Microsoft = MicroThief
Likewise on both. I have the Pro, but sometimes, my default doesn’t pop up, the Edge would pop up instead (I think it was anything MS related).
Thankfully, it is rare that I use Win anymore (sometimes for gaming.. especially VR).
You can restrict the amount of space / number of instances of snapshots that the btrfs filesystem creates. Been there done that... Years ago. I believe I used snapper to restrict the number to 3 snapshots.... Never a problem again... Out of mind... (Discover probably triggers snapshots prior to updates). Like I say, I haven’t thought about it since initial problems when btrfs came out.
I wouldn’t recommend it.. it would have an issue every once in awhile.
It didn’t bother me since I rarely use Windows, and the issues were usually related to something to do with MS.
I had found out all of the related folders and deleted everything in them. (I was in safe-mode, so it was much easier to access.)
This go around, I haven’t even bothered to remove it since it is even rarer that I use it, lol.
In my opinion, Windows XP was the best OS they ever had, so easy to use and do things with and then they had to go and mess that up.
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