Microsoft Edge is the native Windows 11 browser. It is a well-built, robust Chromium-based browser. However, it may feel like Microsoft is almost forcing you to use this browser by making the Edge shortcut repeatedly appear on your Windows 11 computer.
Some users have complained about the unwanted Edge Shortcut on their desktop. That can be concerning if you share your computer with others. In this guide, we have easy ways to fix and permanently delete the shortcuts if you also find them intrusive.
Why Does Windows Keep Putting the Edge Shortcut on My Desktop
Windows comes with Microsoft Edge as the default browser since it replaces the Internet Explorer. So it creates a shortcut on the desktop by default. Also, it opens most of the internet links by default and that can be annoying. It becomes worse when you share your computer with others.
Some users also expressed concerns about the shortcuts reappearing at startup. This may be the case if Edge automatically updates at startup, forcing some changes to the application. Regardless of the cause, you can get rid of the Microsoft Edge shortcut with the solutions below.
1. Change the Windows Default Browser
As mentioned earlier, Edge is the default browser and that’s why Windows will automatically create a shortcut. You can use the steps below to change your default browser as a workaround.
Step 1: Press Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.
Step 2: Click on Apps from the left sidebar, then click Default apps on the right.
Step 3: Search for an alternative browser in the ‘Set defaults for applications’ search box.
Step 4: Click the Set default button.
2. Remove Microsoft Edge From Startup Apps
Since Microsoft Edge is the default browser for Windows 11, it starts when Windows boots. So any Edge browser updates will automatically take effect after you restart your computer. Those changes may end up creating a shortcut. Removing the browser from the list of startup apps will be helpful.
Step 1: Press Control + Shift + Escape keyboard shortcut to open the Task Manager.
Step 2: Click Startup apps on the left pane; on the right, select msedge, then click the Disabled option at the top.
3. End Edge Scheduled Tasks
A Windows-scheduled task will run automatically at specific times or when certain events occur. To stop the Microsoft Edge shortcut from appearing on Windows 11, you must ensure no scheduled tasks are associated with it. Here is how to disable Edge-related tasks:
Step 1: Click Windows Search (magnifying glass icon) on the Taskbar, type Task Scheduler, and hit Enter to open it.
Step 2: On the left pane, select Task Scheduler Library; in the center pane, click MicrosoftEdgeUpdateTaskMachineCore, then click Disable on the right pane.
Step 3: Perform the same process in Step 2 for the MicrosoftEdgeUpdateTaskMachineUA task.
4. Tweak Registry Settings
The Windows Registry Editor holds values and parameters that govern how applications work. This central information repository can be used to change how Microsoft Edge behaves on your computer and prevent it from creating shortcuts. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Press Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog, then type regedit and hit Enter.
Step 2: Navigate to the path below:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft
Step 3: Right-click on a space on the left and select New, then Key.
Step 4: Name the new key EdgeUpdate.
Step 5: Click the newly created key, right-click on a space on the right pane, and select New and DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Step 6: Rename the DWORD (32-bit) Value CreateDesktopShortcutDefault, give it a value of 0, and hit OK.
Step 7: Using the same approach in step 5, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value registry element, name it RemoveDesktopShortcutDefault, and give it a value of 1.
Step 8: Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
5. Update Microsoft Edge Group Policy Settings
The Group Policy Editor is a utility that holds policies governing how users or other features on a computer behave. You can take help of the Group Policy Editor to disabled specific policies to stop the Microsoft Edge shortcut from appearing on Windows 11. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Press Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog, then type gpedit.msc and hit Enter.
Step 2: Navigate to the path below:
Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components
Step 3: Click Microsoft Edge on the left sidebar, then double-click the ‘Allow Microsoft Edge to pre-launch at Windows startup’ option.
Step 4: Select Disabled, then click Apply and OK.
Step 4: Repeat Steps 3 and 4, but this time with ‘Allow Microsoft Edge to start and load the Start and New Tab page at Windows startup and each time Microsoft Edge is closed.’
Break Free From a Persistent Microsoft Edge
There are many robust and fast browsers for Windows 11, and you should be able to choose any without being bugged by a persistent Microsoft Edge shortcut. Follow any of the solutions in this guide to fix the problem. Let us know in the comment section what you found most effective.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
