This new feature has appeared in the preview patch KB5127936 and currently applies only to the browser. Microsoft has devised a way to accelerate the relaunch of a browser that is already running in the background. Windows 11 now sends requests directly to Edge, bypassing an unnecessary intermediary. In the future, other applications may also benefit from this approach.
Microsoft is optimizing Windows 11 to ensure the system remains more responsive to user actions, even under heavy load. The latest improvement concerns the reopening of a browser that is already running in the background. It is included in patch KB5127936 for Windows 11 preview builds 25H2 and 26H2.
Previously, when a user clicked a link or launched Edge via the Start menu or taskbar, the system would create an additional, temporary process. This process served only to relay the request to the already-running browser. Now, Windows sends the request directly to Edge, eliminating this extra step.
According to Microsoft, this allows the browser to launch faster and operate more stably. The difference should be most noticeable on heavily loaded PCs where multiple applications are open simultaneously.
While the mechanism currently works only with Edge, Microsoft describes it as the first step toward broader changes. Eventually, other programs may be able to use the same algorithm to launch more quickly after being minimized.
The patch is available to Windows Insider participants in the Release Preview channel. It is expected to be rolled out to all other users as part of the November cumulative update.
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