Microsoft Optimizes App Startup Speed in Windows 11

Microsoft is implementing a new feature in Windows 11 aimed at accelerating application startup times, a functionality that has already been deployed within the Microsoft Edge browser. The optimization targets "warm starts," where an application is already running in the background.

The update, distributed to the Release Preview channel for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 26H2, allows applications like Edge to maintain certain background processes after closure. This measure is intended to reduce the time it takes for the application to become fully responsive upon subsequent opening.

Previously, launching an application that was already running required the creation of a temporary intermediary process. This process would check for an existing instance, pass the request along, and then terminate. While short-lived, this step could introduce delays, especially in systems under heavy load.

The new mechanism streamlines this by having the application register its window with the system proactively. When a user initiates a restart, Windows bypasses the creation of a new process and routes the request directly to the already registered window, thereby reducing system overhead and improving responsiveness.