When you press Alt + Tab in Windows 10 or Windows 11, you normally expect to see the applications and windows currently open on your computer.

However, some users notice several unexpected Microsoft Edge entries in the Alt+Tab screen. Instead of showing Microsoft Edge as one browser window, Windows may display individual Edge tabs separately.

Sometimes these entries contain normal website titles. In other cases, you may see incomplete or confusing text such as:

• “Learn how to c”
• Partial webpage titles
• Old Microsoft Edge tabs
• Blank Edge previews
• Duplicate Edge entries
• Tabs that appear to be minimized windows
• Web pages that you do not remember opening

This behaviour can make Alt+Tab unnecessarily crowded and may give the impression that unwanted programs or hidden windows are running.

In most cases, however, this behaviour is caused by the Windows Alt+Tab multitasking configuration rather than malware or a damaged installation.

Why Does Microsoft Edge Appear Multiple Times in Alt+Tab?

Microsoft integrated Microsoft Edge tabs with the Windows multitasking interface.

Windows can therefore treat selected browser tabs almost like separate application windows when displaying the Alt+Tab task switcher.

For example, suppose Microsoft Edge has one window containing these tabs:

1. Google
2. Gmail
3. Microsoft 365
4. YouTube
5. Your company website

Depending on your Windows multitasking configuration, pressing:

Alt + Tab

may show the Edge window plus several recently used Edge tabs.

This is intentional Windows functionality designed to make switching between browser content faster.

For users who keep many tabs open, however, it can make Alt+Tab considerably more cluttered.

What Is Alt+Tab?

Alt+Tab is one of the most commonly used Windows keyboard shortcuts.

Press:

Alt + Tab

to display currently available applications/windows and switch between them.

Normally:

1. Hold the Alt key.
2. Press Tab.
3. Continue pressing Tab while holding Alt to move through available windows.
4. Release Alt when the required application is selected.

Windows then brings that application to the foreground.

Why Does Alt+Tab Sometimes Show Strange Text Such as “Learn how to c”?

The text displayed inside Alt+Tab usually comes from the title associated with a browser tab or application window.

Therefore, text such as:

“Learn how to c”

may simply be a truncated webpage title.

Possible reasons include:

• Long webpage title
• Small Alt+Tab preview area
• Edge tab title not fully rendered
• Recently opened Microsoft help page
• Background Edge tab
• Restored browser session
• Browser tab loaded by an extension or Microsoft service
• Temporary Edge or Windows UI rendering problem

The text itself does not automatically indicate malware.

If you do not recognize the webpage, however, it is sensible to inspect your open Edge tabs, extensions and browser notifications.

Recommended Fix: Stop Edge Tabs Appearing Individually in Alt+Tab

For most users, this is the best solution.

Windows 11

Press:

Windows + I

to open Settings.

Then navigate to:

System → Multitasking

Look for the setting similar to:

Show tabs from apps when snapping or pressing Alt+Tab

The exact wording can vary slightly depending on your Windows 11 build.

Select:

Don't show tabs

After changing this option, Alt+Tab should primarily show application windows rather than individual Edge tabs.

What Does “Don't Show Tabs” Do?

This setting does not close Microsoft Edge tabs.

It does not disable tabbed browsing.

It does not delete browsing history.

It does not disable Microsoft Edge.

It simply changes how Windows represents supported application tabs inside its multitasking interface.

For example:

Before

You might see:

Word | Excel | Edge-Google | Edge-Gmail | Edge-YouTube | Edge-Microsoft 365 | File Explorer

After

You are more likely to see:

Word | Excel | Microsoft Edge | File Explorer

This can make application switching much cleaner.

Other Alt+Tab Tab Display Options

Depending on the Windows version/build, Windows may provide options for displaying a certain number of recently used tabs.

For example, options may include:

• 20 most recent tabs
• 5 most recent tabs
• 3 most recent tabs
• Don't show tabs

The exact available options may change between Windows releases.

Which Setting Should You Use?

For most office and business users, we recommend:

Don't show tabs

especially when Alt+Tab is primarily used to switch between applications rather than browser tabs.

If you regularly switch between browser tabs through Alt+Tab, displaying three or five recent tabs may instead be useful.

Alternative Method: Search Directly for Multitasking Settings

If you cannot locate the option manually:

1. Press Windows + S.
2. Search for:

Multitasking settings

3. Open the matching Windows Settings result.
4. Locate the Alt+Tab/tab display option.
5. Select Don't show tabs.

Does This Setting Affect Ctrl+Tab in Microsoft Edge?

No.

These are different functions.

Alt+Tab

Switches between Windows applications/windows and, depending on configuration, supported application tabs.

Ctrl+Tab

Switches between tabs inside Microsoft Edge and many other tabbed applications.

Therefore, after disabling Edge tabs from Alt+Tab, you can continue using:

Ctrl + Tab

to move to the next Edge tab.

You can also use:

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

to move to the previous tab.

Microsoft Edge Still Appears After I Close It

This is a separate but related issue.

Microsoft Edge can maintain background processes for features such as:

• Startup Boost
• Browser extensions
• Notifications
• Background applications
• Faster browser startup

Therefore, seeing msedge.exe processes in Task Manager does not necessarily mean that an Edge window is currently open.

Disable Microsoft Edge Background Activity

If Edge continues running after you close all browser windows, check its background settings.

Open Microsoft Edge.

Enter:

edge://settings/system

or navigate through:

Edge → Settings → System and performance

Look for:

Continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed

Turn this Off if you do not require background Edge applications.

This can reduce unnecessary Edge processes remaining active after the browser window is closed.

Disable Microsoft Edge Startup Boost

Microsoft Edge also includes a feature called Startup Boost.

Startup Boost keeps minimal Edge processes running in the background so that Edge can launch faster.

To disable it:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Open System and performance.
4. Locate Startup boost.
5. Turn it Off.

You can also enter:

edge://settings/system

in the Edge address bar.

Should Startup Boost Be Disabled?

Not necessarily.

If your computer has sufficient RAM and Edge performance is good, leaving Startup Boost enabled can make Edge start faster.

Consider disabling it when:

• Edge continues running unnecessarily.
• The PC has limited RAM.
• You are troubleshooting Edge background processes.
• You want Edge to terminate more completely when closed.
• You are managing an RDS or shared workstation environment where background processes need to be minimized.

Startup Boost vs Background Apps vs Alt+Tab Tabs

These settings are often confused.

Setting	Purpose
Show tabs from apps in Alt+Tab	Controls whether browser/application tabs appear in Alt+Tab
Startup Boost	Keeps minimal Edge processes available for faster startup
Continue running background extensions/apps	Allows Edge-related background activity after the browser closes

Therefore, disabling Startup Boost alone may not remove individual tabs from Alt+Tab.

The primary setting for that issue is:

Settings → System → Multitasking → Show tabs from apps → Don't show tabs

Check Microsoft Edge in Task Manager

Press:

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

to open Task Manager.

Look for:

Microsoft Edge

You may see several Edge processes even when only one Edge window is open.

This is normal because Chromium-based browsers use a multi-process architecture.

Different processes may handle:

• Browser interface
• Individual tabs
• Extensions
• GPU processing
• Network services
• Audio
• Crash handling
• Utility services
• Site isolation

Therefore, seeing multiple msedge.exe processes does not automatically indicate a problem.

Use Microsoft Edge's Built-In Browser Task Manager

Microsoft Edge also has its own Task Manager.

While Edge is open, press:

Shift + Esc

The Edge Browser Task Manager can help identify which:

• Tab
• Extension
• Browser process
• Utility
• Renderer

is consuming CPU or memory.

This is particularly useful if an unusual Edge tab keeps returning or Edge consumes excessive system resources.

Check Edge Extensions

An extension can sometimes open tabs, run background processes or generate browser activity.

Open:

edge://extensions

Review all installed extensions.

Remove or disable extensions that:

• You do not recognize
• You no longer use
• Were installed unexpectedly
• Generate pop-ups
• Redirect searches
• Open unwanted tabs
• Change your home page
• Change the default search engine
• Request excessive permissions

After disabling suspicious or unnecessary extensions, restart Edge.

Check Edge Startup Pages

If the strange tab appears whenever Edge starts, check the browser's startup configuration.

Open:

edge://settings/startHomeNTP

Review what Microsoft Edge is configured to do when it starts.

Depending on your Edge version, options may include opening:

• New tab page
• Previous session
• Specific pages

If Edge restores your previous session, an old tab can return every time the browser starts.

Close unwanted tabs before exiting Edge or change the startup configuration.

Clear Microsoft Edge Cache

If Alt+Tab previews remain corrupted or display incorrect titles, clearing cached browser data may help.

Press:

Ctrl + Shift + Delete

inside Microsoft Edge.

Select an appropriate time range and consider clearing:

Cached images and files

Avoid clearing passwords or other important browser information unless necessary.

Restart Edge afterward.

Restart Windows Explorer

If Alt+Tab itself appears corrupted, restarting Windows Explorer can sometimes refresh the desktop interface.

Press:

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Open Task Manager.

Find:

Windows Explorer

Right-click it and select:

Restart

Your taskbar and desktop may disappear briefly and then return.

This is normal.

Restart the Computer

After changing multitasking or Edge settings, restarting Windows can help ensure all Edge and Windows shell processes reload with the new configuration.

Use:

Start → Power → Restart

A restart is preferable to simply closing and reopening Edge when troubleshooting Windows shell behaviour.

If Alt+Tab Still Shows Ghost or Old Edge Tabs

If the issue continues after changing the Alt+Tab configuration, try the following troubleshooting sequence.

Step 1 — Close Edge completely

Close every Edge window.

Step 2 — Check Task Manager

Press:

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

and determine whether Microsoft Edge processes remain active.

Step 3 — Disable Startup Boost

Go to:

edge://settings/system

and disable Startup boost temporarily.

Step 4 — Disable background Edge applications

Turn off:

Continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed

Step 5 — Check extensions

Open:

edge://extensions

Disable unnecessary extensions.

Step 6 — Restart Windows Explorer

Use Task Manager to restart Windows Explorer.

Step 7 — Restart Windows

Perform a full restart.

Then test Alt+Tab again.

Check for Windows Updates

Alt+Tab is controlled by the Windows shell, so keeping Windows updated is important.

Open:

Settings → Windows Update

Select:

Check for updates

Install applicable Windows updates and restart the computer.

Update Microsoft Edge

Edge normally updates automatically, but you can manually check.

Open:

edge://settings/help

Microsoft Edge will check for available updates.

Restart Edge if requested.

Windows 10 Users

The exact wording and location can differ between Windows 10 releases, but supported Windows 10 versions introduced Microsoft Edge tab integration into Alt+Tab.

Look under:

Settings → System → Multitasking

Locate the Alt+Tab option and configure Windows to show open windows rather than Edge tabs.

Because Windows 10 versions differ, the wording may not exactly match current Windows 11 terminology.

Windows 11 Users

On current Windows 11 systems, use:

Settings → System → Multitasking

and locate:

Show tabs from apps when snapping or pressing Alt+Tab

Select:

Don't show tabs

if you want a traditional application-window-oriented Alt+Tab experience.

Multiple Virtual Desktops and Alt+Tab

Windows also allows Alt+Tab behaviour to interact with virtual desktops.

If you use:

Windows + Ctrl + D

to create multiple desktops, Windows can be configured to display windows from:

• Only the desktop currently being used
• All desktops

These settings are also available under:

Settings → System → Multitasking

If Alt+Tab appears unusually crowded, check both:

1. Application tab display settings
2. Virtual desktop window display settings

Is This a Virus or Malware?

Usually, no.

Multiple Edge tabs in Alt+Tab are normally the result of Windows multitasking functionality.

However, additional investigation is recommended if you also experience:

• Unknown websites opening automatically
• Browser redirects
• Search engine changing automatically
• Unwanted browser extensions
• Repeated advertisements
• Fake security warnings
• Unknown notifications
• Edge opening automatically to suspicious websites
• High CPU usage from unknown processes
• Security software alerts

In these situations, the problem may be unrelated to normal Alt+Tab integration.

Run a security scan using your trusted endpoint security software or Microsoft Defender.

Recommended Configuration for Business Computers

For normal office desktops and laptops, a practical configuration is:

Windows

Settings → System → Multitasking

Set:

Show tabs from apps when snapping or pressing Alt+Tab → Don't show tabs

Microsoft Edge

Evaluate whether you need:

• Startup Boost
• Background extensions and apps

On systems with sufficient RAM, Startup Boost can remain enabled if faster Edge launching is useful.

On resource-constrained systems, shared workstations or Remote Desktop environments, administrators may prefer reducing unnecessary browser background processes.

Enterprise and RDS Environments

In Windows Server, Remote Desktop Services, VDI and multi-user environments, browser processes can multiply quickly because each signed-in user can have separate Edge processes.

For example, 20 concurrent users with multiple Edge tabs and extensions can generate a substantial number of browser processes.

Administrators should therefore evaluate:

• Edge Startup Boost
• Background applications
• Browser extensions
• Number of open tabs
• Memory consumption
• CPU consumption
• Browser policies
• User profile configuration

Enterprise administrators can also manage Microsoft Edge behaviour through Microsoft Edge administrative templates and Group Policy.

The relevant Edge enterprise policies include controls for Startup Boost and background mode.

Avoid making undocumented registry modifications on production systems when a supported Windows or Microsoft Edge policy is available.

Benefits of Disabling Edge Tabs in Alt+Tab

Disabling individual browser tabs from Alt+Tab can provide several advantages:

• Cleaner Alt+Tab interface
• Faster visual identification of applications
• Fewer confusing browser entries
• Easier application switching
• Reduced accidental switching to browser tabs
• Better workflow for users with dozens of Edge tabs
• More traditional Windows Alt+Tab behaviour
• Less confusion in Remote Desktop sessions
• Easier support and troubleshooting

Possible Disadvantages

The setting is largely a matter of preference.

Users who frequently move between browser tabs may find Edge integration convenient.

After selecting Don't show tabs, they will normally need to first switch to Edge and then use:

Ctrl + Tab

to navigate between browser tabs.

Therefore, there is no universally correct configuration.

Quick Troubleshooting Table

Problem	Recommended Action
Edge tabs appear separately in Alt+Tab	Set “Show tabs from apps” to “Don't show tabs”
Strange partial webpage title appears	Inspect open/recent Edge tabs
Edge remains running after closing	Disable background extensions/apps if not required
Edge launches very quickly but processes remain	Check Startup Boost
Unknown tabs repeatedly appear	Check extensions and startup pages
Edge consumes excessive RAM	Use Edge Task Manager with Shift+Esc
Alt+Tab shows old/incorrect previews	Restart Explorer and Windows
Problem started after an update	Update Windows and Edge again
Suspicious sites open automatically	Perform browser and malware investigation

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why does Microsoft Edge appear several times when I press Alt+Tab?

Windows can display recently used Microsoft Edge tabs individually in the Alt+Tab interface.

2. Is this an Edge bug?

Usually not. It is normally caused by Windows multitasking settings.

3. How do I stop Edge tabs from appearing in Alt+Tab?

Open:

Settings → System → Multitasking

and change:

Show tabs from apps when snapping or pressing Alt+Tab

to:

Don't show tabs

4. Will this close my Edge tabs?

No. It only changes how tabs appear in the Windows multitasking interface.

5. Can I still switch between Edge tabs?

Yes. Use:

Ctrl + Tab

6. How do I move backward through Edge tabs?

Use:

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

7. What does strange text such as “Learn how to c” mean?

It may simply be part of a webpage title that has been truncated in the Alt+Tab preview.

8. Does strange Alt+Tab text mean my computer has malware?

Not necessarily. Normal browser tabs can generate these titles. Investigate further only if you also notice redirects, unknown extensions, pop-ups or other suspicious activity.

9. Why does Edge remain in Task Manager after I close it?

Features such as Startup Boost and background extensions/apps can allow Edge processes to remain active.

10. How do I stop Edge background applications?

Open:

edge://settings/system

and turn off:

Continue running background extensions and apps when Microsoft Edge is closed

if you do not need this functionality.

11. What is Edge Startup Boost?

Startup Boost keeps minimal Edge processes available in the background so the browser can launch faster.

12. Should I disable Startup Boost?

Disable it if you are troubleshooting background Edge processes or trying to minimize resource consumption. Otherwise, it can be useful for faster browser startup.

13. Why are there many msedge.exe processes?

Edge uses a multi-process browser architecture. Tabs, extensions, GPU functions and other browser components may use separate processes.

14. How can I identify which Edge tab is consuming memory?

Press:

Shift + Esc

inside Microsoft Edge to open Edge's Browser Task Manager.

15. Can an Edge extension cause unwanted tabs?

Yes. Extensions can generate browser activity, notifications or tabs depending on their permissions and design.

16. Where can I check installed Edge extensions?

Open:

edge://extensions

17. Does disabling Edge tabs from Alt+Tab improve PC performance?

The primary benefit is usability and reduced Alt+Tab clutter. It should not be considered a major performance optimization.

18. Can I configure Alt+Tab differently for virtual desktops?

Yes. Windows Multitasking settings include options controlling whether Alt+Tab displays windows from the current desktop or all desktops.

19. Does this solution work on Windows 10?

Yes, although the exact wording of the Multitasking settings can differ by Windows 10 version.

20. Does it work on Windows 11?

Yes. Windows 11 provides tab-related Alt+Tab configuration under Settings → System → Multitasking.

21. Should I edit the Registry to fix this?

Normally, no. Use supported Windows Settings and Microsoft Edge policies first. Registry changes should generally be reserved for managed environments or advanced troubleshooting.

22. Can Group Policy control Edge background behaviour?

Yes. Microsoft provides enterprise policies for features including Edge background mode and Startup Boost.

23. Why does the problem return after Windows updates?

Updates can change features, UI wording or configuration behaviour. Recheck the Multitasking and Edge settings after major Windows upgrades.

24. What should I do if “Don't show tabs” is already selected?

Restart Windows Explorer and Windows, update Windows and Edge, and check whether the entry is actually a separate Edge window rather than a tab.

25. What is the recommended setting for office users?

For users who primarily use Alt+Tab to switch between applications, Don't show tabs generally provides the cleanest experience.

Final Recommendation

If Microsoft Edge tabs, partial webpage names or entries such as “Learn how to c” are cluttering your Alt+Tab interface, start with the simplest and safest solution:

Windows Settings → System → Multitasking → Show tabs from apps when snapping or pressing Alt+Tab → Don't show tabs

If Edge continues appearing unexpectedly even after its windows are closed, separately investigate:

1. Startup Boost
2. Background extensions and apps
3. Edge extensions
4. Edge startup pages
5. Windows and Edge updates

The important point is to distinguish between Alt+Tab tab integration and Edge background processing. They are related to the browser experience but controlled by different settings.