How To Launch Microsoft Edge from Run or Command Prompt

/Update on Nov. 6, 2021/

With the new Chromium-based Edge browser taking over, you can launch the browser from the command line like this:

start msedge

To start the browser with a website,

start msedge URL

How about starting the browser Incognito mode?

start msedge -inprivate

And to start the browser in Incognito mode with a website.

start msedge -inprivate URL

By default, the Edge browser is pinned on the taskbar and can be launched directly from there. It’s also one of the universal apps shown in the Start from the Start menu as well. But, it also can be fired up from the classic Run command box or the Command Prompt window.

To launch Edge from Run command, press Win + R, type in microsoft-edge: and then press Enter.

Run - microsoft-edge

To do so in a Command Prompt window, type

start microsoft-edge:

Command Prompt - Microsoft Edge

You can do the same in PowerShell if it’s your default command-line tool.

To open a website in Edge from Run command box, type the following, using EdgeTalk as an example.

microsoft-edge:http://edgetalk.net

Run - microsoft-edge to open EdgeTalk

And use the following to open EdgeTalk in Edge browser from Command Prompt window.

start microsoft-edge:http://edgetalk.net

Also, you can create a shortcut on your desktop to launch Edge browser if that’s your preferences.

Click Start menu → All apps, scroll down to M section, and use the left mouse button to drag the Edge icon out of the Start menu and drop it onto the desktop.

Edge icon

3 thoughts on “How To Launch Microsoft Edge from Run or Command Prompt

  1. I can easily use a web page for specific consol application help using chrome or explorer.
    C:\pb\pbutilx>start chrome “file://c:\pb\pbutilx\pbme.htm#r_3”
    or
    C:\pb\pbutilx>start iexplore “file://c:\pb\pbutilx\pbme.htm#r_3”

    both work but I prefer chrome because it doesn’t jump me to an edge page.

    Looks like no form of start microsoft-edge: can do a similar job.

  2. Anyway to start Microsoft Edge in private mode from the command line and have it automatically go to a specific website?

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