Microsoft’s Startup Boost: Helpful or Hype?

Remember how a few months ago we warned everybody about how Microsoft was going to push automatic upgrades to the new version of Outlook? Well, in May, Microsoft is going to do it again. Let’s talk about an upcoming update to Windows called 'Startup Boost’ and how it’s claiming to improve the startup speed of key applications.

Startup Boost is designed to keep essential processes running in the background, allowing applications like Microsoft Edge and Office to launch more quickly. For end users, this should mean faster access to your browser and productivity tools, reducing the time spent waiting for them to open. Office applications like Word and Excel will preload during Windows boot, ensuring they open swiftly when needed.

This update is particularly beneficial for IT professionals managing multiple devices. Startup Boost optimizes performance without significantly impacting system resources. Well…that’s kinda true. First of all, the time required for your computer to boot up is going to increase (because we’re loading all those programs).

Plus, those programs are going to hang around in memory, which is great…if you have enough memory. This feature requires 8GB Ram. So if Microsoft is saying that, don’t even think about this if you have less than 16GB.

Microsoft is saying this is optional. You can turn it off if you want to, but guess what? Microsoft will reenable it every time there’s a new Office update. Oh, joy! Administrators can more permanently control Startup Boost through Group Policy settings, allowing customization based on organizational needs.

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