Edge opens automatically every 4 to 8 minutes

Disabling Edge’s startup/background options only suppresses the symptom; remove any Facebook site app and use Microsoft Autoruns to find the process or scheduled task repeatedly launching the Facebook URL.

1. Remove a Facebook site app, if present

The taskbar preview and creation of an ImplicitAppShortcuts link are consistent with website-app/shortcut integration. That folder is used for Chromium taskbar shortcut handling and is not, by itself, evidence of malware ^1^.

Even if no extension is installed, check Edge’s separate web-app list:

1. Enter edge://apps in Edge’s address bar.
2. If Facebook or an unfamiliar app pointing to Facebook appears, select Details.
3. Turn off Auto-start on device login, then select Uninstall.
4. When offered, select Delete app history and data, and confirm.
5. Restart Windows and observe it for at least 10–15 minutes.

Edge web apps are managed separately from extensions and can appear as standalone Windows taskbar applications ^2^. Microsoft also documents uninstalling them directly through edge://apps ^3^.

If edge://apps is empty, proceed directly to the recurring-launch investigation.

2. Find the repeating launcher with Autoruns

A launch every 4–8 minutes is more suggestive of an external startup item or scheduled task than a normal Edge startup setting.

1. Download and run Autoruns from Microsoft Sysinternals as administrator.
2. Select Options → Hide Microsoft Entries to focus on third-party entries.
3. Check the Scheduled Tasks, Logon, and Everything tabs.
4. Search for:
   • facebook
   • msedge.exe
   • https://
   • any unfamiliar executable or script
5. Inspect the Image Path and Publisher columns. A suspicious entry may launch Edge with a Facebook URL as an argument.
6. Uncheck a suspect entry to disable it—do not delete it initially.
7. Restart Windows and test. If the launches stop, leave it disabled while identifying or uninstalling the program that created it.

Autoruns displays logon entries, scheduled tasks, services, Registry startup locations, and other automatic launch points. Unchecking an entry disables it reversibly ^4^.

Avoid disabling entries merely because they mention Edge; concentrate on entries containing the Facebook URL, scripts, unknown publishers, or unexpected third-party paths.

3. Scan for adware or potentially unwanted software

This behavior is not enough to conclude that the PC has a virus, but a recurring external trigger warrants a scan:

1. Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection.
2. Under protection updates, check for security intelligence updates.
3. Select Scan options → Full scan → Scan now.
4. If nothing is found but the launch continues, save your work and run Microsoft Defender Offline scan. The computer will restart.

Microsoft recommends a full scan for suspected unwanted software and an Offline scan when a hidden or recurring component may be involved ^5^ ^6^.

4. Reset Edge only if no external trigger is found

If Autoruns and Defender find nothing:

1. Open edge://settings/reset.
2. Select Restore settings to their default values.
3. Restart Edge and test.

This preserves favorites, history, and saved passwords, but resets the startup page, search engine, pinned tabs, and extensions ^7^.

Deleting the .lnk file alone is unlikely to fix the issue: if another app, task, or web-app registration is creating it, the shortcut will be regenerated.

References

1. Windows Shortcut and Pinned Taskbar Icon handling
2. Use Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) in Microsoft Edge
3. Install, manage, or uninstall apps in Microsoft Edge | Microsoft Support
4. Autoruns v14.3
5. Protect your PC from unwanted software | Microsoft Support
6. Troubleshoot problems with detecting and removing malware | Microsoft Support
7. Fix high CPU or memory usage in Microsoft Edge