Configure startup applications in Windows
When it comes to optimizing your Windows device, one of the key optimization areas is the startup process. The applications that run automatically when your device boots up can impact both the speed of your startup and the overall performance of your system. By customizing which applications launch on startup, you can streamline your routine, ensuring that only the tools you need for your daily tasks are ready and waiting for you.
Depending on how the applications are installed and registered in Windows, there are different ways to configure their startup behavior:
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Any applications that are registered in Windows with a startup task can be configured from Settings or from Task Manager
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Other applications can be configured using File Explorer
Expand each section to learn more.
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In the Settings app on your Windows device, select Apps > Startup , or use the following shortcut:
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For any of the applications in the list
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set the toggle to On to start the app automatically when you sign in
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set the toggle to Off to prevent the app from starting automatically
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If you want to change the advanced settings for that app, select the chevron and make changes as desired
If the app that you want to configure isn't listed in the startup list, you can configure its startup from File Explorer.
The Task Manager provides the same list of startup applications offered by Settings. You can configure the applications that run at startup with both tools, but they present the information slightly differently.
The Task Manager provides a more detailed view, including the impact each app has on the startup process. This can be particularly useful for troubleshooting performance issues during system startup.
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Right-click on Start and select Task Manager
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Select the Startup apps tab
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Select the app that you want to configure
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Select Enable to start the app automatically when you sign in
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Select Disable to prevent the app from starting automatically
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Task Manager shows the impact of each of the apps have on your startup experience:
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None : Startup app is disabled
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Not Measured : No data available to measure the startup app, startup app is enabled
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Low Impact : Total CPU usage takes less than 300 milliseconds and total disk usage is less than 292 kilobytes
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Medium Impact : Total CPU usage takes less than 1 second but more than 300 milliseconds or total disk usage is less than 3 megabytes but more than 292 kilobytes
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High Impact : Total CPU usage takes more than 1 second or total disk usage is more than 3 megabytes
If the app that you want to configure isn't listed in the startup list, you can configure its startup from File Explorer.
For applications that aren't registered in Windows with a startup task, you can use File Explorer. The process consists of copying or creating a shortcut to the app's executable to either one of these folders:
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shell:startup if you are configuring the startup behavior for the current user
Note: the path corresponds to %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
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shell:common startup if you are configuring the startup behavior for all users using the device
Note: the path corresponds to %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Here are the steps:
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Right-click on Start and select Run
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In the Run dialog box, type shell:appsfolder and select Enter
A File Explorer window opens, containing a list of all applications installed on the device. Keep this first window open
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Right-click on Start and select Run
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In the Run dialog box, type either shell:startup or shell:common startup and select Enter
A second File Explorer window opens, containing a list of applications that start automatically when a user signs in
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Drag and drop the applications that you want to start automatically from the first window to the second one
If you want to remove applications from the startup folder, delete the links from the second window.
Fix the error: We couldn’t find this app
If you see the massage We couldn’t find this app as an app title in Settings, the app could be on a removable drive, a network drive, or the path to the app might not exist. This could also happen if an app was uninstalled, therefore you can try to reinstall the app to try to fix it.
To find more information about the missing app, select the icon next to the On / Off toggle of the app.
When there isn’t a valid path, a window lists the registry location or the file path that contains the broken path. If the path points to a registry location, you can use the Registry Editor and find the broken path.
Startup apps in the registry
The startup applications in Windows can be stored in specific registry locations.
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For applications that run at startup for all users, the registry paths are:
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HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
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HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
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For applications that run at startup for the current user, the registry path is:
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HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
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Caution: modifying the registry can have unintended consequences. It’s important to be careful and back up the registry before making changes.
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