How to Add Programs to Startup in Windows 10

Launch your favorite apps every time you boot up

What to Know

• Open the Run dialog box, enter shell:startup, then right-click inside the Startup folder and select New >Shortcut to add a program.
• If you can’t find the app, enter shell:appsfolder in the Run dialog box, then drag apps from that folder into the Startup folder.
• Some apps offer a ‘run at startup’ option, which is an easier way to add a program to startup in Windows 10.

This article explains how to add a program to startup in Windows 10. Applications that are designated as startup programs are launched as Windows 10 boots.

How to Add Programs to Startup in Windows 10

You can enable or disable apps from running on startup in the App Startup Control Panel and the taskbar, but the only place you can add new startup programs is through the startup folder.

Some modern apps have a ‘run at startup’ capability built into their options. If your app has that option, then turning it on is a lot easier than the following method, which is designed to work with all programs.

Press the Windows key + R to open the run dialog box.

Type shell:startup in the run dialog box and press Enter on your keyboard.

Right click in the startup folder and click New.

Click Shortcut.

Type the location of the program if you know it, or click Browse to locate the program on your computer.

If you can’t find your app, try opening the run dialog box back up and typing shell:appsfolder. You can drag any app from that folder into the startup folder to instantly create a shortcut.

Click Next.

Type a name for the shortcut, and click Finish.

Create additional links for any other programs you want to run automatically when Windows starts.

Restart your computer, and the new programs will launch automatically.

What Is the Windows Startup Folder?

The Windows startup folder is a folder that Windows looks in for programs to run every time it starts. This was the only way to manage startup programs in older versions of Windows. Adding a program shortcut causes that program to launch when Windows starts, and removing a program shortcut stops it from launching when Windows starts.

While Windows 10 has moved to the newer app startup control panel as the primary way to manage which apps, the startup folder remains the best way for users to add their own startup programs.

Drawbacks to Adding Programs to the Startup Folder in Windows 10

The benefits of adding programs you use every day to the Windows 10 startup folder are obvious. Instead of waiting for Windows to start up and then manually clicking on everything you launch every day, all you have to do is turn your computer on and wait for everything to load.

The issue is that it takes time for programs to load along with Windows, and every program you load takes up resources like memory and processor power. Load too many unnecessary programs, and you’ll find that Windows 10 starts slow and may even remain sluggish after loading everything.

If you change your mind about programs you’ve added to the startup folder, you can simply delete the shortcuts to prevent those programs from launching whenever you turn on your computer. You can also change startup programs in Windows 10 using the task manager or the startup app control panel.

What to Do If You Have Too Many Windows 10 Startup Programs

If you have some essential programs that you use for work every day, or you mainly use your computer to play a specific game, try adding the programs that are important to you and then removing programs you don’t ever use.

Your computer probably came with bloatware you never actually use, and applications are often set to run when Windows starts up even if you don’t want them to. Disable those startup programs, add the ones you want, and you’ll enjoy both convenience and faster startup times.

How to manage/remove startup Programs in Windows 7

«knwetlk» wrote in message news:c2ff3fd1-3e32-46d9-9522-ec05034a2db1.

> How do I manage programs that startup on Windows 7

First, note that you should be concerned with *all* programs that start
automatically, not just with those that go into the system tray. Not all
autostarting programs manifest themselves by an icon in the tray.

On each program you don’t want to start automatically, check its Options to
see if it has the choice not to start (make sure you actually choose the
option not to run it, not just a «don’t show icon» option). Many can easily
and best be stopped that way. If that doesn’t work, run MSCONFIG from the
Start | Run line, and on the Startup tab, uncheck the programs you don’t
want to start automatically.

However, if I were you, I wouldn’t do this just for the purpose of running
the minimum number of programs. Despite what many people tell you, you
should be concerned, not with how *many* of these programs you run, but
*which*. Some of them can hurt performance severely, but others have no
effect on performance.

Don’t just stop programs from running willy-nilly. What you should do is
determine what each program is, what its value is to you, and what the cost
in performance is of its running all the time. You can try google searches
and ask about specifics here.

Once you have that information, you can make an intelligent informed
decision about what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of.

—
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003

Free Startup Manager software for Windows 10

Startup programs strain the system’s memory and cause high disk utilization. While you would want to launch many programs at startup, it usually isn’t a choice because many applications including popular ones are scripted to launch at startup.

Free Startup Manager software for Windows 10

You can disable the startup programs using the Task Manager but that isn’t the most comfortable method to manage startup programs. Furthermore, there are more ways of handling startup programs than completely disabling them.

You can try the following free Startup Manager software programs:

1. Microsoft Autoruns
2. WinPatrol
3. CCleaner
4. MSConfig Cleanup Tool
5. Startup Sentinel
6. Quick Startup
7. HiBit Startup Manager
8. Autorun Organizer
9. WhatsInStartup
10. Starter startup manager program
11. LaunchLater.

1] Microsoft Autoruns for Windows

What could be better than a software approved by Microsoft for managing your Startup programs? This is the case with Microsoft Autoruns. Since it is downloadable from Technet, you can trust the application. The software is similar to the MSCONFIG (System Configuration) window but more powerful. Along with the regular details, it would show you in detail the File Explorer & Internet Explorer shell extensions, toolbars, Browser Helper Objects, context menu items that start, the Drivers which startup, the Services, Winlogon items, Codecs, WinSock providers and more.

2] WinPatrol

WinPatrol is an extensive software that can make your life much easier, no matter what the purpose of your computer is. The startup manager is simply a part of the WinPatrol software, which also helps with managing registry keys, user account control, file management, etc. The application’s interface is easy-to-use. Simply scroll through the tabs and check what all you can do with it.

3] CCleaner

CCleaner is perhaps the most popular software products for cleaning your system of junk files, but it goes beyond that. One of the additional functions of CCleaner is to manage startup programs. The reason CCleaner is suggested in the list is that it is efficient and trusted, even though not specifically a startup manager.

4] MSCONFIG Cleanup tool

The inbuilt MSCONFIG System Configuration manager tool is good for disabling startup items. However, it doesn’t give you the option to delete the items from the list permanently. However, personally I have never needed most programs to launch at startup for any reason. If such is the case with you, try the MSCONFIG Cleanup tool which not only disables but completely deletes the startup programs from the list.

5] Startup Sentinel

The Startup Sentinel tool is a light and easy-to-use substitute for the inbuilt System Configuration manager tool. While the original MSCONFIG tool is good, it needs learning. If you are new to computers and need a tool to manage your startup programs with ease, try the Startup Sentinel tool. All you have to do with the tool is to add the program in question to either the whitelist or blacklist and sort your system. Alternatively, you can use the tool to launch programs.

6] Glarysoft Quick Startup

Glarysoft Quick Startup is a complex, but very powerful startup manager tool. This can be very useful for managing high-end systems. This tool allows you to create a manual list of startup programs and export the data as a .txt file. The data can be imported later. This method is useful when dealing with a large number of programs where it becomes difficult to change the settings for each one manually. Even more, unlike other programs in this list, Glarysoft Quick Startup supports multiple languages.

7] HiBit Startup Manager

HiBit Startup Manager is a comprehensive software that helps users to view, modify, remove, create new entries in Windows Startup. You can manage startup Scheduled Tasks, Windows Services, and Context Menu. It allows users to manage entries using color-coding directly from the registry. So if you aren’t proficient with the Registry Editor (which most of us aren’t), try this software to do the job.

8] Autorun Organizer

Autorun Organizer is an excellent tool to manage the whole startup process and not just to disable startup programs. Basically, it explains how each startup program (and other programs) stress on the system. That would help you decide better on which program has to stay in the system and which has to be removed. Eventually, this utility helps you speed up the system considerably.

9] WhatsInStartup

WhatsInStartup Startup Manager software helps in organizing the startup programs, thus speeding up the system. One of the main features of the WhatsInStartup program is that it allows deleting the startup function of programs from the registry instead of just disabling them.

An added feature is the external drive support.

10] Starter Startup Manager

If you are a noob with Windows 10, I would definitely suggest downloading the Starter Startup Manager on your system. This triples as a startup manager, task manager, and services manager. So if you are not proficient with these utilities, just download this easy-to-use software and manage your system with ease.

11] LaunchLater

LaunchLater allows you to defer the launch of applications that run at Windows login. This lets Windows focus on booting itself first, then subsequently running a list of configured startup apps using a schedule that you control.

TIP: Tools like Startup Delayer and Startup Helper can also help you delay startup programs and set the Delay time.

Date: October 1, 2020 Tags: Freeware, Startups

How to Add an App or Program to Startup in Windows 10: Startup Folder, Registry, Scheduler

Not all programs have such an option in their settings that lets you enable or disable its automatic start when you turn on your PC.

But you may want to add apps and programs to startup in Windows 10 and make them automatically launch when the PC boots up to a user account.

By the way, it’s not only about apps. You can do the same even with a document, URL address or folder if you need.

Here is an ultimate guide on how to find the startup folder for a particular user or for all users and make any program run at startup in Windows 10.

[Quick Navigation]:

Before we start explaining the boring process, it should be mentioned that some programs have a special option in their settings called “load when Windows starts”, “launch when system starts” or something alike.

Thus, all you need to do is go to the program’s setting, enable the auto-start option and that’s all. No shortcuts needed:

Make program run on startup in Windows 10

For programs that don’t have such parameter read the rest of the tutorial on how to find the startup folder and change startup programs in Windows 10.

Note that in the latest versions of Windows 10 all programs that were running at the moment when you shut down or rebooted your computer, automatically start the next time you log in.

This in any case doesn’t mean that those programs are added to Windows 10 startup folder, scheduler, or whatever. This is a standalone feature of Windows 10 which is enabled by default.

Windows 10 Startup Folder Location

If you want to add a program, app, URL or document to startup you should place its shortcut to user startup folder. By default it is located in:

How to Quickly Open the Startup Folder in Windows 10, 8, 7

Method 1

• Copy this address: %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
• Press Win+E to open Windows 10 Explorer.
• Paste it into the address bar:
• Hit Enter :

Method 2

Another way to open Windows 10 startup folder is to use the Run dialogue:

• Press Win+R
• Type
• Click OK or press Enter :

How To Add Programs To Startup In Windows 10 For The Current User

You may put shortcuts to various items into this directory. But be cautious: adding too many programs to the startup folder can make your PC boot slowly (especially if you are still using a classic hard disk drive as your system disk).

Perform the following steps:
STEP 1. Open the Startup Folder using any method explained above.
STEP 2. Copy a program, app, folder, document, link or anything else:
STEP 3. Paste the shortcut to startup folder:
This is how it should look like:

The same steps in the video guide:

Add a Startup Program For All Users At Once

If you wish to set a program to run on startup for all users accounts, create its shortcut in common startup folder. In Windows 10 its default location is:

You can open it by the path: %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp or using the Run dialogue as we explain below.

1. Press Win+R .
2. Type
3. Press Enter :
4. Copy the executive file or document.
5. Use Paste or Paste shortcut to place one to Common startup folder:

Alternative Method To Create A Shortcut In Windows 10 Startup Folder

1. Right-click the empty area and select New -> Shortcut :
2. Browse the file or folder or enter URL and press Next :
3. Give a name to your new shortcut and press OK :

How to Make Modern Apps Run on Startup in Windows 10

You can also add Modern apps from Microsoft Store to startup folder. Follow the steps:

1. 1. Open the startup folder: press Win+R , type shell:startup , hit Enter .
   2. Open the Modern apps folder: press Win+R , type shell:appsfolder , press Enter .
   3. Drag the apps you need to launch on startup from the first to the second folder and select Create shortcut:

Now restart your computer and check if your program, app or another item you specified runs correctly as you log in to the user account (or as soon as your PC signs in automatically as we explained here).

How to Disable Startup Apps in Windows 10

As you might know, the more apps are added to startup, the longer you have to wait before you start using your PC.

That’s why users often apply the following steps to disable unnecessary programs from being launched at log in.

Here is how to stop programs from running at startup in Windows 10.

Method 1: Use Settings

• Press Win+I on your keyboard to launch Windows 10 Settings;
• Dive into the Apps category:
• Select Startup in the left pane;
• Disable apps you don’t want to be launched when you log in to your user account:

Method 2: Use Task Manager

• Right-click the Taskbar and click Task Manager :
• Go to the Startup tab;
• Select the app you wish to disable from auto launching;
• Click Disable :

Here is the video guide:

Add or Remove Startup Apps / Programs in the Task Scheduler

The simplest way to open the Task Scheduler in Windows 10 is to press “Win+R”, type “taskschd.msc” and hit “Enter”.

Disable startup programs in the Task Scheduler

Here you can look through the list of auto-start items, add new or remove existing. Using the Task Scheduler requires some experience. So, be careful while using it.

If you are not sure what to do with a certain startup item, first opt to “Disable” it and check the result rather than “Delete”.

Use Registry Editor to Manage Windows 10 Startup Apps & Programs

The system registry is yet another way to add or remove auto-start apps in Windows 10. Feel free to use it if this option is more preferable.

Launch the registry editor: press “Win+R”, type “regedit” and hit “Enter”.

Here you will see all programs that start when the current user logs in.

If you didn’t find the app you expected, check another registry key responsible for the common startup (for all users on the current PC):

How to Add Programs to Startup Using the Registry Editor

First, you need to decide either you want to run the program when the current user logs in, or all users on the computer at once. Depending on your decision, navigate to the one of the mentioned above registry keys.

Then, in the right part of the Registry Editor window right-click on the empty area and select New > String value

Give it a name, enter the path to the program you wish to add to Windows 10 startup and click “OK”.

Manage Startup Apps & Programs Using the Autoruns Utility

Sysinternals Autorun is a free utility that you can download from its official website https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns

It doesn’t require the installation – you need just to launch the exe file.

With the help of the Autoruns utility you can:

• view the list of everything that automatically starts on your PC and remove startup items;
• use the Jump to Image option to reveal the location of the program;
• use the Jump to entry option to find out the way how the particular program added to auto-start (startup folder, registry key, scheduler, etc);
• scan startup items for viruses using VirusTotal in 1 click and see the result in the corresponding field of the program;
• and much more.

The Conclusion

If you know how to achieve the same result in easier ways, please drop a comment below. We will also be very grateful if you share this article on social networks. Thank you and good luck!