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Startup apps

SettingWindows 10, 11
Checked against official documentationLast reviewed 1 min read

Startup apps are programs that Windows starts automatically when you sign in. Many add an icon to the notification area or run updaters in the background. Too many of them make sign-in slower and use memory. They are managed in Settings > Apps > Startup or on the Startup apps page of Task Manager.

1Where startup entries come from

Programs register themselves in the Run keys of the registry, in the Startup folder (shell:startup for the current user, shell:common startup for all users) or as scheduled tasks and services. Settings and Task Manager show the Run keys and the Startup folders; tasks and services are managed in Task Scheduler and Services.

2Startup impact

Task Manager rates each entry as high, medium, low or not measured, based on how much CPU and disk time it used during the last start. A high impact means the app slows the start noticeably.

3What is safe to turn off

Turning an app off only stops it from starting automatically; it stays installed and can be started by hand. Keep security software, touchpad, audio and graphics control tools and cloud sync clients you rely on.

How to turn off a startup app

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Startup.
  2. Sort by startup impact.
  3. Switch off the apps you do not need right after sign-in.
  4. Alternatively, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, open Startup apps, select the app and choose Disable.
  5. Restart and check that everything you need still works.

Cautions

  • Some apps turn their startup entry back on at their next update.
  • Do not disable security software or drivers' helper tools you are unsure about.

Sources

  1. Configure startup applications in Windows (Microsoft Support) support.microsoft.com
  2. Run and RunOnce registry keys (Microsoft Learn) learn.microsoft.com

Note: Rain Cleaner shows what starts with Windows, so you can decide what to keep.

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