Unfortunately, tracking down programs that start automatically isn’t as easy as you might think. If you don’t require a program at startup, it’s a good idea to get it out of your startup path. Having too many startup programs not only makes your system take a longer time to start, it also has the potential to waste memory. The problem that many users have with startup programs is not with creating them (that’s easy, and in many cases it happens more or less automatically), but getting rid of them. Controlling Startup Programs with the System Configuration Utility To get to your own Startup folder, be sure that you choose Open, not Open All Users, when you right-click the Startup folder shortcut on the Start menu. Program installers (running under the TrustedInstaller account) can create shortcuts there, but you cannot (without changing the access control entries associated with that folder). The All Users folder holds shortcuts for everyone with an account at your computer. Just be sure to check for new startup apps and services at regular intervals to keep your PC operating smoothly in the long term.You’re in the All Users Startup folder (%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup) instead of your own Startup folder (%AppData%\Microsoft\ Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup). Hopefully, these tips will have your PC running like new again. But again, proceed with caution.Īnd that’s about it. When in doubt, a web search can provide more information on whether a service is safe to disable. Most of these are likely Microsoft services, however, so you can tap the handy ‘Hide all Microsoft services’ checkbox to filter those out of the list.įrom here you can uncheck the services you’d like to disable. Head to the ‘Services’ tab, where you’ll likely see a bazillion services listed. This will open a window titled System Configuration. If none of that dissuaded you, press Win R and type ‘msconfig.’ Alternatively, type ‘msconfig’ from the Start menu. Still, these changes are reversible, so you’re unlikely to set your PC aflame by disabling a service. Other times, your PC’s hardware and accessories might rely on a specific service for full functionality. Some apps run background services to prevent piracy, and will not load without them running, for instance. You probably shouldn’t disable anything that’s listed as being made by Microsoft, lest you want to run into various bugs or you’re really sure what you’re doing.Īnd even if it’s not made by Microsoft, disabling a service could break a commonly used app or function. Moreover, services run in the background and don’t have an interface associated with them, so you might not be aware of most of the services running on your PC.Ī word of caution before we proceed: I wouldn’t recommend messing with your startup services unless you’re confident in what you’re disabling. Whereas apps only load once a user logs on, services apply to all user accounts on your PC. Startup services are not quite the same thing as startup apps. While disabling startup apps should generally do the trick, it’s possible there’s a background service that is preventing your PC from running as smoothly as possible. You’ve disabled every unnecessary app, but your PC is still running slow. Go deeper: Disable services in the System Configuration menu You can then go about disabling (or enabling, you rebel) each app by pressing the toggle on the right. If that doesn’t work for whatever reason, you can open the Settings menu from Start, then navigate to Apps > Startup. Simply open the Start menu and type ‘Startup apps.’ This should take you right to the Startup section of the Settings menu and offer you the same set of information available in the Task Manager. But you can also disable startup apps via Windows 11’s Settings menu. I like using the Task Manager because I already use it often for closing running apps, and it’s readily accessible via a simple keyboard shortcut. Alternatively, right-click on a list item and select ‘Disable’ from there. Then simply select the app(s) you want to prevent from launching at startup, and press ‘Disable’ on the bottom right. I like Spotify, but I don’t need it to load every time I turn on my PC. You can sort apps by impact level by tapping on the ‘Startup Impact’ column.Ĭhances are you’ll see some apps there you totally forgot you ever installed, or didn’t realize were set to launch at Startup. You’ll now see a list of all the apps that are set to launch when you turn on your computer, as well as the estimated startup impact - how much they slow down your computer’s startup. The quickest and most efficient way to regularly check for startup apps is probably through the Task Manager.įirst things first: open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl Shift Esc on your keyboard.
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