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Laptop slow after you log in? Stop the apps that launch themselves

How to stop apps from opening on startup in Windows 11

Open Settings > Apps > Startup and switch off every app you don't need the moment you sign in. Sort the list by Startup impact and start with the ones marked High impact. Nothing gets uninstalled. The apps still open when you click them.

How to do it

  1. Open Settings with Windows + I, then go to Apps > Startup.

  2. Change Sort by to Startup impact so the High impact apps are at the top.

  3. Switch off anything you don't need the second you sign in. Chat apps, game launchers, music players and updaters are the usual ones.

  4. Leave your antivirus on, plus anything from your PC maker for the touchpad or audio. Restart and see how much sooner the desktop is ready.

My laptop used to sit there for a good minute after I signed in, fan going, while Teams, Spotify, Steam and two updaters I'd never heard of opened themselves. I didn't need any of them before my first coffee.

Turning them off doesn't remove anything. Click Spotify when you want music and it opens like it always did. It just waits for you now.

One catch. A few apps quietly switch themselves back on after an update. If one keeps coming back, look in that app's own settings for Open at login and turn it off there as well.

Other ways to do it

  • Task Manager Built in

    Pick it if you already have Task Manager open. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, open Startup apps on the left, right-click an app and choose Disable.

    Stick with this tip if settings is easier to find and does the same thing with a switch per app.

  • Autoruns App

    Pick it if something starts with Windows and doesn't show up in either list. Microsoft's free Sysinternals tool shows every place a program can launch from.

    Stick with this tip if you only want the usual apps gone. Autoruns lists hundreds of entries and it's easy to switch off something Windows needs.

Questions people ask

Is it safe to turn off startup apps?

Yes, for almost everything on the list. It only stops the app from opening by itself. Leave your antivirus on, and anything from your PC maker that runs the touchpad, audio or graphics.

What does High impact mean?

Windows measures how much processor time and disk each app used the last time the PC started. High impact apps slow the start the most, so switch those off first.

Why does an app keep turning itself back on?

Some apps add themselves again after an update. Open the app's own settings and look for Open at login, Start automatically or Launch on startup, and turn that off too.

An app opens at startup but isn't in the list. Where else can it be?

Check the Startup folder. Press Windows + R, type shell:startup and press Enter. Delete the shortcut for that app. The app itself stays installed.

Will this make Windows boot faster?

It won't speed up the Windows logo much. What changes is the minute after you sign in, when the desktop used to be busy opening apps instead of letting you work.

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