I am aware that to make a program run on startup in Windows, I need to add a shortcut to the folder:
C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
However, I prefer using the Startup tab in the Task Manager to enable or disable specific applications running on startup because it gives me a single, logical location to control this.
I am unable to find a way to add or remove programs manually in the Startup list within the Task Manager. When an app prompts me to run on startup and I confirm, it appears in the list within the Task Manager but I am not sure how it changes the registries.
Can I modify the Startup list within the Task Manager directly or do I need to go through the registries? Is there any other way to manage this instead of using that folder?
3 Answers
How to Manage Startup Programs in Windows 10
Windows 10 allows you to manage startup programs in various ways. The traditional method involves adding a shortcut to the Startup folder, but there are other more convenient ways. One of these is using the Startup tab in the Task Manager. In this article, we will explore how to manage startup programs in Windows 10 using the Task Manager.
Using the Task Manager to Manage Startup Programs
The Task Manager is a powerful tool that lets you manage running processes, performance, and startup programs. To access the Startup tab in the Task Manager, right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager from the context menu. Alternatively, you can press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to launch the Task Manager.
Once you have the Task Manager open, click on the Startup tab to view a list of all the programs that run on startup. The list shows the program name, publisher, and startup impact. You can sort the list by any of these columns by clicking on the respective column header.
Enabling or Disabling Startup Programs
To enable or disable a startup program, right-click on it and select Enable or Disable from the context menu. A disabled program will not run on startup, while an enabled program will run on startup. You can also select multiple programs and enable or disable them all at once.
If you are not sure what a program does, you can right-click on it and select Search online to look it up. This will open your default web browser and perform a search for the program name and publisher.
Managing Startup Impact
The Startup tab in the Task Manager also shows the startup impact of each program. This is an estimate of how much time the program adds to the startup process. Programs with a high impact take longer to start up and may slow down your system.
To improve startup performance, you can disable or remove programs with a high impact. However, be careful not to disable essential system programs or services. If you are not sure what a program does, it is best to leave it enabled.
Adding or Removing Startup Programs
You cannot add or remove programs directly from the Startup tab in the Task Manager. Instead, you need to use the traditional method of adding a shortcut to the Startup folder. To do this, open File Explorer and navigate to the following folder:
C:Users[username]AppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsStartup
In this folder, you can add shortcuts to the programs you want to run on startup. To remove a program from startup, simply delete its shortcut from this folder.
Conclusion
Managing startup programs can help improve system performance and reduce startup time. The Task Manager in Windows 10 provides a convenient way to manage startup programs and their impact. You can enable or disable programs, view their impact, and look up their details. Although you cannot add or remove programs directly from the Task Manager, you can use the Startup folder to add or remove shortcuts.
There are several ways to make an application run on startup in Windows 10. One way is to add a shortcut to the folder: C:\Users[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup. Another way is to use the Startup tab in the Task Manager to enable or disable specific applications running on startup. To do this, open the Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys or by right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting Task Manager.
Then, click on the Startup tab and you will see a list of all the applications that are set to run on startup. You can use the toggle switch to enable or disable specific applications. You can also add or remove programs manually in the Startup list within the Task Manager by right-clicking on an application and selecting “Enable” or “Disable” It is also possible to manage startup programs through the registry editor.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
You can also use third-party software like Autoruns, CCleaner, or Microsoft’s Sysinternals Autoruns to manage startup programs.
To add a program to the registry (remember to always make a backup first) follow these steps:
- Open the Start menu and type “regedit” then press Enter.
- Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run in the directory structure on the left.
- Right-click on “Run” in the folder tree.
- Select New and click “String Value”
- Type the name of the program in the Name field and press Enter.
- Double-click the new entry and enter the full file path to the program you want to run at startup, including quotation marks ” if the path contains any spaces.
- Click OK.
- The program should now be visible in Task Manager and run automatically when you restart your computer.