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How to Stop Apps From Opening on Startup on Windows and Mac

By Adam Davidson

Updated May 7, 2024

Do you find that some unwanted apps open when you start your computer? Learn how to stop apps from opening on startup on Windows and Mac.

Special thanks to Trend Micro for sponsoring this content for our readers.

Do you find that your PC or Mac is taking forever to start up? You can see your home screen, but you can’t do anything productive as your computer seems to be focused on other things. If this sounds familiar, it may be because there are apps that are set to automatically open when you start up your computer. If too many of these apps launch on startup, things can slow down. Thankfully, you get to decide which apps open at startup and which don’t. Here’s how to stop apps from opening on startup on Windows and Mac.

How to Disable Startup Apps on Windows

If you’re running Windows, there are several different ways that you can disable startup apps. The exact method that you use will differ depending on whether you’re running Windows 10 or Windows 11.

How to Disable Startup Apps on Windows 11

The easiest way to disable startup apps on Windows 11 is through the Settings app, although it’s possible to disable startup apps through the Task Manager, too.

1. Right-click the Start button.
   
2. Select Settings.
   
3. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Windows + I to open the Settings app.
4. In the left-hand menu, select Apps.
   
5. Click Startup.
   
6. You’ll see a list of installed apps; any that are shown as On will automatically launch at startup.
7. To disable an app from launching at startup, toggle the switch Off for that app.
   
8. Repeat for all of the apps that you want to disable from launching at startup.
9. When you next start your computer, the disabled apps will no longer automatically launch.

How to Disable Startup Apps on Windows 10

You can disable startup apps on Windows 10 through the Startup settings, although it’s also possible to do so via the Task Manager.

1. Click the Start button.
   
2. Click the Settings icon.
   
3. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Windows + I.
4. Click Apps.
   
5. In the left-hand menu, select Startup.
   
6. You’ll see a list of apps with toggle switches.
7. To disable apps from launching on startup, toggle the relevant switch Off.
   
8. Repeat for all the apps you want to disable.
9. When you start your computer, the disabled apps won’t open by default.

How to Stop Apps from Opening on Startup on Mac

If you’re using a Mac, you can also stop apps from starting at login. The method for doing so is different depending on which version of macOS you’re running.

How to Stop Apps from Opening on Startup on macOS Ventura or Newer

If you’re running macOS Ventura or macOS Sonoma, you’ll find the apps that launch at startup in the General section of the System Settings. From here, you can add or remove apps from the startup list.

1. Click the Apple logo in the menu bar.
   
2. Select System Settings.
   
3. In the left-hand menu, select General.
   
4. Click Login Items.
   
5. Under the Open at Login section, you can see all the apps that automatically start when you log in to your account at startup.
6. To remove an app from this list, select it and then click the – (minus) button at the bottom of the list.
   
7. This removes the app from the login items.
8. Repeat for any other apps you wish to disable.
9. When you start your Mac, the disabled apps will no longer automatically open.

How to Stop Apps from Opening on Startup on macOS Monterey or Earlier

If you’re running macOS Monterey or earlier, you’ll find the login apps in the Users & Groups section of the System Preferences. You can add or delete startup apps as you wish.

1. Click the Apple logo.
   
2. Select System Preferences.
   
3. Click the Users & Groups icon.
   
4. Select the Login Items tab.
   
5. To remove an app from the list of apps that will launch at startup, select the app and click the – (minus) button.
   
6. Repeat for any other apps you want to remove.
7. Only the apps left in the list will open at startup.

How to More Easily Stop Apps From Launching Using Cleaner One Pro Startup Manager

You can control which apps launch at startup even more easily by using the Cleaner One Pro app, a tool we’ve talked about in the past. This app is an all-in-one cleaning and optimization tool for both Windows and Mac that allows you to free up storage space on your computer and get it running more smoothly. It also features a useful Startup Manager that lets you enable and disable startup apps in just a few clicks.

To Stop Apps From Launching More Easily With Cleaner One Pro Startup Manager

1. Download and install Cleaner One Pro.
2. Launch Cleaner One Pro.
3. In the left-hand menu, select Startup Manager.
   
4. Click the Scan button.
   
5. You’ll see a list of Login Items.
6. To disable an app from starting at login, toggle the switch Off.
   
7. Repeat for any other apps you want to disable.
8. When you start your computer, the apps that you’ve disabled will no longer launch automatically.

Take More Control of Your Computer

Learning how to stop apps from opening on startup on Windows and Mac ensures that you’re not running apps you don’t want and helps to speed up the startup of your computer. You can use your computer’s settings to disable startup apps, or for a quick and easy method, use a program such as Cleaner One Pro to control which apps open automatically when you start your computer.

There are plenty of other ways to take more control of how your computer behaves. For example, if you’re having problems starting up your PC, even after disabling startup apps, then you may want to learn how to turn off Fast Startup on Windows 11. This feature makes your PC boot up faster, but it can cause some problems. Disabling it may fix your startup problems.