How to Change Startup Programs on Your Computer

Is your computer running more slowly than it used to? It may be because you have enabled too many startup programs, that is, programs that launch automatically when you start your computer. These programs can bog down your system resources, and removing them can free up space. This article provides methods for users of Windows, Mac OS, and GNU/Linux.

Method1

Before You Start

1. 
   1
   Use the programs themselves. Many programs that start automatically will include and option not to start automatically. Search through the program settings first to see if this option is available before using any other method.

   • It may be helpful to Google for this setting as well ("Dropbox start up settings", etc.).
2. 
   2
   Examine which programs start automatically. How many programs start automatically really won't have a huge effect on your computer. What really matters is how much processing power they take up. Take a look at how much processing power they're using and find the biggest culprits. Those are the programs you should stop from starting automatically.

   • For Windows computers, you can look into this by opening the task manager (ctrl+alt+del) when the computer first boots and look at which programs are sucking up the most processing power.
3. 
   3
   Research before stopping programs. You should always do a little homework before you stop a program from starting when you boot up your computer. Certain programs are necessary to the normal function of your computer and stopping them can cause serious harm. Don't remove anything unless you know exactly what it is. Google is your friend.
4. 
   4
   Avoid utilities for this purpose. There are many unofficial utilities or programs which will tell you that they can streamline the process of changing your startup programs, and they may work. However, you should always be extremely cautious of free programs or even paid programs which come from places other than your computer or OS's manufacturer. Read the directions below to find out how to change the startup programs without risking getting a virus or otherwise compromising your system.

   • One program which is generally reliable and safe is CCleaner, which you should always download from a reliable, safe source like CNet. Go to Tools->Startup to change the programs.

Method2

Windows 7

1. 
   1
   Open up the Run dialog box by:

   • Opening the start menu and clicking "Run" or
   • Pressing the Windows Key and "R" at the same time.
2. 
   2
   Type in msconfig in the text box. Then click "OK" or press "Enter".

   • A dialog box will pop up with various tabs. By default, it's on the General tab.
3. 
   3
   Click Startup. Click on the "Startup" tab. This shows the different programs that start up when you turn on your computer.
4. 
   4
   Disable programs. Get to work disabling the programs that you don't want starting up automatically. Be careful not to disable anything important. Look up programs first if you are unsure.
5. 
   5
   Click "OK" once you've finished disabling the automatic programs.

   • For example, if you don't want iTunes starting up automatically, just uncheck iTunes.exe.
6. 
   6
   Check the Startup folder. Be aware that startup programs are also stored in a folder called "Startup." Click on the start menu, go to "All Programs," and select "Startup." Chances are that there is nothing in there, but there could be some programs, so it's worth checking.

   • If you don't want any of those programs to start up, simply right-click the file(s) you don't want and select "Delete."

Method3

Windows 8

1. 
   1
   Open the task manager. You can do this by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del or by searching for it using the search bar in your Charms menu.
2. 
   2
   Click the Startup tab. You will see a tab in the Task Manager window which says "Startup". Click it.
3. 
   3
   Disable programs as necessary. Be careful not to disable anything important. Look up programs first if you are unsure.

   • More options are also available if you right-click on the item.
4. 
   4
   Add programs. You can also add programs by adding shortcuts to the Startup folder on your computer. The address for the startup folder should look something like this: "C:\Users\wikiHow\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup". Just replace "wikiHow" with your user name for your PC.

Method4

Windows XP and Vista

1. 
   1
   Open Windows Defender. This program should be installed by default on your computer but if it's not, download the program from Microsoft and install it.
2. 
   2
   Click Tools.
3. 
   3
   Click Software Explorer.
4. 
   4
   Disable startup programs as necessary. Be careful not to disable anything important. Look up programs first if you are unsure.
5. 
   5
   Add startup programs, if you want to. You can also add startup programs, by adding shortcuts to the folder "Startup", found under the "All Programs" menu when you click "Start".

Method5

Mac OS X

1. 
   1
   Go to your computer's dock and access "System Preferences."
2. 
   2
   Click "Accounts" in the Menu.
3. 
   3
   Click the "Login Items" tab.
4. 
   4
   Click the item you want to remove and click the minus button.

   • If you want to add something, press the plus button and select the application.

Method6

GNU/Linux

1. 
   1
   Edit the scripts in /etc/init.d. This directory contains a number of start/stop scripts for various services on your computer system.
2. 
   2
   Use rcconf if you want software help. This tool configures system services in connection with system runlevels. In other words, it will help you turn services on/off using the scripts in /etc/init.d.

   • If you're running the Ubuntu operating system, you can use the settings from here: System -> Preferences > Startup Applications.