Is starting your computer way more of a hassle than it should be? Do you find yourself waiting around for apps to load and connections to finish before you can even start? That kind of waiting is never fun — but we know how to make it better. Slow login times can be caused by startup apps, those apps that are set (either manually or automatically) to open when you turn on your computer.
Some login apps are unnecessary, and some are just broken items from past apps that really should be removed anyway. In other words, you can get rid of them and improve startup times without sacrificing anything. So let’s talk about how to do it for Windows and MacOS!
Managing startup apps in Windows 10
Windows 10 gives you plenty of control over what software launches when you start up, and even helps you identify what apps may be slowing down your computer. Here’s how to cut back on some of those apps and make a difference.
Step 1: Launch the task manager. You can find the task manager by clicking on the Windows button and looking for it in the list, or searching for it in the nearby search bar.
Task Manager
Step 2: The task manager will only show the current programs you have open. Get it to reveal more information by selecting at More details the bottom of the window. This opens a larger window with a much longer list of apps and various tabs. Don’t get overwhelmed! Look at the tab options and go to the one that says “Start up.”
Step 3: The Start up tab shows you all the apps that are enabled to auto-start when you login. You’ll notice that all active apps say “Enabled” in the status section. That’s the part you want to change. Look through the list and find the apps that you don’t need to automatically launch — this varies, but consider your tasks and what’s essential. You probably want OneDrive to launch at work, your Nvidia graphics card to launch on a gaming rig, and so on. When you find an app you don’t need, right-click (or do a long tap with your finger, etc.) to bring up a menu where the your first option is to Disable the app. There’s also a Disable button at the bottom of the window if you don’t want to right-click.
Startup Impact
Step 4: In the task manager, you’ll see that the last column is called “Start up impact” which is designed to show just how much time it may be taking up. If it says “None” then you probably don’t need to worry about disabling it. If it says “Not measured,” then it’s probably a new app (or you have a new Windows 10 OS), because Windows hasn’t been able to measure its impact yet. Over time, Startup impact can provide useful information on what apps are best to disable. Look for apps that have a “High” impact, and odd-named apps that don’t have anything listed under Publisher. These are prime targets.
Step 5: If you aren’t sure what an app does, it’s a smart idea to leave it. But if you’re desperate to improve login speeds and you end up disabling a few apps that you don’t really recognize, your next step should be to shut down your computer and then restart it. Login and complete a few basic tasks, stream some video, and generally try things out. This will help both determine if the startup speed has improved, and see if you accidentally disabled an app that it looks like you need. Even if the app is disabled, it will still stay listed in the task manager so that you can enable it again if necessary.
Managing startup apps in Windows 8
Shortcut: Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys to open the run dialogue box. Then type msconfig.exe into the dialogue box and choose the startup tab.
Step 1: Log on to Windows 8/8.1 using your account.
Step 2: Move your mouse over the right side of the screen to engage the search menu. Type Task Manager into the search field.
Step 3: Choose the tab labeled Startup.
task manager windows 8
Step 4: Choose the startup program you’d like to disable. Then hit Disable.
Adding items to Windows 8 startup
Step 1: Right-click the item you want to automatically open at startup, select Copy.
Step 2: Simulataneously press the Windows + R keys to open the run dialogue box. Then enter %appdata%.
run dialogue box
Step 3: From the menu that appears choose Microsoft > Windows > Start Menu > Programs > Startup.
add startup windows 8
Step 4: Right-click anywhere in the menu and select Paste.
Step 5: Restart the computer to save your startup configuration.
Managing startup apps in Windows 7
Step 1: Go to the Windows’ Start button and type msconfig in the Search Programs textbox to open the System Configuration console.
Step 2: Click the “Startup” tab to view all the programs installed as a startup option on your computer.
Step 3: Select the checkboxes of the applications you want to start when you boot up your computer and uncheck all the ones you don’t want.
system configuration
Step 4: Click “Apply” and close the configuration window. Then click “Restart” when the reboot pop-up appears. You must restart to reboot the computer and save the changes.
Adding items to Windows 7 Startup
Step 1: Right-click the item you want to add to Startup, then choose Create Shortcut from the menu that appears. The shortcut will appear in the same folder as the original item.
Step 2: Select the start button > All Programs > Startup.
Step 3: Drag the shortcut to the Startup folder.
When you reboot your computer the startup configuration will automatically save.
Managing startup apps in MacOS
Mac’s startup app management looks a little different, but still allows you to get rid of any startup apps that you don’t want — just like you can on Windows. Keep an eye on these apps, and check in periodically because sometimes new apps can sneak their way in there and slow things down.
Step 1: Go to System preferences, which you can find in your dock as the gear icon. Once there, look for the silhouette icon called Users & Groups, and head over there.
System Preferences
Step 2: If you have multiple users on your computer, they will appear on the left side of the window. Pick the appropriate user if necessary. Note that some options here may be restricted due to administrator decisions, but you should still be able to alter your startup apps without a problem. Once the right user has been chosen, select the tab near the top of the window that says Login Items.
Users and Groups
Step 3: In Login Items, you will see a list of all apps that open on startup. Check the apps that you don’t want to open right away. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to see which apps have the most impact on startup time like in Windows, but the list does tell you what kind of software it is, which may help you decided.
Login Items
Step 4: Below the list of apps you will find plus and minus signs. Choosing the minus sign will remove the app that you have selected from the list. You can also add new apps with the plus sign, but that’s not really the goal here (although it’s handy to know for the future). You can also choose to remove all selected apps at once if you’re really cleaning house. Note that this method works on all newer versions of MacOS, all the way back to Sierra, so the edition you have shouldn’t matter.
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