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How Do I Remove a Program From Startup in Windows?

Disable a Windows startup app in Settings or Task Manager, check Startup folders if it is missing, and learn when uninstalling is different.
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To stop a program from opening automatically when you sign in to Windows without uninstalling it, go to Start > Settings > Apps > Startup and switch it Off. You can also disable it in Task Manager. These steps apply to Windows 10 and Windows 11; Microsoft notes that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025.

Turn off a startup program in Settings or Task Manager

Both routes control registered startup apps. Choose Settings for a simple toggle, or Task Manager if you also want to see Windows’ startup-impact category for an app. Microsoft documents these steps for Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Use Settings

  1. Open Start > Settings > Apps > Startup.
  2. Find the program and switch its toggle to Off.

Use Task Manager

  1. Right-click Start and open Task Manager.
  2. Select Startup apps.
  3. Select the program, then choose Disable.

To check the change, restart the PC or sign out and back in. Disabling the entry prevents automatic launch; it does not uninstall the program.

What Task Manager’s startup-impact labels mean

Task Manager can show a startup-impact category for listed apps. Microsoft describes these labels as Windows’ recorded impact, not as a prediction of how much faster your own PC will start if you disable an app.

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Category Microsoft’s classification
None No impact value is listed.
Not Measured Windows has not measured the impact.
Low Less than 300 ms CPU time and less than 292 KB disk use.
Medium Less than 1 second CPU time but more than 300 ms, or less than 3 MB disk use but more than 292 KB.
High More than 1 second CPU time or more than 3 MB disk use.

These are Microsoft’s thresholds for the categories, not measured time savings from disabling a particular app. See Microsoft’s startup-app guidance for the category details.

If the program is not in either list

Some programs launch from a shortcut in a Startup folder instead of a registered startup-app entry. Check the folder for your account and the folder that applies to all users:

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  • Press Win + R, enter shell:startup, and press Enter to open the current user’s Startup folder.
  • Press Win + R, enter shell:common startup, and press Enter to open the all-users Startup folder.

If you find the program’s shortcut, delete the shortcut to stop that automatic launch. This removes the shortcut, not the installed program. Microsoft lists these folders in its Windows startup-app instructions.

If Settings says it cannot find an app

Microsoft says this message can appear if the app is on a removable or network drive, its path is missing, or it has already been uninstalled. Use the details link beside the toggle to inspect the file path or registry location Windows identifies.

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Registry entries are an advanced case

Windows also has registry Run locations for startup entries, including HKLMSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun, HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun, and HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun. Microsoft warns that changing the registry can have unintended consequences and advises backing it up before edits. If the supported controls do not resolve a specific startup problem, ask the app’s publisher or qualified support rather than deleting registry entries at random.

Disable startup or uninstall the program?

Turn an app Off or choose Disable when you want to keep it installed but stop it opening automatically. If you want the software removed, use Windows’ uninstall options instead: Start > All apps, Settings > Apps > Installed apps, or Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. Some built-in Windows apps cannot currently be uninstalled through Settings. See Microsoft’s app removal instructions.

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Will removing a startup app make the PC faster?

It may reduce startup activity or background work if the app was running automatically, but it is not a guaranteed fix for a slow PC. Microsoft lists startup apps as one possible contributor to performance problems and recommends addressing unneeded ones; slow performance can have other causes too. Its broader PC performance guidance covers additional checks.

Avoid disabling random Windows services as a shortcut. Microsoft presents clean boot as a troubleshooting procedure, warns that it can temporarily reduce functionality, and says to keep track of disabled items and restore normal startup afterward. It also advises using System Configuration for advanced boot options only with support guidance. See Microsoft’s clean-boot instructions.

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