What Adding Apps to Startup Means
Adding an app to startup means telling your computer to open that program automatically every time you turn it on or log in. Instead of clicking the icon yourself each time, the app launches in the background without you doing anything. This is useful for programs you use every day — email clients, messaging apps, cloud storage, or security software — because they are ready to go the moment you sit down.
The trade-off is that every app you add to startup uses a small amount of your computer's memory and processing power while it runs. If you add too many, your computer will take longer to start up and run slower overall. That is why this guide focuses on adding only the apps you actually use every single day.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows, you can add apps to startup through Settings, Task Manager, or by creating a shortcut in the Startup folder — the Settings method is simplest for most people.
- On Mac, System Settings lets you add apps to Login Items, which is the built-in way to run programs at startup.
- Adding too many apps to startup slows down your computer's boot time, so only add programs you use every day.
- You can remove an app from startup just as easily as you added it, so you can experiment and change your mind.
Adding Apps to Startup on Windows 10 and 11
The easiest method on Windows is through Settings. Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "settings," then click the Settings app. Go to Apps in the left menu, then select Startup. You will see a list of all apps currently set to run at startup, with a toggle switch next to each one. Find the app you want to add, and if it is not on the list, scroll down to see if there is an "Add an app" button or similar option.
If the app you want does not appear in the Startup settings list, you can add it manually using Task Manager. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, then click the Startup tab at the top. Right-click in the empty space and look for an option to add a new startup item, or you may need to navigate to the app's location on your computer and create a shortcut. This method is less common but works when an app does not show up in Settings.
A third option is to place a shortcut directly in your Startup folder. Press Windows key + R, type shell:startup, and press Enter. This opens the Startup folder. You can then drag and drop shortcuts of your chosen apps into this folder. Windows will launch anything in this folder when you log in. This method is older but still works reliably.
Adding Apps to Startup on Mac
On Mac, open System Settings and click General in the left sidebar. Then select Login Items. You will see two sections: "Allow in the Login Window" and "Open at Login." Click the plus sign (+) under "Open at Login," navigate to the Applications folder, select the app you want, and click Add. The app will now launch every time you log in to your Mac.
If you want to remove an app from startup later, go back to System Settings > General > Login Items, find the app in the "Open at Login" list, click it once to select it, and then click the minus sign (−) to remove it. You can also check the "Allow in the Login Window" section if you want an app to appear before you log in — this is typically used for security software or system utilities, not everyday apps.
Which Apps Should You Add to Startup
Add an app to startup only if you use it almost every day and want it ready when ready when you log in. Good candidates include email clients like Outlook or Gmail in a browser, messaging apps like Slack or Teams if you work remotely, cloud storage like OneDrive or Google Drive, or security software like antivirus programs. These apps benefit from being already running because you check them frequently.
Do not add apps to startup if you use them only occasionally or if they are heavy programs that consume a lot of memory. Games, photo editors, video software, and specialized tools should stay off your startup list. Also avoid adding multiple web browsers or multiple instances of the same type of program — this wastes resources and can cause conflicts. A good rule is to start with just two or three apps and add more only if you notice your computer still starts quickly.
How to Remove an App from Startup
On Windows, go back to Settings > Apps > Startup, find the app you want to remove, and toggle the switch to the off position. That is all — the app will no longer launch at startup. If you added the app through Task Manager or the Startup folder, you can remove it the same way: open Task Manager, find the app in the Startup tab, right-click it, and select Disable. Or open the Startup folder (Windows key + R, then type shell:startup) and delete the shortcut.
On Mac, open System Settings > General > Login Items, click the app you want to remove in the "Open at Login" list, and click the minus sign (−). The app will no longer launch when you log in. You can change your mind at any time and add it back using the same process.
Why Your Computer Might Still Be Slow After Adding Apps
If you added apps to startup but your computer still starts slowly, the problem may not be the apps themselves. Check how many apps you actually added — if you have more than five or six, that could be the issue. Open Task Manager on Windows (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and click the Startup tab to see which apps use the most resources. Apps labeled "High" impact will slow your startup the most. Consider removing those and keeping only the "Low" impact ones.
Another reason for slow startup is that some apps take a long time to fully load even after they appear on screen. This is normal for large programs like Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite. If you notice one app is particularly slow to start, you might remove it from startup and launch it manually instead. You can also check if the app has its own settings for startup behavior — some programs let you disable startup launching within their own preferences menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will adding apps to startup make my computer start faster?
No — adding apps to startup actually makes your computer take longer to start because it has to load those programs before you can use your desktop. The benefit is that the apps are ready to use once startup is complete, so you do not have to wait for them to open individually. If speed at startup is your goal, remove apps instead of adding them.
Can I add a web browser to startup?
Yes, but most people do not need to. If you use a specific web app constantly — like Gmail or a work portal — it is better to bookmark it and open it manually, or to add just that web app through your browser's settings rather than adding the entire browser to startup. Adding a full browser to startup uses more memory than necessary.
What happens if I add an app to startup and then uninstall it?
Windows and Mac will straightforward skip that app when you start up — they will not show an error. However, it is cleaner to remove the app from startup before uninstalling it. On Windows, go to Settings > Apps > Startup and toggle it off. On Mac, remove it from System Settings > General > Login Items.
Can I add a shortcut to a file or folder to startup?
On Windows, yes — you can add a shortcut to any file or folder by placing it in the Startup folder (Windows key + R, then shell:startup). On Mac, Login Items only accepts applications, not files or folders. If you need a file to open at startup on Mac, you would need to add the process that opens that file type instead.
How do I know if an app is slowing down my startup?
On Windows, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), click the Startup tab, and look at the "Startup impact" column. Apps marked "High" are the biggest culprits. On Mac, there is no built-in tool to measure impact, but you can test by removing apps one at a time and restarting to see if startup speed improves.