How To Change What Apps Startup On Windows 10

You can change startup programs in Windows 10 — the applications that start when you turn on your computer — by adjusting your settings.
You can also disable startup programs in Windows 10, as having too many can slow down your computer, and even cause Windows to crash upon startup.
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Having programs open on startup can save you a lot of hassle if you use them frequently. When they open by default, after all, you won't have to spend time searching for them on your computer. Popular programs like Skype, Spotify, and f.lux will usually be set to startup by default.

However, having too many startup programs can make turning on your Windows 10 computer an incredibly slow process. This is especially true for older computers with less processing power.

It's possible to turn this function off for individual programs, as well as enable it for other programs. This means that you can set it so only the programs that you need will start up right away.

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How to change startup programs in Windows 10

1. Click the Windows logo at the bottom left of your screen, or press the Windows key on your keyboard. Then search and select "Startup Apps."

The Startup Apps option should look like this.

2. Windows will sort the applications that open on startup by their impact on memory or CPU usage. If you're experiencing slow startups, start by disabling the programs at the top and work down.

You can disable each app by flipping their switch.

3. If you don't recognize a program on this list, then it might be a good idea to search its name in your internet browser to see if it's important. Either you'll find out what it's there for, or realize that it's unwanted software that you should consider uninstalling.

For information on how to uninstall programs in Windows 10, see our article here.

How to disable startup programs in Windows 10

You can also disable startup programs via the Task Manager.

1. Open the Task Manager by right-clicking the Windows icon, or by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete.

2. Click "More Details" at the bottom of the Manager, and then select the Start-up tab at the top.

Open the "Start-up" tab to see a list of all the programs that begin at startup.

3. You can disable options in this list by right clicking them.

You can sort programs in this list by how many resources they take up when they start.

How to set a program to launch at startup in Windows 10

1. Click the Windows logo at the bottom left of your screen, or press the Windows key on your keyboard, and then type the name of the application you want to run at startup.

2. Right-click the application and select "More."

3. Select "Open file location." If you don't see that option in the More menu, then you can't set it up to open at startup.

4. In the folder that opens, right-click the program's icon and select "Copy."

5. Either click the Windows logo in the bottom left again and search for the Run application, or hit the Windows key + R on your keyboard.

6. In the Run window, type "shell:startup" and then press Enter.

Run "shell:startup" to access this startup folder.

Paste the shortcut into the new folder that appears by right-clicking on an empty space and selecting "Paste."

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Ross James is a freelance writer for Business Insider.