Disable applications from
running on startup
You may not realize it, but your computer runs several applications as soon
as it starts. While this is necessary for your computer to function, too many
applications running on startup can slow down your computer. Among other
ways to keep your computer running smoothly, you can disable
applications from running on startup to improve its performance.
Consider before disabling anything
Before you disable an application from starting, consider
whether you should. You don't need to disable most
applications, but disabling the ones you don't always need or
ones that are demanding on your computer's resources can
make a big difference. If you use the program every day or if
it's necessary for the operation of your computer, you should
leave it enabled on startup. You can do an Internet search for
the name of a program if you aren't sure what it is or what it
does.
Disable in a program's own settings
Some programs have a built-in setting to enable or disable
them from running on startup. Each program is different, but
it's usually in a settings or configuration menu. Many programs
don't have a startup setting because most operating systems
can automatically manage which programs run on startup.
Disable in Windows 8 and 10
In Windows 8 and 10, the Task Manager has a Startup tab to
manage which applications run on startup. On most Windows
computers, you can access the Task Manager by
pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc, then clicking the Startup tab. Select
any program in the list and click the Disable button if you don't
want it to run on startup.
Disable in Windows 7 and earlier
In Windows 7 and earlier, the process is a little more
complicated. These settings are in the System Configuration
utility, also known as msconfig.
1. Open the Start menu and locate the search box. Note: If you're
using Windows XP, click Run on the right side of the Start
menu.
2. In either the search box or the Run dialog, type msconfig and
press Enter.
3. In the System Configuration window, click the Startup tab.
The check boxes to the left of each program name indicate if it
runs on startup. Once you've changed the selections, click
the Apply button.
Unlike the Task Manager in newer versions of Windows, the
System Configuration utility in older Windows versions can
include essential Windows processes. Be sure you know what
you're disabling, or you could damage your operating system!
Disable in OS X
1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen, then
select System Preferences.
2. In the System Preferences window, open Users & Groups.
3. In the Users & Groups window, click the Login Items tab.
Select an application and click the minus button to remove it
from the startup list, or click the plus button to add an
application to the list if you want it to run on startup.
