What Starts With Your Computer
When you turn on a computer and sign in, the operating system loads its own essential parts first. Then it launches whatever else has been set to start automatically. Some of those are things you want: security software, a cloud folder that syncs your files, a keyboard or touchpad helper. Others are programs that quietly added themselves during installation, such as update checkers, chat apps, music players and manufacturer utilities.
Each one uses some processor time, memory and drive activity, and each takes a share of the first minute or two after sign-in. One or two are unnoticeable. A dozen or two can make a computer feel sluggish until they settle down. Trimming the list is one of the more effective and low-risk things you can do, provided you go about it carefully. It is one of several common computer slowdowns, so do not expect it to fix a problem that comes from somewhere else.
Where to Look
Operating systems keep a list of startup items, usually reachable through the system settings or the task manager or activity monitor. The exact location changes between versions, so search your system’s settings for “startup” instead of following a fixed menu path. The list typically shows the name, the publisher, whether the item is enabled and often an estimate of its impact on startup.
Some programs start in other ways that this list may not show, such as scheduled tasks or background services. For most home users the main startup list is enough. Avoid editing deeper system settings by hand unless you are following the maker’s official instructions.
How to Recognize What You Are Looking At
Names can be cryptic, so take a moment with each one.
- Check the publisher. The name of the company next to an item is often the best clue. An entry from your operating system’s maker is generally something to leave alone.
- Match it to a program you know. If you recognize the name as an app you installed, you can decide whether you need it running all the time.
- Look it up. If a name means nothing to you, search for it before making a decision. Be wary of websites that tell you to download a “fix” or “cleaner.” Reputable explanations just describe what the item is.
An entry you do not recognize is not proof of a virus, but unfamiliar items that appeared suddenly, together with pop-ups or a browser that changed on its own, are worth checking against the malware warning signs.
What Is Usually Safe to Disable
Disabling a startup item does not uninstall it. The program still exists and can be opened by hand; it just no longer launches by itself. That is what makes this a reversible change. Candidates that are commonly fine to turn off include:
- Chat and messaging apps you open when you need them
- Music, video and game launchers
- Update checkers for individual programs, as long as you check for updates yourself from time to time, since keeping software updates under control is still important
- Manufacturer extras and “helper” or “assistant” tools that you never use
What to Leave Enabled
- Security software, which needs to run from the start to protect the computer.
- Items from your operating system’s maker.
- Drivers and hardware helpers, such as audio, touchpad, graphics and wireless components. Disabling them can cause hardware to misbehave or controls to stop working. Device drivers are explained separately.
- Cloud sync and backup tools, if you depend on them to protect your files. If you turn them off, remember that your files will no longer be copied automatically.
- Anything you are unsure about. Leaving something enabled costs little. Disabling the wrong thing can cause confusion.
A Cautious, Reversible Method
- Back up first. A change to startup items is unlikely to cause data loss, but a backup makes any troubleshooting less stressful.
- Note the starting point. Write down or take a photo of the list, including which items are enabled, so you can restore it.
- Change one or two items at a time. Disabling twenty at once makes it impossible to know which change caused a problem.
- Restart and use the computer normally. Open the programs you normally use and check that everything still works.
- Give it a few days. Some effects only show up occasionally, such as a printer utility or a backup that no longer runs on schedule.
- Re-enable anything that causes a problem. Switching an item back on restores the original behavior.
If something stops working, look at what you changed most recently and turn it back on. If a problem appears that you cannot trace, use the troubleshooting steps and, if needed, safe mode, which starts the computer with only the essentials.
Keeping the List Short Going Forward
Many programs add themselves to the startup list without asking. During installation, look for options such as “launch at startup” or “run when the computer starts” and uncheck them if you do not need them. Programs that you no longer use should be removed through the system’s normal uninstall feature, which usually removes their startup entries as well; the practice of uninstalling programs cleanly helps here. A glance at the startup list every few months is plenty.
Managing Expectations
Fewer startup programs usually means a quicker, calmer first minute after sign-in and a little more free memory. It will not make a machine with a failing drive, too little memory or a heat problem feel new, and the improvement varies between computers. If the list is already short and the computer is still slow, move on to the other causes: storage, memory, heat and age. The point of this exercise is not to strip the system down, only to keep it from doing work you did not ask for.