Windows 11 has a great shortcut that helps users who tend to use the same apps every time they open their computer. This week’s post will tell you all about how to use this capability, plus what to watch out for (because this trick can backfire if you don’t use it the right way!).
Here’s everything you need to know about Startup.
What Is Startup?
Startup is a feature in Windows 11 that automatically opens or launches certain applications when you log on or power up. Now, to be clear, this isn’t new or groundbreaking; Windows has had Startup since the 1990s. But many users overlook this feature or just leave it to operate using whatever default settings it happens to have on a given computer.
At work, most computer users tend to need the same 3 to 6 applications just about every day. For many of us, that’s Teams, Outlook, Excel, Word, and an internet browser (like Edge or Chrome). You might have a piece of industry-specific software or two you use frequently as well.
When your computer starts up, you probably have a bit of a routine: open your browser, load a few tabs, open Outlook and catch up on overnight emails, fire up Teams— you get the idea.
Well, with Startup, you can make those apps open automatically, just as quickly as Windows launches. This can be a great quality-of-life enhancement but also a productivity booster, helping you (or team members) launch into the right work apps faster.
How to Use Startup
To access Startup in Windows 11, you’ll head into Settings, then Apps, then Startup. (If you’re still using Windows 10, don’t worry: it’s in a similar location.)
Once Startup is open, you should see a long list of apps. Some are probably already toggled on, but most will be toggled off.
From this list, go ahead and toggle on any of the apps you want to auto launch when you start your computer. Then that’s pretty much it: next time you reboot or log in, the apps you selected will open themselves.
If the App You Want Doesn’t Appear
Sometimes an app won’t appear in the list we just described. That’s probably because the app doesn’t support auto-launch in a certain way, so Windows isn’t showing it to you.
Never fear: most apps can still be added to Startup (and will still auto-launch). It’ll just take a little more tech smarts to make it happen another way. For this method, start by holding the Windows key + R, which opens the Run tool. Next, type shell:startup and click OK or press enter.
This action opens Startup in a different way, kind of like the Startup folder in older versions of Windows. From there, you can add just about any executable to Startup. You’ll have to find the executable, which may take some hunting around. Most of the time you’ll find what you need in a subfolder in Program Files.
A Quick Warning and an Offer
Startup can be a great help, but it can also gum up the works, especially on older machines. Launching certain apps (or too many apps) right as Windows launches can slow your PC to a crawl. And some apps are notorious offenders here, like the Adobe Suite. If your PC slows down noticeably after you add a program to Startup, try disabling it (the same way you enabled it). If performance improves, then you’ve found your culprit.
You might also see a bunch of stuff in Startup that doesn’t seem like it should be there. Be careful about turning off stuff you don’t recognize; some of them may be more important than you realize. But if you recognize an app in Startup that you rarely or never use, it might be slowing you down for no real benefit. Try turning it off.
Last, an offer: if any of this seems too daunting or technical, we’re here to help. Reach out to our team; we’re glad to walk you through it!