How Do I Select Start-Up Programs?

Adding start-up programs saves you from manually starting applications.

Adding start-up programs increases the time needed for your computer to boot, while removing start-up programs reduces the boot time. While many applications you install ask for start-up privileges, it is important to monitor which applications are given access. Keeping your start-up programs in check on a PC or Mac also ensures that your system notification area stays clean and uncluttered, showing only the information you need.

Instructions

Microsoft Windows

1. Click the "Start" menu and select "Run" in Windows XP. In Windows Vista and Windows 7, simply click in the search box located at the bottom of the Start menu.

2. Type "msconfig" and press the "Enter" key. This launches System Configuration Utility in Windows.

3. Click the "Start-up" tab located at the far right of the System Configuration Utility window.

4. Uncheck the boxes next to any start-up programs you want to disable. The IT department at the University of Wisconsin recommends that you keep ScanRegistry and SystemTray, as these utilities are integral to the Windows experience. For example, with SystemTray disabled, the notifications at the bottom-right corner of the screen would not be shown.

5. Click "OK" to save the changes to your start-up items. The desired changes take effect upon the next restart.

6. Right-click on the "Start" menu and click "Explore" to add a program to your start-up group. Click "Programs" in the left pane and right-click on the program you want to start automatically. Select "Copy." Click on the "Start-up" subfolder of the Programs folder and paste the program into the folder. This creates a shortcut that lets the program launch at start-up.

Mac OS X

1. Log in to Mac OS X using the username and password for which you want to change start-up programs. Alternatively, log in using an administrator account to change login items for multiple accounts simultaneously.

2. Click on the "Apple" menu and select "System Preferences."

3. Click on "Accounts" under the View menu, then click on the name of the account for which you want to change start-up programs.

4. Click the "Login Items" button and choose the "Add (+)" button to add a new login item in Mac OS X 10.4 and later. In Mac OS X 10.3 and earlier, click the "Start-up Items" button and choose the "Add (+)" button to create a new login item.

5. Press the "Command" and "Q" keys simultaneously to close the Accounts window.

References

• University of Wisconsin: Windows - Disabling Startup Programs
• Microsoft: Change Programs That Run Automatically at Startup
• Apple: Mac OS X - Setting up Login, Startup items