How to disable and change Windows 10 autostart programs and start your PC faster

Find autostart in Windows 10 immediately

Probably the easiest way to autostart in Windows 10: Type "Start apps" into the Windows search field and click on the result with the same name.

Windows 10 Autostart opens and looks like this:

Truly a blessing and a curse at the same time: Windows 10 Autostart ensures that certain programs it contains start automatically when Windows starts.

This can be useful for Spotify, Steam or background programs such as Slack, for example, but in other cases programs nest themselves in the autostart, which you can also start manually at any time if required.

This is because every program generates system load in the background.

The PC starts up more slowly, the battery performance decreases and the working speed suffers.

No more - clean up now!

Windows 10 Autostart folder for the current user

The Windows 10 Autostart folder for the currently logged in user can be found under:

%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Copy this entry into the file explorer. The full path to the Autostart folder then looks like this in Explorer (with your respective user name):

C:\Users\YOUR_USER_NAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Windows 10 autostart folder for all users

The Windows 10 Autostart folder for all users of the PC can be found under:

%programdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp

The path to the Autostart folder looks like this in Explorer (you do not need to change anything here):

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp

Autostart overloaded: Why is my Windows 10 PC starting so slowly?

The main cause of a slow startup process is autostart programs. These are small executable files that Windows 10 loads when you log in to your PC.

Some apps from the Win 10 autostart are visible in the area next to the clock, such as here:

Others, however, work quietly and secretly in the background.

In my experience, you only need half of the autostart programs at most.

How do I make my PC faster?

Optimizing the Windows 10 PC startup process also speeds up the operating speed.

Because every autostart program that is started automatically in the background also creates a burden in everyday life. After all, the PC is constantly busy with background tasks.

It therefore makes sense to remove as many programs as possible from Autostart.

Where is the Autostart folder in Windows 10? How to disable autostart programs!

There are two ways to edit, remove or deactivate programs from the autostart in Windows 10. We will show you both ways:

Find and edit Autostart in the Task Manager

1. Right-click on the Windows start bar.
   
2. Now select Task Manager from. In the next window, switch to the Autostart.
   
3. Now go through the list of programs. If you do not absolutely need one of these programs or can start it manually, right-click on it and select Deactivate:
4. You should also take a look at the Startup effect tab. Here you can find out whether and how much impact the respective program has on the PC's startup process. Pay particular attention to programs that have been rated "High". Unfortunately, Windows 10 is not always reliable here, as entries with "None" can also slow down your PC. Restart your computer now and enjoy a faster startup process.

Find and edit Autostart in the Windows 10 Settings app (new Control Panel)

Since Windows 10, there is a new "Settings" app that allows you to disable autostart programs. We'll tell you how to do this to speed up your PC:

1. Click on the Windows 10 Start menu and then on Settings:
2. Now click in succession on Apps and then to Autostart:
3. Now it's getting exciting: To speed up the PC and switch off autostart programs, go through the list step by step and set the switch to the right of the entry on.
   
4. The same applies here: only switch off programs that you really know what you are doing. In many cases, a quick Google search will also help. As a general rule, you can't go wrong. If you deactivate an autostart program, you can quickly reactivate it in the event of a problem. See also the next chapter!

Is switching off autostart programs dangerous?

No. In most cases, you cannot switch off very important autostart programs, such as those of security solutions or antivirus products, without further ado.

If, in rare cases, switching off a program causes problems, you can quickly switch it on again as described in the instructions above.

Deactivating these autostart entries can, in the worst case, result in a missing convenience function.

Example: TeamViewer.

If you remove the remote access program from autostart, other PCs will only be able to access your PC if you have started it again manually.

The volume or screen brightness tools of some manufacturers may also no longer be accessible.

My tip:

Remove a program and see if you are missing any important functionality. You can't break your PC by doing this.

Disable autostart programs in Windows 10 with one program

There are some autostart entries that cannot be easily deactivated using the steps mentioned above.

In addition, some of these small startup programs hide in completely different places or disguise themselves as Windows services or background tasks (see above).

All in all, you can and should simply use a program for easier shutdown. 

Which autostart programs can I safely deactivate in Windows 10?

There are some autostart programs that you can disable safely and securely in Windows 10. These include:

• Adobe Updater Startup Utility: Part of Adobe Reader that is responsible for updates. If you start Adobe Reader manually, you can also carry out the updates yourself at any time.
• Microsoft OneDrive: A synchronization program from Microsoft. If you never use OneDrive, you can switch it off in no time at all.
• Cortana: The Cortana voice assistant will hardly be used in future versions of Windows, which is why you can deactivate it directly.
• LogiOptions.exe and Logitech Download Assistant: Helps you configure your Logitech mouse or keyboard. The program does not have to be constantly active in the background unless you use functions such as Flow, which allows you to switch between different entries.
• Microsoft Teams / Zoom: The familiar meeting and video conferencing programs are also loaded automatically in the background and are then quickly ready for you. However, you can really start the programs at any time from the Start menu. You can therefore safely deactivate them.
• Spotify: Well-known program for streaming music, podcasts and music videos. If you deactivate the Spotify autostart entry, Spotify may take a little longer to start.
• TeamViewer: If you deactivate the TeamViewer autostart entry, the remote maintenance program will no longer run automatically in the background. This is only a problem if other people frequently access your PC. If the startup entry is deactivated, you have to start TeamViewer manually before other people can access your PC.
• Intel Management Engine / Components: This tool helps to verify the security of Intel processors. It is not really necessary for the operation of the security functions of your PC.
• UpdateLibrary: This is an obsolete Windows Media Player network streaming function. If you no longer stream your music to network devices via Media Player, it is no longer necessary.
• Apple Mobile Device Support: Ensures the connection between iPod, iPhone and iPad with Apple iTunes. If you are still using iTunes to synchronize your iOS devices, you should not switch this off.
• NVIDIA GeForce Experience and NVIDIA Crash and telemetry reporterGeForce Experience can be selected with a button during a game and allows you to record and stream your game or display game data (e.g. FPS). If you have never used the GeForce Experience, you can deactivate this autostart entry, but what you definitely don't need is the NVIDIA crash and telemetry reporter: It only sends crash reports to NVIDIA and can even affect performance. Get rid of it!
• Realtek Audio Driver and Realtek High Definition Audio Driver: This is a small app with which you can control various sound functions of your sound chip. Don't worry, if you disable this autostart entry of Realtek Audio Driver, the sound output will continue to work.
• Intel PROSet/Wireless Software: A small program with which you can manage WLAN network profiles. You will also find many expert settings for your WLAN receiver in your notebook or desktop PC. The software is usually only recommended for professionals, which is why you can remove it from the autostart (and start it manually at any time).
• Thunderbolt software: This software is pre-installed on many laptops and ensures that docking stations work well via the new Thunderbolt port (USB 3.x).
• Mozilla Maintenance Service: The automatic update function of Mozilla Firefox. You can deactivate this auto-start entry, as Mozilla also updates itself when the browser is started.
• Bonjour: The music sharing service from Apple iTunes. This allows you to stream from your Windows PC to an Apple TV, for example. Do you need this function? Then don't touch it. Otherwise, you can also deactivate the entry right away.
• Intel Rapid Storage Technology: You can use this background app to manage RAID systems (the combination of several hard disks). If your PC is not configured with RAID, you do not need this software and can disable the autostart entry immediately.
• Synaptics Pointing Device Driver: This software allows you to customize the touchpad or trackpad, such as the sensitivity or gestures. If you never need this, you can safely deactivate the autostart entry.
• HP Support Assistant and HP Update: This is a help dashboard for HP laptops and desktops. It helps with driver updates and system optimizations. If you do not constantly need these functions in the background and can also start them manually at any time, deactivate the entry.

Windows 10: Remove autostart programs completely

Do you even want to completely remove entries from Autostart? Then you need to know what you are doing - because you will not be able to undo the changes so quickly (unless you reinstall a program). If you want to delete the Autostart entries completely, follow the steps below:

1. On your keyboard, press the WINDOWS-button and then on the letter R. In the next field, enter regedit in.
   
2. Now open the following entries one after the other:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerStartupApprovedRun

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerStartupApprovedRun32

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerStartupApprovedStartupFolder

1.  To remove an entry, click on it with the right mouse button and select Delete. To be on the safe side, you can create a backup by clicking on File and Export click.

Autostart of scheduled tasks: Finding and deactivating scheduled tasks under Win 10

Some software manufacturers not only hide their programs in Windows 10 Autostart, but also disguise them as "scheduled tasks".

These are little helpers that start at a certain time or in a certain situation - in the background like the programs in the Autostart folder.

The screenshot below illustrates this:

Here you can see entries for programs and, under Triggers, the conditions under which they execute certain actions.

The MiniToolPartition partitioning program starts invisibly in the background each time the user logs on.

Not all of these entries make sense and should be well thought out.

However, they are not located in the Windows 10 Startup folder. We'll tell you where to find the entries and how to disable them:

Click on the Start button in Windows and enter the word Task planning in. It should appear immediately in the search results.

Click on it to display the list shown above. By clicking on Task scheduling library, you will first see many entries for additionally installed software in the middle - such as CCleaner, OneDrive or Microsoft Edge. If you do not use any of these programs, you can (and should) simply disable their tasks. To do this, right-click on it and select Deactivate (i.e. do not remove as in the Windows 10 Startup folder).

On the left you will see further entries such as Apple or Avast Software. This usually contains update programs that check for updates once a week. You should not switch this off for security software such as Avast, but it is sometimes a good thing for more optional software such as Apple.

In the last folder called Microsoft and especially in the subfolder Windows you will find dozens of other tasks, packed with important Windows functions that are active in the background.

You should only do this if you really know what you are doing.

The following bullets explain the most important functions and show which ones you can disable and which ones you should stay away from. As with the apps in Windows 10 autostart, the same applies here: The entries are sometimes useful and should not be deactivated.

Entries marked in yellow can be deactivated immediately.

• Office: In the subfolder Office for example, you will find entries that are responsible for regularly checking Office updates and licenses. These include Office Automatic Update 2.0, Office ClickToRun Service Monitor, Office Feature Updates and Office Feature Updates Logon.
• Windows.NET Framework: These entries are no longer valid and can be deactivated. They were once responsible for updating an older .NET Framework version.
• WindowsActive Directory Rights Management Services: These entries here are only necessary if you connect your PC or laptop to a company network. Otherwise, you can safely deactivate all entries here by right-clicking.
• WindowsAppID, ApplicationData and Application Experience: These entries are important for apps from the Windows Store, but pre-installed programs may also be affected here and may no longer work - these include the Xbox Game Pass app or the built-in Mail app. If you don't need them at all, you can disable the apps with a clear heart.
• WindowsAutochk: This checks the telemetry data that Microsoft collects about you. You should deactivate this directly to save performance when starting Windows. To do this, right-click on Proxy and select Deactivate.
• WindowsBluetooth: You should only deactivate all entries contained here, such as UninstallDevice, if you do not use any Bluetooth devices.
• WindowsChkdsk and WindowsData Integrity Scan: Performs regular disk checks and reports any disk failures that may occur in the near future. Should only be switched off if you use another program for checking or if you regularly run the data carrier check yourself.
• WindowsCustomer Experience Improvement Program: Collects data about your habits or crash reports and sends them to Microsoft. If you do not want this, you can deactivate this entry and thus gain some performance.
• WindowsDefrag: Ensures automatic defragmentation of the hard disk. With SSDs, the TRIM command is executed here to increase the service life. You should only switch this off if you
• WindowsDevice Information: The Device and Device User tasks contained here collect information about hardware that is not compatible with Windows 10 or 11. This can lead to errors and high utilization on some PCs and can therefore be switched off. There are reports of CPU utilization of up to 40%, which you save as a result. This also applies to the entries under WindowsDevice Setup.

• WindowsDiagnosis and WindowsDisk Cleanup: Automatically searches for new Windows problem fixes and starts maintenance tasks in the background. If you use various maintenance programs such as CCleaner or similar, you do not need these maintenance functions.
• WindowsDiskFootprint: The tasks in this entry (Diagnostics, StorageSense) check for hard disk problems when idle. In the past, this has even led to a command line window opening in idle mode and suddenly starting activities that look suspiciously like a virus. If you prefer to check your hard disk for errors yourself, you can deactivate these entries.
• WindowsExploitGuard: Provides important security functions and settings for Windows exploit protection. This is essential for protection against malware and should not be switched off.
• WindowsFeedback: Offers the option to send feedback to Microsoft in Windows and Office. You can also switch this off if you don't want to constantly give Microsoft your opinion.
• WindowsFileHistory: The file version history used in Windows is able to restore various older versions of files. However, the function is no longer activated by default (you can find the function by clicking on File History in the Start menu and accessing the settings, see screenshot). Nowadays, OneDrive helps prevent accidental deletion and can also restore previous versions.

• WindowsFlighting: You should not touch these functions as they are responsible for updates and Windows Update.
• WindowsLocation: Ensures that your location is regularly checked and communicated to Windows apps. Can be deactivated.
• WindowsMaintenance: Tests the performance of the PC at regular intervals. This function is superfluous nowadays and only costs performance. Click on it with the right mouse button and select Deactivate.
• WindowsSysMain: Is responsible for the SuperFetch function, which ensures a faster program start in Windows. You should only deactivate this if you have disabled SuperFetch in the Windows services and have a very fast SSD hard disk.
• WindowsMemoryDiagnostics: Tests the working memory at regular intervals. This costs unnecessary calculation cycles and is often not helpful, as errors are only detected by professional programs such as MemTest64 - Memory Stability Tester (techpowerup.com) be measured. Save yourself and your PC this function.
• WindowsPower Efficiency Diagnostics: Logs apps that increase the power consumption of the PC. Is not necessary for using the PC and can also be switched off.
• WindowsRegistry: Automatically creates a backup of the Windows registry. Unfortunately, it is difficult to access in the event of a problem - the function is intended more for support professionals and can be switched off.
• WindowsTimeSynchronization: Ensures time synchronization in Windows and should ideally not be switched off.
• WindowsErrorReporting: Sends errors such as crash reports to Microsoft. You can safely switch it off.

Tip: If you see entries that do not contain any information under Next term and whose Last term on 1999 is dated, you can safely ignore it, as you can still use the Status Ready never be carried out.

FAQ: Faster startup and better performance with a tidy autostart folder

Thanks to our tips and advice, the Windows 10 PC boot process should now run smoothly again - and the overall working speed will also increase!

We summarize the most important answers here: