Add a launcher on Windows 11: A step-by-step tutorial

How to add a program to startup

Here are the different ways you can add a program to startup.

Method 1: From the Settings app

The traditional way to make any of these changes is from the Settings app. That's it:

Press Win I to open the Settings app. Then click Apps.

Scroll down on the right side and select Start.

Here you will find a list of applications to enable or add to startup. Just tap the switch next to the ones you want to activate at startup.

If some installed applications are not listed here, continue using other methods to add them to startup.

Method 2: Create a shortcut in the Startup folder

When you start your computer, applications with shortcuts in the Startup folder will open. You can add programs to Launcher yourself by creating shortcuts for them in folders. Here's how to do it:

Open the startup folder on this page in the next section as shown below. Scroll down a bit to find this section after all the methods in this section.

Navigate to the Startup folder as shown previously. We'll use the current user's Startup folder in our example, but know that it will work equally well for all users' Startup folders.

After entering the "Startup" folder, click "New".

Then select Shortcut.

In the Create Shortcut window, click Browse.

Now navigate to the executable file of the application you want to run on startup and select it.

NOTE: The default drive to install the application is the "C" system drive. In it, classic or legacy 32-bit programs will be installed in the "Program Files (x86)" folder, while most 64-bit programs will be in the "Program Files" folder.

After you find the application’s folder and executable file, select it. Then click "OK".

The location of the application will now be in this field. Another way to add a file location is to use File Explorer to navigate to it, right-click on the executable file, and select Copy as Path.

Paste the copied path into the location field.

Click Next.

Click Finish.

#Your program application will now be located in the Startup folder.

Method 3: Create a program shortcut and move it to the Startup folder

In addition to creating a shortcut in the Startup folder, you can also create a shortcut to the application anywhere else , and then move it to the Startup folder.

Now, there are several ways to create a shortcut, one of which we have already seen in method 2. If you want to create a shortcut on your desktop, just right-click on your desktop, select "New" and then "Shortcut".

Then use the Create Shortcut window as shown before. Alternatively, you can go directly to the application's executable file and send its shortcut to the desktop. To do this, right-click the application and select Show more options.

Then select Send to and click Desktop (create shortcut).

The only thing to do now is to copy this shortcut ( Ctrl C) and then paste it ( Ctrl V) into in the "Startup" folder.

Or drag and drop it there.

Method 4: Copy Windows applications to the Startup folder

There are some modern native applications such as calendar, camera, calculator, etc. , whose shortcut cannot be created using the above method. But they are located in the Applications folder, which also lists all other applications, so you can easily move the applications from there to the Startup folder. Here's how:

Press Win R to open the Run box, type shell:appsfolder and press Enter.

This will open the Applications folder.

Now open the Startup folder as shown before (type shell:startup in the RUN command box of the current user's Startup folder).

Arrange the two folders side by side. Then drag and drop your application from the application window into the Startup folder.

Your shortcut is now added to the Startup folder.

Method 5: From the application’s Settings and Preferences

In addition to creating and moving shortcuts, some third-party applications also offer to enable “Run on startup” or application preferences Options like settings in the section.

Look for the "General" settings or preferences in the application you want to run on startup. Then look for an option similar to "Run at startup" or "Run when the computer starts." If available, make sure it's enabled and OK or Save your settings.

If your app does not have such an option, please use other methods.

Method 6: Using Task Scheduler

The Task Scheduler application can be used to automate various actions based on a predefined schedule, such as running applications on startup. Here's how:

Press Start, type task scheduler, and then press Enter.

Then right-click Task Scheduler Library in the left pane and select Create Basic Task…

Name the task and click Next.

Select When I Sign In.

Then click "Next".

Select "Start the program" and click "Next".

Click Browse.

Navigate to the application's executable file, select it, and click Open.

Then click "Next".

Check your configuration and click Finish.

Your application will now be up and running on the next boot.

Method 7: Use the Registry Editor

The Registry Editor provides another way to add a program to startup. These steps vary slightly depending on whether you add them for a single user or for all users.

For the current user

Click the Start button on the taskbar or press the Windows key on the keyboard.

Type regedit and press Enter.

Navigate to the following address:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Or , copy the above and paste it into the address bar of Registry Editor.

Then click Enter. Select Run in the left pane, right-click the empty space on the right, select New, and then select String Value.

Give this string a name and double-click to modify it.

#In the Value Data field we will add the path to the application file. For convenience, navigate to the application file in File Explorer, right-click it and select Copy as path.

Then paste it into the value field.

Click OK.

#The next time you reboot and log in, your newly added application will start automatically.

For All Users

If you want an application to start on startup for all users on your system, the location where you need to create the string value is different.

In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following address:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Now, as before, right-click on the right side and select New and String Value.

Give the string value a name, enter the application’s file location and save.

Method 8: Enable startup applications in Task Manager

Task Manager also allows you to enable certain applications. Here's how to do it:

Right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager.

Or press Ctrl Shift Esc and open Task Manager. Click the hamburger icon in the upper left corner.

Select Launch Application.

Here you will find a list of apps, the same as in the Settings app (shown in Method 1), which you can enable or disable app. Check their current status under "Status".

To make the application run on startup, simply select it and click Enable at the top.

Method 9: Use third-party application management to launch the application (Sysinternals Autorun)

In addition to the native solution, you also Check out programs that are built specifically for managing startup applications, especially if you have to manage startup applications and services on a regular basis. Microsoft's Autorun tool is a good choice.

But it only allows you to manage applications that are already set to launch at login, not add any new ones. However, it can help in multiple ways and make managing the program a one or two click affair. Download and run the application using the link given above.

Please note that this application is an advanced tool that will show you information about everything set to run at startup, including important services and registry keys, we have no business intervening . Therefore, if you don't understand the purpose of a particular entry, it's best to leave it alone.

Under the Everything tab you'll find a lot of stuff, from discrete programs to background services and tasks that trigger other tasks.

However, we only need to deal with the login part. Click on it to switch to it.

Here, all you have to do is tick Enable or disable startup programs.

How to find and open the Startup folder in Windows 11

Let’s see where the Startup folder is located in Windows 11. There are two separate startup folders - one for the current user (your username) and one common to all users on your system.

1. For the current user

The current user’s location is as follows:

C:\Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

To access it, you can simply open File Explorer by pressing Win E and navigate to the folder. Or you can copy the address given above and paste it into the address bar of File Explorer and press Enter.

A faster way is to simply use a direct shell command. To do this, press Win R to open the run box. Then enter:

shell:startup

and click Enter. Look! You have reached the user's startup folder.

2. For all users

The location of the public startup folder is as follows:

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

And the same shell command is:

shell:common startup

NOTE: If you use File Explorer to access the startup folder, you must set File Explorer's view options to Show "Hidden Items" in order to access certain hidden items in the file path location folder.

FAQ

Let’s take a look at a few frequently asked questions about adding programs to startup on Windows 11.

Why can’t my installed application be found in the startup list?

The launch list in the Settings app does not show all installed apps on your computer. If you want to add a program to startup that is not in the startup list, you must use another, equally simple method. See our tutorial above for more information.

Where is the Windows 11 startup folder located?

Windows has two startup folders - one for the current user and one for all users. Here are their locations:

User startup folder: C:\Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

All user startup folders: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

How to access the startup folder using commands?

The fastest way to access the startup folder is to use the RUN command. Win RUse the shortcut to open the Run box. Then type shell:startup for your startup folder, or type shell:common startup for the common startup folder and press Enter.

The above is the detailed content of Add a launcher on Windows 11: A step-by-step tutorial. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!