How to stop Windows 10 from autostarting apps?

windows windows-10 scheduled-tasks

16,505

Solution 1

Go to Start then Settings, select Privacy and click on Background apps. From there disable the apps that you don't want running in the background.

These apps don't start with Windows, that's why they don't appear in the autostart list or the task scheduler. They are called upon by the Windows Runtime that manages universal apps. Most of the time they only take up RAM and not CPU as universal apps are very limited in the amount of background tasks they can perform.

Background apps

Solution 2

You can download and run Autoruns for Windows:

It is the most powerful program for viewing things that automatically run with Windows.

16,505

Shadow

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Shadow over 1 year

Windows 10 has been autostarting calculator, weather, movies & tv, store, xbox, and photos usually after login. It isn't in the task manager autostart list or in the task scheduler. Any help is appreciated.

Some of the processes are outlined. They do not appear in the taskbar below.
- Chin almost 9 years
  
  when you say "autostart", do the programs appear on the taskbar?
- Shadow almost 9 years
  
  No they do not appear in the taskbar but they appear in the task manager. I also found out that ApplicationFrameHost.exe starts with them. I hope that helps.
- Chin almost 9 years
  
  did you try to close them all before restarting?
- Shadow almost 9 years
  
  Restarting the computer? I usually end the processes via task manager when they startup. So they aren't there before shutdown.
- Alex S almost 9 years
  
  Have you tried Autoruns.exe ? Sysinternals Autoruns. It can enable/ disable almost everything from your device drivers to services to apps. Also, look at some similar tools from NirSoft. If you think this helps, I can post this as an answer :P - Try it out as I dont have Win 10, but use the same on Win 8.1
- Shadow almost 9 years
  
  I'll try it now and post if it shows in Autoruns.
- Shadow almost 9 years
  
  Autoruns doesn't show any of the apps in logon or anywhere.
- Alex S almost 9 years
  
  @Shadow - Please do share what Autoruns is not showing - Specifically. Some screenshots would help.
- Shadow almost 9 years
  
  Added a screenshot of what Autoruns, regedit, the startup folder, and the startup menu of the task manager did not show.
- Helen over 8 years
  
  Duplicate? Why do Windows 10 foreground apps mysteriously launch as background processes?
- Shadow over 8 years
  
  I'm not sure how duplicates are determined. Wasn't this asked 2 days before the other one?
- Christoph Rüegg over 8 years
  
  Duplicates are usually determined by which one has the better overall content from question to answers, or time. Which ever happens first in selecting
- ToolmakerSteve almost 4 years
  
  IMHO, The accepted answer here is more useful than any answer on the "this is duplicate of" link. On my pc, there were about 100 apps listed as permitted to run in the background. Almost all are apps I have never used. Only a couple looked like they might be worth leaving on. Frankly, even though these are presumably using negligible resources, I found it horrifying that this much stuff might run, buried in this obscure place.
Shadow almost 9 years

Checked and it isn't in the Startup folder.
OrangeBender almost 9 years

There is two more ways I found that could resolve you issue without a application. you can see it here -> winaero.com/blog/…
Shadow almost 9 years

Regedit showed the same as task manager; both not showing the apps however.
OrangeBender almost 9 years

Are all the application that open up pinned in your start menu?
Shadow almost 9 years

Some, but not all are there.
OrangeBender almost 9 years

Sadly I'm pretty much out of ideas. I wish you the best of lucks in finding a solution other than running a batch file that kills all the task as startup.
RobH over 8 years

Someone with edit privileges should grab that image and edit this answer to post it inline so people (like me) behind corporate firewalls that block i.imgur.com can see it, too. (Usually, i.stack.imgur.com is allowed (or a case can be made to IT to allow it), as it is intrinsically related to Stack Exchange.)
Shadow over 8 years

I tested for a few hours and this was it. It seems strange why it wouldn't be added on autoruns or the scheduler. It is fixed and anyone using alt-tab alternatives won't be so bothered by having those applications popping up every login. Also, the screenshot is just simply showing the end location after following the instructions he said.
laurent almost 7 years

Yes but these apps are launched by something else so they don't show up in Autoruns. Maybe they should update Autoruns to handle this new type of autolaunch.