🚀 Speed Up Your PC: Master the Windows Startup Programs!
Is your computer taking ages to boot up? The likely culprit is too many programs launching automatically when Windows starts. This guide shows you how to use Task Manager to identify and manage these startup entries like a pro!
1. Quick Access Shortcuts (The Essentials)
To get straight to where you need to be:
Task Manager Shortcut: Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC
Run Dialog Box: Press WINDOWS KEY + R
2. Uncovering Hidden Startup Program Details
While Task Manager's Startup tab lets you disable programs, it doesn't always show you exactly what's launching or where it comes from. To get the crucial details you need to make an informed decision:
Open Task Manager (using the shortcut above: CTRL + SHIFT + ESC.
Click the Startup tab.
Right-click on any of the column headers (like "Name" or "Status").
From the context menu, enable these two important options:
✅ Startup type
✅ Command line
Why this helps:
The Command line shows the full path and command Windows uses to launch the program, which is critical for identifying suspicious or cryptic entries.
Startup type indicates whether the program is launched from the Windows Registry or the Startup folder.
3. The Power User's Guide: Identifying Program Launch Locations
The information displayed in the Command line often points to a specific location in your Windows system. Programs typically use the Windows Registry to force themselves to start automatically.
If you ever need to manually investigate or confirm where an entry is coming from (especially for items Task Manager won't let you disable), you can find startup program entries in one of the following Registry keys. Be careful when editing the registry!
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
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