Windows 10/11 Startup Programs
A Windows 10/11 startup programs are programs, applications, and services that can automatically launch after your boot up your computer. Some startup programs like Cortana, Microsoft OneDrive, UpdaterStartupUtility, Windows Security notification icon, and more are usually working in the background. These are always the Windows built-in apps and services.
Third-party software can also be set to start at boot. You can select such a setting during the installation process. You can also make a change via Settings of the software or in Task Manager after the installation. You can set your frequently-used programs as startup programs.
It is not recommended to set up too many startup programs because your system will spend more time launching these apps during the startup process. So, this will prolong the boot time of your computer. On the other hand, if your computer is running too many programs, your computer will also slow down.
So, to speed up your computer, you can disable some unnecessary startup programs on your Windows 10/11 computer. However, it is not wise to disable all startup programs on your Windows computer. Some apps and services are necessary to run on startup. For example, Windows Security can supply overall and real-time protections for your computer. You’d better set it to start on boot.
Moreover, you can disable some other startup programs to decrease the BIOS time and make your computer run faster.
What startup programs are safe to disable? You can keep reading to get the answer.
Windows 10/11 Startup Programs to Disable
In this part, we will talk about the topic of Windows 10 startup programs to disable and Windows 11 startup programs to disable.
In most cases, you’d better disable third-party startup programs. These programs are usually for your personal use. You can just launch them when you need to use them.
However, if you have installed third-party antivirus software like Avast, Norton Antivirus, Bitdefender, or McAfee, you can make it boot with your system to supply enough real-time protections for your PC.
On the other hand, you can also set the automatic backup software as the startup program. Of course, this is not a must. You can also manually open it after you boot up your computer.
What Startup Programs Are Safe to Disable on Windows 10/11?
These commonly-used startup programs are safe to disable on your Windows 10/11 computer:
NO. 1: Cortana
Cortana is a Windows built-in virtual assistant that uses the Bing search engine to perform tasks like setting reminders and answering questions. If you are not used to using this tool, you can choose to disable it on startup. It will not influence the performance of your computer.
NO. 2: Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge is a web browser that is pre-installed on your Windows 10/11 computer. However, a web browser is a tool that you can manually open when you want to use it. You don’t need to set it to start up with your system.
NO. 3: Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a very popular web browser. You rarely need to use a web browser immediately after you open your computer. So, you can also disable it on startup.
NO. 4: Microsoft Team
Microsoft Teams is a business communication platform developed by Microsoft. You can use it to communicate with your colleagues via text messages or voice communications. To speed up your computer, you can disable Microsoft Team on startup. You can manually open it when you need to use it.
NO. 5: Chat
The Chat app is a new Windows experience on Windows 11. It is part of the consumer version of Microsoft Teams. You can contact your friends and family outside of work with text messages and video calls with only this tool. In rare cases, you need to use it immediately after you boot up your computer. You can manually launch it when you need to use it.
NO. 6: Zoom
Zoom is a third-party online meeting tool. Like the Windows built-in communication tools, it is unnecessary to set it as a startup program. You can open it when you need it.
NO.7: Skype
Skype is a popular video chat program, which is also a third-party communication tool. Like other similar software, you can manually launch it when you need it to communicate with others.
NO. 8: iTunes Mobile Device Helper/iTunesHelper
When you connect an iPhone, iPad, or iPod to your Window computer, iTunes Mobile Device Helper will be generated. This process is used to automatically launch iTunes when you connect your iOS device to your PC next time. However, it is not necessary to do this. You can manually open iTunes when you need to use it.
NO. 9: QuickTime
QuickTime is a third-party medium player developed by Apple. Some users would like to use it on a Windows computer. It is useful only when you want to play a music file or a video. So, there is no need to enable it on startup.
NO. 10: Adobe Reader
Adobe Reader is a popular PDF reader for Windows users. You don’t need to use it all the time. On rare occasions, you will power on your computer to open and read PDF files. Also, opening PDF files is not complicated. You can simply double-click the PDF file to open it. So, there is no need to enable it at startup. Not to mention, it slows down your computer’s startup speed.
NO. 11: Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is the most popular office suite around the world. But this is not enough to enable it on startup. You can double-click an Office file to open it rather than setting Microsoft Office as the startup program.
NO. 12: Xbox App Services
Xbox App Services is useful when you play Xbox games on your Windows computer. But you don’t need to open it every time you boot up your computer. Only when you use Xbox, the services will be launched at the same time.
There are also some startup apps you should disable like Spotify Web Helper, CyberLink YouCam, and Evernote Clipper.
What Startup Programs Should Be Enabled on Windows 10/11?
Of course, some startup apps and services should be enabled on your Windows 10/11. For example:
- Your antivirus software no matter it is the Windows built-in tool or third-party software you have downloaded and installed;
- Services, drivers, and applications for audio, wireless devices, and touchpads (for laptops).
- Microsoft services.
- Intel, AMD, and Nvidia graphic card services (like Realtek HD Audio Universal Service) and display drivers.
- Automatic data backup software like Dropbox, SugarSync, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc.
How to Check Your Startup Programs on Windows 10/11?
Some applications and services will automatically run into the background after booting your PC. So, you may don’t know which ones are the startup programs.
Well then, how to check the startup programs on your Windows 10/11 computer? This can help you decide which Windows 10/11 startup programs to disable.
You can check the startup programs in Task Manager. Here is how to do this:
Step 1: On Windows 10, you can right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager to open it. On Windows 11, you can right-click the Start button and select Task Manager to open it.
Step 2: Click More details if necessary.
Step 3: Switch to the Startup section.
Step 4: Click the Status title. Then, all the enabled startup programs will be together and the disabled startup programs follows. It is clear to make a confirmation.
How to Disable Startup Programs on Windows 10/11?
It is very easy to disable a startup program on your Windows 10/11 computer. You can follow this guide:
Step 1: On Windows 10, you can right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager to open it. On Windows 11, you can right-click the Start button and select Task Manager to open it.
Step 2: Click More details when needed.
Step 3: Switch to the Startup section.
Step 4: Right-click the startup program you want to disable and select Disable. You can also just select that program and click the Disable button in the bottom right corner to disable it.
How to Get Your Lost and Deleted Files back on Windows 10/11?
When you use your Windows computer, you may delete some important files by mistake. Some files may get lost due to some reason. At times, your data storage drive becomes inaccessible suddenly. Even worse, your computer can’t boot normally.
So, you should want to recover your needed files. So, what can you do to rescue your files? You can try a professional data recovery software. MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a good choice for you.
This is a free file recovery tool. You can use it to retrieve different kinds of files like videos, music files, documents, photos, and more from your data storage devices. It runs on all versions of Windows, including Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8/8.1, and Windows 7.
You can first try the trial edition of this software and see if it can find your desired data.
MiniTool Power Data Recovery TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
With only a few steps, you can find and recover your files using this MiniTool data recovery software.
Step 1: Download and install MiniTool Power Data Recovery on your device.
Step 2: Open it to enter its main interface. Then, you can see all the drives that can be detected by this program. Select the drive that has previously saved the files that need to be recovered, then click the Scan button to continue. You can also switch to the Devices section and select the whole disk to scan.
Step 3: The software will begin to scan the selected drive or disk. The scanning process will last for some minutes, depending on the size of the drive and the files in it. You should wait patiently until the whole scanning ends. This can make sure you can get the best scanning effect. When the scanning ends, you can open each folder to find your files.
Step 4: You need to use a full edition to recover all your needed files. You can get a license key from MiniTool’s official site. After that, you can directly enter the license key after clicking the key icon on the top of the software interface (the scan results interface), then select files and click the Save button to choose a proper folder to save them.
The destination folder should not be the original location of the lost or deleted files. Otherwise, these files could be overwritten and become unrecoverable.
- Here is how to recover deleted files on Windows 11: How to Recover Lost and Deleted Files in Windows 11? [6 Ways]
- Here is how to recover data from a Windows computer that can’t boot normally: How to Recover Data When PC Won’t Boot.
Bottom Line
Don’t know what startup programs should be disabled or enabled on your Windows 10/11 computer? Don’t know how to disable a startup program on Windows? After reading this post, you should know the answers you desire. Just disable the unnecessary programs and services to speed up your PC. Of course, the necessary startup apps and services should be kept.
Should you have other issues or suggestions, you can let us know in the comments. You can also contact us via [email protected].
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Stella has been working in MiniTool Software as an English Editor for more than 7 years. Her articles mainly cover the fields of data recovery including storage media data recovery and phone data recovery, YouTube videos download, partition management, and video conversions.