How To Start Programs/Apps At Startup In Windows 10

Want to start an app with Windows 10? Do you want to make a program, script or VBS file load with Windows 10’s startup? In this guide, we will see how to make a classic program or app installed from Store to start with Windows 10 by adding a shortcut of the program or app to the Startup folder.

Many programs out there include an option to automatically start the program with Windows’s startup. You just need to select Load with Windows startup option under Settings page to add the program to Windows’s Startup folder. However, not all programs offer this option as there is no point in loading some programs with Windows. For instance, starting WordPad or Microsoft Office Word with Windows is of no use.

Run programs/apps/scripts at startup in Windows 10

Follow the given below directions to make a program start with Windows 10.

Important: You can use this method to load default apps as well as apps installed from the Store to load with Windows 10. The procedure is the same for both apps installed from Store as well as traditional programs.

Warning: Adding too many apps/programs to the startup will slow down the boot process. So be sure to add programs only that you want to start with Windows 10. We recommend you go through our 3 ways to remove programs from Startup in Windows 10 to know all ways out there to stop programs from loading with Windows.

Step 1: You need to create a shortcut of the app, program or script that you want to start with Windows 10. To do so, make sure that all programs are minimized and you can see the desktop, open the Start menu, click All apps, look for the entry of the program that you want to load with Windows 10, drag-and-drop the program from the Start menu to the Desktop to create a shortcut for the program.

To create desktop shortcut of a script file, navigate to the folder where the script is located, right-click on it, click Send to, and then click Desktop (create shortcut).

NOTE: Desktop shortcuts for programs can’t be created by searching for the program and then dragging-and-dropping the search result to the desktop.

Step 2: Once the app, program or script shortcut is on desktop, simultaneously press Windows logo and R keys on the keyboard to open Run command box.

Step 3: In the Run command box, type Shell:startup, and then press Enter key to open the Startup folder.

NOTE: You can also open up the Startup folder by typing Shell:startup in the address bar of File Explorer.

Step 4: Now paste the shortcut of the program/app/script that you want to load with Windows 10 to this Startup folder. As simple as that!

You may now reboot your PC to check if the newly added program is starting with Windows 10.

To view programs (only programs) that load with Windows 10, open the full version of Task Manager and switch to the Startup tab.