How to Change Startup Programs on Your Mac: 5 Best Ways

Written by

Ojash

Reviewed by

Hashir Ibrahim

Last updated: September 18, 2024

Expert verified

Struggling with a slow Mac due to all the apps launching at startup? I ran into this problem, too, and found a few easy ways to control which apps open automatically.

How to See What Apps Open at Startup

Before changing startup programs on your Mac, you need to check which apps are opening at startup. Below, I’ve shared the steps on how to check:

1. Click the Apple logo at the top menu bar and choose System Settings.

2. Go to General and select Login Items.

3. Under the Open at Login section, you’ll find apps that automatically start and may open a window.

4. In the Allow in the Background section, you’ll see helper apps that run background services upon login. These might not visibly open a window but can consume system resources.

How to Change Startup Programs on Your Mac

Here are four quick and easy ways to modify startup programs on your Mac. Below, I’ve shared the steps for all these methods:

1. From the Dock

Here’s how to change startup programs on your Mac from the Dock:

1. Find the app icon for the startup item you want to remove in the Dock.
2. Right-click the app icon, and a context menu will appear.

3. Hover your mouse over Options in the menu. In the Options menu, uncheck Open at Login.

4. Repeat this process for any other startup items you want to remove from the Dock.
5. Now, the app will no longer launch automatically when you start your Mac.

2. Via System Settings

Here’s how to change startup programs on your Mac via System Settings and control which apps greet you upon startup:

1. Click the Apple icon and select System Settings.

2. Select General in the left sidebar and click Login Items in the right menu.

3. Here, you’ll see the items that launch when you start up your Mac.
4. Select the login item you want to remove and click the – button at the bottom of the list to remove the login item.

Now, the particular item won’t launch at startup.

3. In the Library Folder

Follow these steps to change startup programs on your Mac via the Library folder:

1. Open Finder, click Go in the menu bar, and select Go to Folder.

2. Type the following paths one by one in the box to access these folders:

/Library/LaunchAgents

/Library/LaunchDaemons

3. Look for the file or folder associated with the startup item you want to remove.
4. Right-click the file or folder and select Move to Bin.

4. Within the App Settings

You can find some apps that offer in-app settings to prevent them from launching at startup. While the exact steps can differ among apps, the general approach is as follows:

1. Launch the app you wish to modify.
2. Click the app’s name in the top menu.
3. Select Preferences or Settings, depending on the app.
4. Search for options related to auto-starting upon Mac login and deactivate them.

For instance, you’ll find the Open Spotify automatically after you log into the computer option in Spotify’s advanced settings. You get three options: Minimized, Yes, and No.

5. Using a Third Party App

While macOS offers ways to manage startup programs, there’s an even more streamlined solution: MacKeeper. Here’s how you can remove startup programs swiftly using MacKeeper’s Login Items feature:

1. Download MacKeeper and install it on your Mac.
2. Open Login Items under Performance in MacKeeper.

3. Click Start Scan.

4. Select unnecessary items from the list and click Remove Selected Items.

5. Tap the Remove button on the pop-up.

6. It will remove your selected items from the system startup list. You can click Rescan to repeat the process.

How to Add a Startup Program on Mac

You might also want to add a new startup program to launch automatically when you start your Mac. Setting up new user login items on a Mac allows specific apps or files to launch automatically when a user logs in. Here’s a step-by-step guide to enabling new startup programs on your Mac:

1. Click the Apple logo and select System Settings from the dropdown menu.

2. Go to General and select Login Items.

3. Click the + button below the app list in the Open at Login section.

4. Navigate to the app you want to add, select it, and click Open. It will now be added to the list of login items.

5. While changes usually take effect immediately, you can restart your Mac to ensure the new startup items launch as expected.

Remove Startup Programs From Your Mac

Whether you’re adding or removing apps from the startup list, it’s crucial to regularly review these settings to adjust your Mac’s behavior to your needs. By taking control of the apps that launch at boot, you enhance your Mac’s speed and create a more personalized computing experience.

Here are a few more tips to improve your Mac experience:

• Remove hidden LaunchAgents to boost your Mac’s performance and security.
• Clear temp files to keep your Mac running smoothly and faster.
• Remove hidden LaunchDaemons to free up system resources and improve speed.

Frequently Asked Questions