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How to Delete Startup Entries

Most of the startup entries are created without us noticing it. Whatever program they might start, almost all of them slow down the boot process and/or the PC in general. Deleting certain ones of these elements can highly increase your...
Method 1 of 2:

Windows

Works for all Windows versions; tested on Windows XP and 7 (Virtual-PC)

  1. How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 1How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 1
    Hit ⊞ Win+R and type in regedit.
    1. You have to provide administrator permissions in order to make any changes to the registry.
  2. How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 2How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 2
    Navigate to certain registry keys and find the desired values. These keys are:
    1. HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
    2. HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce
    3. HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunServices
    4. HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunServicesOnce
    5. HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
    6. HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce
    7. HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnceEx
    8. Don't worry if the keys ending with RunOnceEx, RunServices and RunServicesOnce don't exist - this just means that no programs have created startup entries that would cause programs to run once and then close themselves automatically and trigger system services.
  3. How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 3How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 3
    Delete the correct values. They should be named after the corresponding programs.
    1. Make sure not to delete any important values out of any other keys if you don't know what you're doing.
  4. How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 4How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 4
    Confirm your changes. Close the registry editor and restart your computer/log off and back on.
Method 2 of 2:

Mac OS X

  1. How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 5How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 5
    Open up the Apple menu. This is the upper left corner of the screen.
  2. How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 6How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 6
    Navigate to the following path.
    1. System Preferences > Users and Groups > Login Items
  3. How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 7How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 7
    Choose the account you want to modify. All usernames will appear in the left sidebar of the window.
  4. How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 8How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 8
    Click the Lock icon.
    1. If this menu is already unlocked, you can skip this and the next step.
  5. How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 9How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 9
    Enter your password.
  6. How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 10How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 10
    Click an application you wish to remove from startup.
  7. How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 11How to Delete Startup Entries Picture 11
    Click the - button. It is located under the list of applications. This will stop the application or service from running on startup.
    1. You can re-add items using the + button.
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