RIVET
Home / Guides / Disable startup apps
How to disable startup apps in Windows 11
Open Settings > Apps > Startup and switch off any app you don't need when you sign in. You can also do it in Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) on the Startup apps page: right-click an app and choose Disable.
Disabling a startup app doesn't uninstall it. It just stops it opening by itself, so Windows signs in faster and has more memory free. You can still open the app yourself whenever you want it.
Using Windows Settings
- Press Win+I to open Settings.
- Go to Apps, then Startup.
- Sort by Startup impact to see the heaviest first.
- Switch off the apps you don't need straight away.
Using Task Manager
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
- Open the Startup apps page (on Windows 10, the Startup tab).
- Right-click an app and choose Disable. Choose Enable later to put it back.
Which ones are safe to turn off?
Chat apps, game launchers, cloud-storage helpers you rarely use, and updaters for apps you open yourself are usually fine. Be careful with your antivirus, touchpad, audio or graphics driver helpers, and anything you don't recognise: look it up before you switch it off.
How RIVET does it
RIVET's Startup screen lists everything that runs at sign-in with its measured boot impact, says what each entry is, and lets you disable it or delay it by a few minutes instead. Every change is previewed first and written to History, and a disabled startup app can be undone even after a restart. Entries that start for all users need administrator permission; with Admin mode on, RIVET asks through Windows' own prompt.
Questions
Does disabling a startup app delete it?
No. The app stays installed and works normally when you open it. It just doesn't start by itself when you sign in.
How do I turn a startup app back on?
Switch it back on in Settings > Apps > Startup, or choose Enable in Task Manager's Startup apps page. In RIVET, undo the change from History.
Why does a disabled app still start?
Some apps start through a scheduled task or a service instead of the startup list, or re-enable themselves when they update. Check the app's own settings for an "open at startup" option.