Windows startup settings show which apps are enabled or disabled when you sign in.
Photo Credit: AI-Generated
Too many startup apps can make Windows sign-in feel slower and keep using system resources in the background.
Disable apps you do not need at sign-in, but leave security tools and essential laptop utilities alone.
If the laptop is still slow after trimming startup apps, check the RAM, storage and overall hardware instead.
You do not need every app to open the moment you sign in to Windows. Chat apps, game launchers, RGB tools and brand utilities can wait until you actually need them. I would keep security tools and the one or two apps I regularly use at startup, and turn the rest off through Settings or Task Manager. Disabling an app only stops it from launching at startup. It does not uninstall the app, so you can still open it whenever you want.
Microsoft says too many startup apps can slow down sign-in and continue using system resources and battery later. Task Manager also shows the startup impact as Low, Medium or High, which helps you decide which apps are worth turning off first.
What changes after that is fairly simple. Sign-in feels less busy, the system tray has fewer apps loading in the background, and the laptop has more room for the browser tab, call or lecture you actually opened. It will not fix an old hard disk, 8GB of memory struggling with heavy Chrome use, or a gaming laptop that still needs to load a large graphics stack.
A new Windows laptop does not always start with just the apps you need. Chat apps, cloud sync, RGB or audio suites, companion apps from HP, Lenovo or ASUS, and updaters can also be set to launch with Windows.
Microsoft says too many apps opening at once can slow down startup, while apps left running in the background can affect battery life and performance. So, checking the startup list is worth doing before looking for another hardware fix.
In a public r/LenovoLegion thread from December 2025, one owner described waiting for vendor apps such as Legion Space and Vantage before the desktop felt ready. That is one person’s experience, not a survey, but it is a useful example of how brand utilities can add to the startup load.
I would go through these four questions before turning anything off:
Do I need this app before I click it? Antivirus, laptop security and some VPN or device-control tools may need to start with Windows. Spotify, Steam, Discord, Xbox and Adobe updaters usually do not.
What does Windows say about its impact? Task Manager shows the startup impact for apps based on CPU time and disk use during startup.
Is this an OEM utility I actually use? If it controls fans, updates or lighting, I may want it to start with Windows. If it only opens a window I never use, I would switch it off.
Did anything I rely on stop working? Disable one app, restart the laptop and check whether everything you use still works as expected.
Microsoft documents the Task Manager labels like this:
Those numbers are from Microsoft Support and show the startup cost of an app. They do not tell you how much battery it will use during the rest of the day.
Settings (simplest): Start, then Settings, then Apps, then Startup. Turn off anything you do not need when you sign in. Microsoft documents this path for both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Task Manager (more detail): Right click Start, then Task Manager, then Startup apps. Select the app and click Disable. This is also where you see the startup impact labels.
Startup folder (less common): Some shortcuts can be in the user or common Startup folder using shell startup or shell common startup. Microsoft also covers this method. I would use it only if an app does not appear in the first two places.
I would start with one High impact app that you do not need, restart the laptop and then move to the next one. Disabling one app at a time makes it easier to spot if something you use stops working.
I would not go into the registry or run random debloat scripts because a thread promises a faster boot. The r/techsupport performance wiki lists disabling unused startup items as a basic step, but it is community guidance, not a Microsoft guarantee.
I would leave these on:
Antivirus or Microsoft Defender-related entries you actually use
Laptop vendor tools you need for firmware updates, battery modes or function keys
Accessibility tools you use at login
Sync or backup tools if you need them to start syncing as soon as you sign in
I would usually turn these off:
Game launchers
Chat and music apps
RGB, headset or mouse suites that you can open when needed
Trial software and updaters that do not need to run every time Windows starts
If it is a work laptop managed by IT, I would not disable anything related to Group Policy or security agents without checking with IT first.
Startup apps are only one part of a slow morning. They will not turn an HDD into an SSD or add RAM. They also will not fix a thin laptop that already throttles when the room gets hot. Microsoft Learn notes that startup apps can affect battery life and responsiveness, but the actual impact depends on the app and the machine.
A public r/techsupport thread from March 2025 showed how vendor services, and not just Chrome, can add to the time it takes for a system to feel ready. That is one setup, though. If your Task Manager list is already short and the laptop still takes too long to become usable, the problem may be elsewhere.
I would do this on any Windows laptop that feels busy after the password screen:
Open Task Manager, then Startup apps.
Disable High-impact apps you do not need at sign-in.
Restart the laptop once.
Turn off obvious Medium-impact chat, store or RGB apps you do not need at startup.
Leave security and essential OEM tools alone.
If the desktop feels fine after that, stop there. There is no need to keep looking for hidden startup entries. If it is still slow, I would check the RAM, whether the storage is an SSD, and whether the laptop is suitable for the work you do.
Leaving everything on can make your morning more convenient, but it also means more apps running in the background. Turning everything off means you may have to open Teams, cloud storage or printer tools yourself when you need them.
Fast Startup is a separate Windows setting under power options. Turning it off is not the same as disabling startup apps, so I would not treat advice to disable Fast Startup as a universal fix.
Next step: Open Task Manager today and disable one app you recognise but do not need at login. Restart the laptop and see what changes. If it is still slow, check the RAM and storage type before looking for another startup tweak.
How do I stop apps from launching when Windows starts?
Open Settings, then Apps, then Startup, and turn off the apps you do not need at sign in. You can also use Task Manager, then Startup apps, and select Disable.
Does disabling an app at startup uninstall it?
No. It only stops the app from launching when you sign in to Windows. You can still open it normally or enable it again later.
What does "High impact" mean in Windows Task Manager?
"High impact" means the app uses more than 1 second of CPU time or more than 3 MB of disk use during startup. It is an indication of startup cost, not a reason to disable every High-impact app.
Should I disable antivirus apps from Windows startup?
No. I would leave antivirus and security-related apps enabled at startup. If the laptop is managed by your workplace, check with IT before disabling security agents.
Is disabling startup apps the same as disabling Fast Startup?
No. Startup apps are programs that launch when you sign in to Windows. Fast Startup is a separate Windows power setting related to how the system starts after shutdown.
What should I check if my laptop is still slow after disabling startup apps?
If the startup list is already short, check the laptop's RAM, whether it uses an SSD or HDD, and whether its hardware is suitable for your workload. More startup tweaks may not solve the problem.
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