Quite often, when installing custom applications, it becomes necessary to start them together with the operating system. Next, it is proposed to consider how to add the program to the startup of Windows 7 or any other version of this OS. As standard methods, you can offer some simple options that any user can easily use.
How to enter the startup section?
Naturally, you need to know where the basic settings are located, which are responsible for the automatic start of any application. Some advise using the main Start menu, but this option does not look very convenient.
In Windows 7, the easiest way is to access this section through the Run console with the msconfig command, after which the corresponding tab is selected in the system settings. Here you need to look at the list of programs that can be downloaded with the system, and simply tick off the necessary components. But some applications installed by the user may not appear in the list. What to do in this situation?
How to add a program to Windows 7 startup with the simplest method?
Let's start with elementary techniques. The easiest way to solve the problem of how to add the program to Windows 7 startup or any other modification within a couple of minutes is to create a shortcut for the executable component, and then move it to the autostart section through the most common “Explorer”.
A shortcut is created in the file manager via the PCM menu (with the right mouse button) and sending it to the “Desktop”. Immediately note that the autostart section located in the ProgramData directory is hidden, in fact, like the main parent directory. Therefore, before deciding how to add the program to autorun in Windows 7, it is necessary to use the View menu in Explorer and turn on the display of hidden files, folders and disks. After that, the shortcut is simply copied to the desired section. You can also use the cut and paste function.
In the eighth version of Windows, for quick access to the startup folder, you can use the Run console, in which the shell: Common Startup line is written, followed by copying the shortcuts.
How to add the program to the startup Windows 7/8/10 through the registry?
But there may be a completely different situation. In some cases, when several registered users are working in the system, it is much more advisable to solve the problem of how to add the program to Windows 7 or 8 startup, use the registry editor (regedit in the Run menu, which is called by a quick combination of Win + R) .
For the local user, the HKLU branch is used, and the settings for all users are in the HKLM branch. In both cases, you need to find the CurrentVersion section in which the Run folder is located. In the right part of the editor, through PCM, a new string parameter is created, it is assigned an arbitrary name, for example, Run Google Chrome for the browser of the same name, a window for editing its value is called up, and then the full path to the executable file of the application is manually entered in the address field (in our case, Chrome. exe).
Then just save the changes, and the program will start along with the main components of the OS itself. For verification, you can simply reboot the system (which is a prerequisite when adding the application to the auto start).
Using Scheduler
Finally, the question of how to add the program to the startup of Windows 7 can be solved by using a special tool in the form of a "Task Scheduler", which many users often forget or simply don’t know about its existence. But in vain. Indeed, due to its application, it is often possible to solve many issues that are not resolved by regular means.
It is called through the "Run" console by entering the line mmc.exe, and after a space - taskschd.msc. The creation of a new task is selected in the menu on the right, an arbitrary name is assigned to it (for example, “Launching Chrome”), a new task is also created on the trigger tab, after which similar actions are performed on the action tab. Only after that, the action to launch the program is selected here and the path to the executable file is indicated through the browse button. As you can see, everything is done quite quickly and simply.
Using General Settings
You can also find the startup section by pressing the Start button, open the common menu for all, and copy the created shortcuts there. This technique, again, is intended only for those cases when programs need to be added not for one individual user, but for all users registered in the system, although many administrators do not welcome such a method.
Summary and Tips
These are the main methods for adding custom programs and applications to the auto start menu of the operating system. Which of the above methods should I prefer? It seems that the easiest and most accessible option for most users will be creating and copying shortcuts. Using the registry is more suitable for administrators (especially if such actions must be performed for each registered user). In this case, having logged in under his “account”, the administrator can perform all the procedures without using the registration of other users and without leaving them of his own.
By the way, ordinary (home) users of Windows-based computer systems can be advised to also install optimizer programs. In such software packages, you can almost always find a section for managing components of the system's auto start. And in them it is just as easy to add or exclude programs from the list of those that will be activated when Windows starts to load.
Please note that when switching to the tenth version of the system, the use of the configuration is inappropriate, since it will be redirected to the "Task Manager" (the autostart menu is located here). Otherwise, the steps to activate the auto start elements from the above are absolutely no different.
And one more thing related to editing the registry, involves launching the editor exclusively with administrator rights. Otherwise, in the absence of appropriate privileges, not only the creation of string parameters, but also access to the editor as such may be prohibited. For all systems, starting from version 7, a special opportunity is provided for this. If you cannot start the editor from the console for some reason, you can simply open the executable file regedit.exe from the System32 directory.