Mac Inside & Out · Activity Monitor & Storage · Lesson 2 of 5

Apps That Open at Login

Choose which apps start with your Mac, and which ones wait.

The two lists in Login Items

Every app that opens when you sign in makes your Mac a little slower to get ready. A few are useful. Many are not.

To see them, click the Apple menu, then System Settings. Choose General, then Login Items & Extensions. On some versions it is just called Login Items. On Windows, the same idea lives on the Startup apps page.

You will find two lists.

Open at Login shows apps that open as soon as you sign in. You see them appear on the screen. To remove one, select it and click the minus button. To add one, click the plus button.

Further down is a list of background items. A background item is a small helper that runs quietly with no window, even when its app is closed. It might check for updates or keep files in sync. Each one has its own switch. On recent versions of macOS, this list may be called Allow in the Background or App Background Activity.

Taking an app off these lists does not delete it. It only stops the app from starting on its own. You can still open it from Spotlight or the Applications folder anytime.

You need an administrator account to change some of these settings. If your Mac asks for your password, that is normal.

On the practice computer, remove the game launcher from Open at Login and turn off the background item you don't need. Keep the security app on.

What to keep, what to switch off

Not every login item is junk. Here is a simple way to decide.

Usually keep:

• Security apps, like antivirus or a password manager.
• Backup and sync tools you use, like a cloud storage app.
• Helpers for hardware you use, like a printer, mouse or drawing tablet.

Usually safe to switch off:

• Game launchers and app stores.
• Chat and music apps you can open yourself when you need them.
• Helpers left behind by apps you already deleted.

If you don't know an item, look up its exact name before you change it. Change one switch at a time, so it is easy to undo. If something stops working, turn that switch back on.

Be careful with an item that has a strange name and no app you remember installing. It could be something unwanted. Don't just switch it off and forget it. Find out where it came from, and run a scan with your security app.

Remember, these switches only control what starts on its own. Nothing is deleted, and your files stay safe.

Some apps add themselves back after an update. It is worth a quick look at this list every few months, like tidying a drawer.

When you are done, restart the Mac. It should be ready to use a little sooner.