Use System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions to remove an app from automatic opening or turn off its background activity. These are separate controls: if the app’s windows return after a restart, check the macOS window-restoration setting; if the app still launches after removal, check its own settings or helper software.
First identify what is happening
“Launching at login,” restoring windows after a restart, and continuing background work after quitting are different behaviors. Choose the matching control rather than disabling every startup item.
| What you notice | Likely control to check |
|---|---|
| The app opens automatically when you sign in | Open at Login |
| The app’s windows return after a restart or sign-in | Reopen windows when logging back in and window-restoration settings |
| The app performs work after you quit it | App Background Activity or, on macOS 27 Golden Gate, the Dock’s background-running controls |
| The app still opens after you remove it from Open at Login | The app’s own preferences, a helper, or another installed background item |
Remove an app from Open at Login
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
- Open General > Login Items & Extensions. The setting may be farther down the General list.
- Under Open at Login, select the app and click the Remove button.
This removes the automatic-opening entry; it does not uninstall the app. The list can also include documents, folders, and server connections. A yellow warning triangle means the item was moved or deleted and will not open automatically. See Apple’s guide to Login Items & Extensions.
Turn off background activity separately
- In System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions, locate the app under App Background Activity (Apple also uses the label Background App Activity).
- Turn off the switch for that app.
This setting is independent of Open at Login. Background activity may be used for tasks such as updates or syncing; disabling it can prevent those tasks and may affect how the app works. Apple cautions, “If you turn off an app’s ability to run in the background, the app might not work as expected.” If it stops working properly, turn the setting back on. Apple explains the setting and its background-running behavior.
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Prevent windows from reopening after a restart
If the app’s windows reappear, macOS may be restoring the previous session rather than opening the app from a login item.
- When you shut down or restart, deselect Reopen windows when logging back in in the confirmation dialog.
- On macOS Ventura or later, you can also go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock and enable Close windows when quitting an application to prevent windows from being restored when you next open an app.
These controls address window restoration; they do not remove an app from Open at Login. See Apple’s instructions for preventing apps and windows from reopening.
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Stop an app that keeps running after you quit it
Apple documents a Dock control for this behavior beginning with macOS 27 Golden Gate; the control is version-specific.
- Control-click the app’s icon in the Dock.
- Choose Stop Running in Background to stop its current background run. The Dock menu also provides a way to prevent the app from running in the background in the future.
You can also manage the app’s per-app background setting in System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions. For details, see Apple’s article on apps that continue running after quitting.
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If the app still opens after removal
Check the app’s own preferences for an option such as opening at sign-in. If the app is not listed under Open at Login but still opens, Apple says it may have installed other software that causes the behavior. A helper or background item can act separately from the visible app entry. Consult the app’s documentation or contact its developer; Apple’s guide to login items and background tasks describes how these items are managed.
Temporarily bypass login items to diagnose
At the login window, hold Shift while clicking Log In. If your Mac does not show a login window, Apple also describes holding Shift during startup until the desktop appears. This is a temporary diagnostic bypass, not a permanent settings change. See Apple’s instructions for opening items at login.
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Isolate a startup problem by adding items back one at a time
If you are troubleshooting a broader startup problem and cannot identify the responsible item, Apple recommends recording the current Open at Login list, removing its items, restarting, and then adding them back one by one, restarting after each addition. When the problem returns, remove the last item added. Follow Apple’s login-item troubleshooting procedure.
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