To stop an unfamiliar app from launching when you sign in, disable it under Settings > Apps > Startup or in Task Manager > Startup apps. That only prevents an eligible app from starting automatically; it does not establish whether the app is malicious or remove it from your PC. If you suspect infection, scan with Microsoft Defender separately.
Disable the startup app in Windows 11
Use either built-in route. Both manage apps registered to run at startup.
Turn it off in Settings
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Startup.
- Find the app and switch its toggle off.
This is the most direct option when you know which entry you want to stop.
Disable it in Task Manager
- Right-click Start and open Task Manager.
- Select Startup apps.
- Select the app, then choose Disable.
Task Manager also displays the app’s startup impact, which describes measured resource use during startup—not whether the app is safe.
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What startup impact does—and does not—tell you
Microsoft’s documented Task Manager categories are based on CPU time and disk use:
- None: the app is disabled.
- Not Measured: the app is enabled, but there is no impact data available.
- Low Impact: under 300 milliseconds of CPU time and under 292 kilobytes of disk use.
- Medium Impact: under 1 second but over 300 milliseconds of CPU time, or under 3 megabytes but over 292 kilobytes of disk use.
- High Impact: over 1 second of CPU time or over 3 megabytes of disk use.
These are performance thresholds, not malware indicators. A high-impact entry is not proof of infection, and an unfamiliar name alone is not proof that a program is malicious. If you are unsure what an entry belongs to, avoid deleting files or changing registry data based only on its name or impact label.
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If the program is missing from Startup apps
Not every startup program is registered in the list shown in Settings or Task Manager. Microsoft also documents startup folders and Run registry locations as places where startup behavior may be configured.
Check the startup folders
Microsoft’s startup-app guidance explains that apps not registered as startup tasks may be configured through File Explorer startup folders. Check this route before considering registry changes. If an unfamiliar shortcut appears there, first identify the program and its publisher rather than removing files at random.
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Treat registry investigation as advanced troubleshooting
Windows can also use Run locations for all users and for the current user. Editing the registry can cause unintended problems; Microsoft advises caution and backing it up before making changes. If you are not comfortable identifying the relevant entry and preserving a backup, do not delete registry values as a first response.
Scan separately if you suspect malware
Disabling an entry changes its startup behavior; a scan checks for threats. If the program behaves suspiciously, appears again after you disable it, or you have other signs of infection, use Windows Security to scan the PC.
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Choose a scan in Windows Security
- Open Windows Security and go to Virus & threat protection.
- Choose Quick scan to check common locations. Microsoft recommends starting with a quick scan when malware is suspected.
- For a broader check, open Scan options and choose a Full scan, Custom scan, or Microsoft Defender Offline scan, as appropriate.
A full scan checks files and running programs; a custom scan checks the locations you select. Microsoft documents the available scan choices in its Windows Security scan guidance. Update security intelligence if prompted, and review detections in Windows Security rather than assuming that disabling the startup entry resolved an infection.
Use Defender Offline for a threat that persists or returns
Some malware can hide while Windows is running or reinstall after a restart. Microsoft Defender Offline scans after the PC restarts, outside the normal Windows session, which can help with threats that are harder to detect while Windows is loaded. Save open work before starting it: the PC will restart. After the scan, check Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Protection history for results. Microsoft’s malware troubleshooting guidance covers recurring threats and Defender Offline.
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If Windows identifies unwanted software
Potentially unwanted apps are not necessarily malware. If Windows or Defender identifies an app as potentially unwanted and you do not want it, Microsoft recommends removing unwanted software through Settings, updating security intelligence, and scanning. If the problem persists, use Defender Offline. The distinction matters: an unwanted app may merit removal without being a confirmed virus. See Microsoft’s guidance on protecting a PC from unwanted software.
Windows 10 support status
The startup steps are documented for Windows 10 as well as Windows 11, but Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Microsoft says free Windows Update updates, technical assistance, and security fixes ended after that date. The instructions may still apply to the interface, but disabling a startup app does not address the security risk of using an unsupported Windows version. Check Microsoft’s Windows 10 support notice for details.
When malware has caused damage
If a threat has changed or damaged files, removing the detection may not reverse those changes. Microsoft suggests restoring affected files from backups made before the infection, preferably backups stored externally. Do not treat a backup as a substitute for scanning and removing the threat first; otherwise, restored files or connected backup media may be exposed again.
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