To control what opens when you sign in, go to Apple menu > System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions. Add or remove entries under Open at Login. Background activity and windows restored from a previous session are separate controls, so check those too if an app keeps appearing.
View and change what opens at login
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Choose Apple menu > System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions. The exact names or location can vary by macOS release.
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Under Open at Login, review the items that launch or open when you sign in. To add one, select the add control, choose an app, document, folder, or server connection, then confirm.
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To stop an item opening automatically, select it in the list and choose the remove control. This changes the login list; it does not uninstall the app.
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Apple’s guide to opening items automatically at login describes these controls. A yellow warning triangle beside an entry means it was moved or deleted, so it will not open automatically; Apple explains this in Login Items & Extensions settings.
Know the difference between login items and background activity
Open at Login controls items that open when you sign in. App Background Activity controls whether an app can perform tasks while it is not open, such as checking for updates or syncing data. Turning off background activity may interrupt those functions, but it is not the same as preventing an app window from opening at login. Apple describes both areas in its login items guide.
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Skip login items for one sign-in
To bypass login items temporarily, hold Shift while clicking Log In, and release it when the Dock appears. If your Mac does not show a login window, Apple’s instructions are to restart and hold Shift when the startup progress bar appears, continuing until the desktop is shown. This skips items for that login; it does not remove them from System Settings. See Apple’s instructions for opening items at login.
Find a login item that may be causing startup trouble
If you suspect an entry is causing a startup problem, isolate it rather than permanently deleting items at random. Apple recommends noting the current list, removing all login items, and restarting. If the problem stops, add items back one at a time, restarting after each addition. If the problem returns, investigate the last item you added: remove it, then consult its developer about whether it is needed or faulty. Follow Apple’s startup troubleshooting procedure.
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Check window restoration if an app still reappears
An app or its windows may return for reasons other than an Open at Login entry. When shutting down, restarting, or logging out, check whether Reopen windows when logging back in is selected. macOS also has a separate control for closing windows when you quit apps. If the app is not in the login list and still opens, check its own preferences or documentation, or contact its developer. Apple covers these cases in Prevent apps and windows from reopening.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When your Mac is managed by an organization
On a work- or school-managed Mac, an administrator can configure login items and background tasks through device-management settings. If a control is unavailable or an item returns after you remove it, organization policy may be responsible; ask your Mac administrator rather than trying to work around the setting. Apple’s managed Login Items payload documentation describes administrator configuration.
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Administrator diagnostics
Apple’s deployment guidance for managing login items and background tasks includes ways to inspect registrations, including the command sfltool dumpbtm. This is administrator troubleshooting detail, not a necessary step for changing your own login list. Apple notes that in macOS 26 or later, a user may be prompted about background tasks that remain active after an app quits; management profiles can affect those alerts. See Apple’s guide to managing login items and background tasks.
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