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To disable a startup program in CCleaner, open Tools > Start up (or Startup Manager in a newer interface), review the entries, and disable only programs you recognize and do not need at sign-in. If you only want a guided suggestion, CCleaner’s Health Check includes a Speed category; Windows Task Manager is a built-in alternative.
Disable a startup program in CCleaner
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Open CCleaner and select Tools > Start up. The feature may appear under the current label Startup Manager; exact labels can vary by version.
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Review the listed startup entries. Disable only a program you recognize and do not want to launch automatically when Windows starts.
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Keep security software and drivers enabled unless you have verified that disabling a particular entry is safe. CCleaner warns that some antivirus and driver programs are needed for normal protection or hardware operation. CCleaner’s Windows guidance
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Restart the PC, or sign out and back in, to check whether the program no longer launches automatically. This is a way to verify your change; it does not guarantee a measurable boot-time improvement.
What if you cannot find Startup Manager?
CCleaner’s documented route is Tools > Start up, while its current product policy uses the name Startup Manager for managing items that run when Windows starts. The interface can differ by release, so look for the startup-management tool under Tools and check the labels in your installed version. CCleaner’s instructions and its Products Policy, updated February 2026
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Use Health Check for guided suggestions
In CCleaner Health Check, the Speed category identifies programs that could be prevented from starting with Windows. CCleaner Support says Speed is available with CCleaner Professional. Health Check is less customizable than the dedicated startup-management tool, so use Startup Manager when you want to choose and manage entries yourself. What is Health Check? and What does Health Check do?
Use Windows Task Manager instead
You do not need CCleaner to manage startup items. CCleaner’s Windows guidance also describes using Task Manager: press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, open Task Manager, and choose the startup tab. On older Task Manager layouts, select More details to reveal additional tabs, then disable a selected entry. CCleaner’s Windows guidance
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Choose the control that fits your task
| Method | Where to manage startup items | What it offers | Availability established by the cited guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCleaner Startup Manager | Tools > Start up, or the current Startup Manager label | Dedicated startup-item management | CCleaner product policy describes the feature; identical interfaces across editions are not established. |
| CCleaner Health Check | Health Check > Speed | Guided identification of programs that could be prevented from starting; less customizable than the dedicated tool | CCleaner Support says Speed is available with Professional. |
| Windows Task Manager | Task Manager’s startup tab | Inspect enabled startup programs and disable a selected entry | Described as an option in CCleaner’s Windows guidance. |
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