How to add new programs to the Windows startup folders


Windows won’t make it easy for you to add manually programs to a startup folder. If you have, for example, a portable utility, a program that comes without a setup engine, relying on you to make it run automatically when you logon, then you won’t get much help from the Windows system.

It is easy though to do it. Press WinKey+R to open the Run dialog, and write (without the quotes): “shell:startup

The same way you can have a program at startup for all users, not just you: “shell:common startup

These few words will open immediately for you the startup folders where you can paste shortcuts to programs you want to run with Windows automatically. Another way to give startup power to a program would be to create a task with the Windows Task Scheduler, but the first one is easier.

Enjoy!