How to Add, Remove Startup Programs on MacBook

🗓️ May 1, 2025, By ✍️ Karly Wood

Managing startup programs on your MacBook can help improve performance and reduce unnecessary load on your system. In this guide, we’ll show you how to add or remove startup programs, as well as repair startup disk or change your startup disk. These steps will ensure a smoother boot-up process and give you control over what loads when your Mac starts.

Complete guide to managing a startup program on Mac OS

We can add a new program, remove existing ads, and clear the entire list that runs whenever the Mac is turned on.

  1. Go to the Apple logo from the top Mac menu
  2. Choose System Settings in the drop-down list.
    system-settings-on-macos-ventura
  3. Now, click on General Option > select Login items.
    manage-login-items-on-mac-startup
  4. Disable the toggle from the list of added apps for Launch at startup on Mac.
    stop-apps-from-launching-on-startup-on-macos-ventura
  5. To add or remove items after login, click on Plus [+] button to add new applications. and Select the app that you want to remove from the login items screen. And we can customize the app that does not support the in-app features.
    add-a-new-login-item-from-mac-startup
  6. Find app from the Applications folder and add in the list.
    add-a-new-app-to-launch-on-mac-startup

macOS Monterey & Earlier

Step #1. Open System Preferences on Mac from Apple menu or search “System Preferences” from Spotlight Search.

1 System Preferences on Mac: Startup program on Mac

Step #2 Next to the System Preference, Find Users & Group

Users and Groups Settings under System Preferences setting
Users and Groups Settings under System Preferences setting

Step:#3 On Users & Group windows, Unlock the restrictions by clicking on lock at bottom of the window.

Unlock to make changes in settings
Unlock to make changes in settings
  • Tap on “Login Items” tab. All the programs will be listed there and Greyed out interface. To make changes, unlock with authentication icon at corner windows,
  • Use Username and Password – Admin Details.
  • Once you log in, we can Select the program that we want to stop startup automatically on login. Then press ““ sign. This will remove from the list.
Select Program and Remove from list that audo launch on Startup
Select Program and Remove from the list that auto launched on Startup

Change or add a startup program on Mac

Need to add any Third-Party program to the startup screen list.

Click On “+” Option, Choose an application from Finder screen.

Add a new Startup Program on Mac
Add a new Startup Program on Mac

Here i am adding a Books App on Mac startup program.

Select program and add into list
Select program and add into list

Tap on Done.

Another Option is Hide startup program from Screen but launch

Near to each program added to the startup program list, Customise individually using the checkbox given near to program name.

Enable CheckboxSelect Checkbox for the individual application, which means a program is launched but not seen on MacBook, iMac, or MacMini desktop screen. Here’s the Books app will be launched on Mac But will not show on the screen.

App will launch on Startup but will not see on screen
App will launch on Startup but will not see on screen

I recommended keeping uncheck all. Useless click attempt on the program after launched in the background,

Hope you get help and a real fix on Enable or Disable Startup program on Mac. For more stories and tips from us kindly join our social page: Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

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Karly Wood
Karly Wood

Karly Wood is a journalist based in Ohio who specializes in covering Apple and technology trends. With a varied experience in reporting on public safety, government, and education, her insights bridge multiple disciplines, providing readers with a well-rounded perspective on today's technological advancements. If you need to contact me, you can reach me at karlywood.ohio@gmail.com or through (Facebook)

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