How to Stop Windows 11 Apps from Reopening After a Restart

One of the most common frustrations for Windows 11 users is turning on their computer only to find that the applications they were using before shutting down have automatically reopened. This feature, designed to help you quickly resume your work, can actually slow down your startup time and clutter your desktop.

Why Does Windows 11 Reopen Apps?

Windows 11 includes a feature called “Restart apps”. When this is enabled, the operating system remembers which supported applications were open when you shut down, restarted, or signed out, and automatically launches them the next time you sign in.

While useful for some, it can be a massive drain on system resources and battery life, especially on older laptops.

How to Stop Apps from Reopening on Startup

You can easily disable this behavior directly from the Windows Settings menu. Here is the step-by-step process:

1. Click the Start button on your taskbar and select the Settings icon (the gear shape). Alternatively, press Windows Key + I on your keyboard to open Settings instantly.
2. In the left-hand sidebar of the Settings window, click on Accounts.
3. Scroll down the right-hand pane until you find the Sign-in options section. Click on it.
4. Under the Additional settings heading, look for the toggle switch labeled “Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in”.
5. Click the toggle switch to turn it Off.

How to Manage General Startup Apps

Disabling the “Restart apps” feature only stops apps that were left open from reopening. You may still have other applications (like Spotify, Microsoft Teams, or OneDrive) configured to launch automatically every time you turn on your computer, regardless of whether they were open previously.

To stop these general startup apps:

1. Open Settings (Windows Key + I).
2. Click on Apps in the left sidebar.
3. Select Startup from the right pane.
4. You will see a list of all apps configured to run at startup, along with their impact on your startup time (e.g., High impact, Low impact).
5. Simply toggle Off any application you do not want to start automatically.

By combining both of these methods, you will experience a much cleaner, faster boot process in Windows 11.