The Intrusive Launch
When you boot up your computer and log in, your first priority is usually to get to a clean desktop so you can choose what to work on. However, you might find that Google Chrome forcefully launches itself every single time you start your machine. Not only does this slow down your computer’s boot time by consuming RAM and CPU cycles immediately, but it can also be a privacy concern if Chrome automatically opens your previously active tabs in an office or shared environment. Chrome typically does this because a background service or an extension has registered it as an essential startup program.
How to Disable Chrome Auto-Start on Windows
On Windows computers, Chrome’s startup behavior is controlled by the operating system’s Task Manager or the Windows Settings app.
1. Right-click the Start button and select Task Manager.
2. In the Task Manager window, click on the Startup apps icon in the left-hand sidebar (it looks like a speedometer dial).
3. Scroll through the list of applications until you find Google Chrome.
4. Look at the “Status” column. If it says “Enabled,” Chrome is permitted to launch on boot.
5. Right-click on Google Chrome and select Disable.
The status will change to “Disabled.” From now on, Chrome will only open when you explicitly click its icon.
How to Disable Chrome Auto-Start on macOS
On a Mac, applications that launch at login are called “Login Items.”
1. Click the Apple logo () in the top-left corner.
2. Select System Settings.
3. In the left sidebar, click on General.
4. In the main pane, click on Login Items.
5. Look at the top list labelled “Open at Login.” If Google Chrome is in this list, it will start automatically.
6. Click on Google Chrome to highlight it.
7. Click the small minus (-) button below the list to remove it.
Additionally, when you restart or shut down your Mac, a confirmation box appears with a checkbox that says “Reopen windows when logging back in.” Ensure you uncheck this box, or macOS will forcefully reopen Chrome regardless of your Login Item settings.