Every app that opens when you log in uses memory and processor time before you have even started working. Chat apps, cloud storage tools, updaters, launchers and menu bar utilities add up. Trimming them is one of the quickest ways to make a Mac feel faster after startup.
Remove apps from Open at Login
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
- Click General in the sidebar, then Login Items & Extensions. (On some versions this is called Login Items.)
- Under Open at Login, select an app you do not need right away.
- Click the Remove (–) button.
The app is not uninstalled. It just will not open automatically any more.
Turn off background items
The Allow in the Background section lists helpers that run without a visible window, such as updaters and sync agents. Switch off items for apps you no longer use. Be cautious with items for apps you rely on, such as backup software, password managers or security tools, as they may need to run in the background to work properly.
macOS also shows a notification when an app adds a new background item, so you can spot newcomers.
Check the app's own settings
Many apps add themselves to login through their own preferences. If an app keeps coming back after you remove it, open the app and look in its Settings or Preferences for an option such as Open at login or Launch at startup, and turn it off.
You can also right-click an app's icon in the Dock and choose Options. If Open at Login is ticked, click it to turn it off.
Stop windows reopening after a restart
When you restart or shut down, macOS offers to reopen your windows when you log back in. That is handy, but it also means every app you had open launches again. Untick Reopen windows when logging back in in the restart or shut down dialog.
To stop individual apps restoring their windows, go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock and turn on Close windows when quitting an application.
Use a clean startup to find a problem item
If your Mac is slow to start up or has problems right after login, Apple suggests a simple test: remove all login items, restart, and then add them back one at a time, restarting after each one. When the problem comes back, the last item you added is the likely cause.
Starting up in safe mode is another way to check whether startup software is causing a problem, because safe mode prevents login items from opening.
Advanced: launch agents
Some apps install launch agents in ~/Library/LaunchAgents or /Library/LaunchAgents. These are usually shown and managed in Allow in the Background. Avoid deleting files from these folders by hand unless you are removing leftovers from an app you have already uninstalled and know what each file belongs to.
Frequently asked questions
Where are startup programs on a Mac?
In System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions. Open at Login lists apps that open when you log in, and Allow in the Background lists helpers that run without a window.
Is it safe to turn off background items?
For apps you no longer use, yes. For backup, security, password manager or sync apps you rely on, turning off background items may stop features from working.
Why does an app keep opening at login after I removed it?
The app probably re-adds itself through its own setting. Turn off Open at login in the app’s settings, or uninstall it if you no longer need it.
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