[Fix] Windows 10 Automatically Restores Programs and Apps After Update or Restart
Table of Contents
PROBLEM SYMPTOM:
You have opened some programs and apps in Windows 10. You notice that after restarting your computer, Windows 10 automatically restores several programs and apps without your permission.
In other words, many programs and apps automatically reopens after reboot. The programs are not set to automatically launch at startup, still Windows 10 relaunches them after restart.
The same thing happens when Windows 10 downloads and installs updates and restarts your computer to apply those updates.
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So many programs and apps are reopening at startup and you can’t prevent or stop Windows 10 from restoring those apps and programs.
PROBLEM REASON:
It’s a feature in Windows 10 which allows Windows to restore apps and programs which are registered with Windows Restart Manager. Many 3rd party software programs such as Mozilla Firefox take help of this new feature and automatically restore their program windows after a restart.
So if a program comes with built-in functionality to register itself with Windows 10 restart manager feature, Windows 10 will automatically reopen or restore the program at system startup.
This is the reason behind many programs and apps are reopening automatically in your Windows 10 device even if the programs are not present in system startup list.
PROBLEM SOLUTION:
Don’t worry! Windows 10 allows users to disable this feature if they find it annoying. You can turn off this feature and Windows 10 will never restore or reopen programs after restart.
If you also want to prevent or restrict Windows 10 from reopening programs and apps once you restart your computer, following steps will help you in disabling this irritating feature:
1. Open Settings app from Start Menu. Alternatively, you can press WIN+I keys together to open Settings directly.
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2. Now click on Accounts icon in Settings app and then click on Sign-in Options tab present in left-side pane.
PS: Alternatively, You can directly launch this page using “ms-settings:signinoptions” command in RUN dialog box as mentioned here.
3. Scroll down to bottom and you’ll see “Use my sign-in info to automatically finish setting up my device and reopen my apps after an update or restart” option. This option would be set to ON.
Click on the toggle button and set this option to OFF.
UPDATE: In newer versions of Windows 10, the option name has been changed. Check following article for details:
[Tip] Enable or Disable Programs and Apps Automatically Restarting with Windows 10
That’s it. Now restart your computer and Windows 10 will stop reopening or restoring programs and apps without your permission.
Also Check:
[Windows 10 Fix] “The User Name or Password is Incorrect” Error Message After Restart
Hi Vishal,
After installing Windows 10 build 1903, it was hectic to find out why the apps are restarting by itself. Now I found the solution from you. Thanks a lot for your continuous effort. It helps us a lot. I do love tweaking for best performance and your website is always my first choice. My goto website for all windows related queries not even microsoft explains each feature crystal clear. Thanks a lot bro. I have been following your website for the past 5+ years. Really great to see your consistency and efforts. Lots of love from Tamilnadu.
Thanks,
Beacon
^^ Thanks. Glad to help you.
That setting is NOT in W10 1903!
My system doesn’t signing in and it automatically mail has attached asks to enter password and says password incorrect and there is no option for forgot password or sign-in options
Thank you so much for this; Me and my wife paused youtube… went to sleep… and then suddenly at 2am a youtube video started blasting from a restarted and locked computer.
Microsoft is incompetent at delivering their products.
It works also under Windows 11.
Why my laptop can’t work with Window 11?
^^ Which laptop model are you using? Did you check whether it meets minimum system requirements to install Windows 11?