In any case, you can add an item to the list manually by clicking the (+) button, or remove an item by selecting it and clicking the minus sign (-) button. Most apps that do so ask you for permission first or have an “Open at login” or similar checkbox in its settings. Items usually end up on this list because apps added them to it.
This list is different for each user account on your Mac. You’ll see a list of apps (and even files and folders) that open every time you log in. Open System Preferences and click on Users & Groups, then click the Login Items tab. Here’s a quick primer on the various kinds of startup and login items and how to manage them.
Where do they come from?īecause such items can increase your Mac’s startup time and may decrease its performance, you’ll want to make sure your Mac is loading only items that are useful to you. This is usually what you want, but you may sometimes see items running that you don’t recall adding yourself. When you turn on your Mac, various apps, add-ons, and invisible background processes start running all by themselves.
