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  1. C:
  2. Users
  3. <utilisateur>
  4. AppData
  5. Roaming
  6. Microsoft
  7. Windows
  8. Start Menu\Programs\Startup
FolderRisk: Caution
  • Localized name

Start Menu\Programs\Startup C:\Users\<utilisateur>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

The user's Startup folder: any shortcut or program placed here launches when that user signs in to Windows.

Updated on By AltF4 Formation

What it’s for

Everything placed in this folder launches when the user signs in. It is that user’s Startup folder (FOLDERID_Startup), opened with shell:startup. The folder shared by all users opens with shell:common startup.

What it contains

  • .lnk shortcuts (the most common case), sometimes scripts or executables.
  • It is often empty, since many programs start through the Registry (Run) or a scheduled task.
  • The equivalent for all users is C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp.

Risks and best practices

  • To stop an automatic start, delete the shortcut: the application stays installed.
  • Programs declared through the Registry are managed in Settings > Apps > Startup or in Task Manager, on the “Startup apps” tab.
  • For security reviews, check this folder regularly: it is a classic persistence point for malware.
  • For a launch with elevated rights or before sign-in, a scheduled task is more reliable.

Useful commands

Fenêtre de terminal
# Items launched at sign-in from this folder (read-only)
Get-ChildItem "$env:APPDATA\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" -Force |
  Select-Object Name, LastWriteTime


# All known startup programs (Registry, Startup folders)
Get-CimInstance Win32_StartupCommand | Select-Object Name, Command, Location, User


# Open the user folder and the common folder
explorer.exe "shell:startup"
explorer.exe "shell:common startup"

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