Windows 10 Startup Folder Not Working

Startup folder in Windows 10 contains the list of programs that are scheduled to start when you turn on your PC. It includes the shortcuts to the applications that run with your OS every time you start your computer. This facility basically improve the booting speed by initializing the application on startup. However, sometimes, it may so happen that the windows 10 startup folder not working, and the programs listed to run at login are thus unable to function.

This is an annoying problem, but fortunately, it has some fixes, which when applied correctly can help in getting rid of this issue. If you are facing such a startup folder is not working, then this article will surely help you resolve the issue. Here, we have discussed the detailed solutions to this problem, and after going through this article, hopefully, you will be able to fix the situation quickly.

Method 1: Using Windows Startup Manager

One of the easiest ways to enable or disable a program is by using Windows Task Manager. Follow these steps to enable a program at startup:

1. Press Ctrl+ Shift + Esc from your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
2. Go to the Startup tab, and under the Status menu, you should see whether an application is Enabled or Disabled at Startup.
3. Right-click on the program you want to run at startup and select Enable.
4. Restart the computer to check.

This process will enable the selected programs to run when you turn on your computer. The solution may look somewhat trivial, and probably you have already tried it. But if you haven’t tried it, it’s worth giving it a try, and this might do the trick for you as well. However, if this method doesn’t fix your problem, move on to the next solutions in the list.

Method 2: Using DISM

Running the Windows DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) tool is another effective way in this regard. Follow the steps mentioned below to run this tool and repair your Windows image:

1. Type cmd in the Windows search bar, right-click on Command prompt and select Run as administrator.
2. In the Command prompt window, type the following commands and then press the Enter key after each line:
   • DISM /online /Cleanup-Image / ScanHealth
   • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
3. Wait for the time to complete the process and then restart the system to check whether the problem persists.

Method 3: Add The Shortcuts Manually

The Startup folder contains the shortcuts of the programs that run at startup. Most often, these programs adds automatically, however, if for any reason it doesn’t work as it is supposed to, you always have the option of adding the shortcuts manually. This is how you can complete the process:

1. Navigate to the folder of the program you want to run at startup.
2. Locate the .exe (executable file), right-click on it and select Create Shortcut.
3. Now, press Windows key + R simultaneously to open the Run dialog box.
4. Type shell:startup in the Run box and click OK.
5. Now paste the shortcut you have created in this Startup folder.
6. Now, at this point, restart the PC to check if it resolves the issue.

Method 4: Create A Batch File

To fix this situation, you may also create a batch file manually, and force the program to run at startup. To do that, follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Right-click on your desktop and navigate to New> Text Document.
2. In the window type the following lines:
   • @echo off “C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools Lite\DTLauncher.exe” exit
   • Remember to change the path in the example stated above, to the program’s exe file which you want at startup.
3. Now, click on File> Save As and change the extension of the file to .txt to .bat.
4. Close the file, and then double-click on it to run the file.

Now, you should not be facing Windows 10 startup folder not working.

Method 5: Use The Task Scheduler

The task scheduler is a Windows built-in tool, you can use this to schedule a task such as running a program at startup. This will force the program to start every time you turn on your PC, as a scheduled task. To use Task Scheduler, follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Type taskschd in the Windows search bar, and select Task Scheduler from the list
2. Locate Create Task and click on it.
3. Under the General tab assign a name to the task. You can give it the same name as your program.
4. Check the Run with the highest privileges box. Next, select Windows 10 from the drop-down menu next to Configure for.
5. Select the Actions tab. Now, Click New.
6. From the drop-down menu next to Action, select Start a Program.
7. Next, click on the Browse button, and select the path to the program’s executable file.

Method 6: Disable UAC

You can also try to resolve this issue of startup folder not working in Windows 10, by disabling the UAC(User Account Control). To do that, follow these steps:

1. Type UAC in the search bar and select Change User Account Control settings.
2. Move the slider to the extreme bottom and click on OK to confirm changes.

Method 7: Use Registry Editor

Editing the registry is almost always a work for the professionals, and not to be attempted under all general circumstances. However, we include this troubleshooting step as a final step to resolve the issue. Go through the entire steps carefully, before going to edit the registry.

1. Type regedit in the Windows search bar and select regedit.exe.
2. Click on File and create a backup of your current registry.
3. Now, follow this path:
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Run
4. Right-click and select New> String value
5. Enter the path of the exe file of the program that you want to run at startup.
6. Next, save the changes and restart your computer.

These are the complete solutions to “Windows 10 startup folder not working” issue on your PC. After going through these methods, you should be able to resolve the startup problem.