Windows 11 startup folder lets you add shortcuts to programs, files, and scripts you want to automatically launch when your computer starts. This guide gives you the folder path of the Windows 11 start folder and shows you how to open it in a simple and easy way.
Table of contents:
- Types of startup folders
- Windows 11 startup folder path
- How to open Windows 11 startup folder
- How to add programs to the startup folder
Types of startup folders
Windows has two types of startup folders. i.e., the user-specific startup folder and the common startup folder. The user-specific startup folder is tied to the user account whereas the common startup folder is for all users.
Generally, you want to add startup programs to the user-specific startup folder. That way, any time you log into your user account, Windows automatically launches the application added to your user-specific startup folder. However, if your computer has multiple users and there are programs that need to launch for all users, you can add them to the common startup folder.
Windows 11 startup folder path
The location path of the startup folder in Windows 11 is as follows. You should replace “Username” in the path with your Windows username.
C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or
shell:startup (run command)
The above path is for your user-specific startup folder. That means it is tied to your user account.
The common startup folder location is as follows:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or
shell:common startup (run command)
How to open Windows 11 startup folder
You can open the startup folder using the folder path or the Run command. Follow the below steps to open the startup folder in Windows 11.
User-specific startup folder
To open the regular startup folder, open File Explorer with the Windows key + E shortcut, paste the below path while replacing “Username” with your Windows username, and press the Enter key on your keyboard. It instantly opens the startup folder.
C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
For example, if the Windows username is WindowsLoop, the file path looks like this:
C:\Users\WindowsLoop\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
You can also use the shell:startup command in the Run dialog box. To do that, open the Run dialog box with Win + R shortcut, type “shell:startup” (without quotes), and click the “Ok” button.
Common startup folder
To open the common startup folder, paste the below path in the File Explorer’s address bar and press Enter.
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Alternatively, open the Run dialog box with the Windows key + R shortcut, type “shell:common startup” (without quotes) in the blank field, and click on the “Ok” button.
How to add programs to the startup folder
To add a program to the startup folder, all you must do is add its shortcut. Here’s how.
Step 1: First, open the Startup folder using the run command “shell:startup” (without quotes.)
Note: If you want to use the common startup folder, use the “shell:common startup” run command.
Step 2: Next, right-click in the startup folder and select the “New > Shortcut” option.
Step 3: Click the “Browse” button, select the application’s exe file, and click the “Open” button. This action will added program path to the shortcut wizard.
Step 4: Click “Next,” type the application’s name in the Name field and click the “Finish” button.
That’s it. You’ve added the program to the startup folder in Windows 11.
If you want, you can also add Microsoft Store apps, portable apps, and scripts to the startup folder.
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I hope this simple and easy Windows how-to guide helped you.
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