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Applies to all editions of Windows Vista.

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Run a program automatically when Windows starts

If you always open the same programs after starting your computer, such as a web browser or e‑mail program, you might find it convenient to have them start automatically when you start Windows. Programs or shortcuts placed in the Startup folder will run whenever Windows starts.

  1. Click the Start button Picture of the Start button, click All Programs, right-click the Startup folder, and then click Open.

  2. Open the location that contains the item to which you want to create a shortcut.

  3. Right-click the item, and then click Create Shortcut. The new shortcut appears in the same location as the original item.

  4. Drag the shortcut into the Startup folder.

The next time you start Windows, the program will run automatically.

Note

Note

You can also make an individual file, such as a word-processing document, open automatically by dragging a shortcut of the file into the Startup folder.

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