2

I have installed the Whatsapp desktop application on windows 10. I downloaded and installed it via the Microsoft Store. I have gone into the startup section on the Task Manager and have stopped the Whatsapp application from starting on windows startup. I have almost all my apps turned off on startup.

But the issue is even though it's disabled on startup whatsapp somehow still runs everytime i restart or turn on my PC. If i go into the background processes section on the task manager i can see whatsapp running. the whatsapp window doesn't open on startup but the app is still running in the background so whenever some sends me a message, if internet on my phone is turned off, i get the message notification on my desktop.

I don't want whatsapp to run on startup. I have couple of occasions i need to use it on PC, and on those occasions i can simply run it.

Any ideas why this is happening or anyways I can permanently disable from running automatically? Thanks.

Improve this question
8
  • 2
    Does WhatsApp have a service as well? If so, set the service to Manual - otherwise, you may want to use a Nirsoft or SysInternals program to view all Startup programs, as Task Manager doesn't show all of them (there's five startup locations, all/each user Startup folder startup, all/each user Registry startup, and Services set to Automatic or Automatic (Delayed Start))
    – JW0914
    Commented Sep 13, 2023 at 15:31
  • Agreed. I use SysInternals Autoruns for this
    – anon
    Commented Sep 13, 2023 at 15:36
  • @JW0914 Thanks for the reply. Nope there is no service running for it whatsapp on in the task manager. Only the process. I have Sysinternals Autoruns but in it there is no entry for whatsapp.
    – usefulmellow
    Commented Sep 13, 2023 at 16:06
  • It isn't clear to me if you have disabled its startup in the WhatsApp setting (three dots menu) "Start WhatsApp at Login".
    – Andrew Morton
    Commented Sep 13, 2023 at 16:29
  • 1
    Is it actually running though? Windows likes to “warm up” UWP applications by starting the process, then suspending it. This isn’t related to autostart. (WhatsApp is a true UWP application.)
    – Daniel B
    Commented Oct 10, 2023 at 9:10

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
2

There seems to be two places this can be disabled:

  1. Open WhatsApp app, then Settings -> Notifications -> "When WhatsApp is closed"
  2. Right-click WhatsApp app in Start menu, More -> App Settings -> App Permissions -> Run in Background -> Disabled.

I did both on my computer.

Improve this answer
0

Check %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ for files and check %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\. This is where user and system startup shortcuts are put, mainly user created ones, but not always.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .