
Some programs add themselves to the startup list in Windows 7 or 8.1 and are launched automatically by the operating system when it boots. You can prevent these programs from starting with the operating system from the Startup tab of the Task Manager dialog in Windows 8.1, or of the System Configuration dialog in Windows 7. You can also add your own files and programs to the startup list by adding their shortcuts to the Startup folder.
Stop Programs From Starting Automatically
Step 1

Press Windows-X to display the Power User menu and select Task Manager to launch the utility.
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Step 2

Select the Startup tab to view all programs that are allowed or disallowed to start with the operating system. Note that some installers set the programs to start with Windows without asking your permission.
You can see the status of each program in the Status column. If the status is Enabled, the program starts automatically with Windows.
Step 3

Prevent specific apps from starting with the operating system by selecting them from the list of apps and then clicking the Disable button. The changes are applied immediately.
Step 4

In Windows 7, expand the Start menu, type msconfig into the Search field and then click msconfig.exe to launch the System Configuration utility.
Select the Startup tab and then uncheck the apps you want to disable or click Disable All to disable all at once. Click Apply to apply the new settings.
Start Specific Programs Automatically
Step 1

Press Windows-X to display the Power User menu and select File Explorer to launch the utility. Locate the executable -- the EXE file that launches the application -- of the program you want to launch automatically when Windows starts. Programs are usually installed in the Program Files or Program Files (x86) -- on 64-bit systems -- folder on the system drive.
Right-click the executable and select Copy from the context menu to copy it to the clipboard -- this copies a shortcut to the clipboard, not the entire program.
Step 2

Press Windows-X to expand the Power User menu and click Run to display the Run dialog. The keyboard shortcut to display the Run dialog is Window-R. Type shell:startup into the Open field and click OK or press Enter to open the Startup folder in a new File Explorer window.
Step 3

Right-click on an empty spot in the Startup folder and select Paste Shortcut from the context menu to create a shortcut that points to the EXE file you copied to the clipboard.
You can copy Desktop shortcuts into the Startup folder to automatically launch the apps when Windows Starts.