Copy the shortcut you created and paste it into the Startup folder that just opened.

The Settings app provides an alternative user interface for enabling and disabling startup apps that are registered with the system.

This will instantly launch your personal folder in a new window. Step 3: Move the Shortcut

⚠️ Be careful: incorrect registry edits can cause issues.

The most reliable way to launch an individual executable at boot is using the built-in shell:startup command. This directory holds shortcuts to programs that Windows targets immediately after user authentication.

The shell:startup command opens the folder exclusive to your specific Windows user profile. If you share your PC and want the EXE file to run automatically for every user account, open the Run dialog box ( Windows Key + R ) and type shell:common startup instead.

Right-click any EXE file or program in the list and select to prevent it from running at boot without deleting the file itself. If you need help setting this up, please let me know:

Here are the four most effective ways to add an .exe file to your startup sequence, ranked from easiest to most advanced.