#Control mac startup programs how to
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When an app makes itself launch at login this way, it isn’t visible anywhere except in the apps own settings and can only be undone by the app itself. In fact, I believe it’s actually the only valid way that a Sandboxed app on the App Store is allowed to make itself launch at login.

There is another native and valid way that apps can make themselves launch at login using the Service Management framework which isn’t visible in the Login Items list in System Preferences. Note that in some versions of macOS, until there is at least one Login Item, the settings file may not even exist. If you’re seeing weird things going on with your Login Items list, one possible solution is to start from scratch by trashing the current file, restarting, and setting up your Login Items again. Sorting out LaunchServices problems isn’t easy. Unfortunately, particularly when this is done for an app provided through the App Store, this turns out to be a complex development task which requires a helper app. Many apps, such as menu bar or ‘Status Bar’ apps, offer the user the option of installing them as a Login Item. Login Items are better suited to apps of any size which have significant user interfaces, and anything which a user wants to control easily. Removes the named Login Item from the current list. Tell application 'System Events' to delete login item 'name' Tell application 'System Events' to get the name of every login item Tell application 'System Events' to make login item at end with properties In addition to using the Dock menu or the Users & Preferences pane, you can add and remove Login Items using a scripting language for example, in AppleScript

#Control mac startup programs manual

The new format is opaque: although a Property List, it is now a keyed archive containing objects which are referenced by UUID, and unsuitable for manual editing. That file isn’t intended to be maintained directly by the user. Since High Sierra, that has moved, changed its extension, and the file structure, to ~/Library/Application Support//backgrounditems.btm Once added, LaunchServices puts them into its list of apps to launch at startup, which in Sierra and earlier used to be located in ~/Library/Preferences/. You can set any app, service, or other executable code to run at startup by adding the item to the list of Login Items in the Users & Groups pane in System Preferences. These are controlled quite differently, through LaunchServices rather than launchd, which runs later following startup. Remember that anything with a GUI must be a LaunchAgent. To launch an app, set the ProgramArguments key to load the executable code within the app bundle, for example at AppName.app/Contents/MacOS/AppName. Setting the RunAtLoad key to true tells launchd to run the service or app then.

#Control mac startup programs install

Instead, you’ll more likely want to install yours in ~/Library/LaunchAgents instead, so that it’s launched once you have logged in. As I explained earlier this week, creating an appropriate Property List in one of the LaunchAgents or LaunchDaemons folders in /Library will ensure it’s run before you log in, which probably isn’t what you intend. Launchd is a generally reliable way for a user to set an app or tool to run at startup. In that, select Options, then the Open at Login command. There’s a quick and easy way to add apps which are already in the Dock to the Login Items list (discussed below): click and hold on their icon in the Dock until its menu pops up. This does, of course, rely on you remembering to check that the app is running beforehand. The simplest way to have an an app opened for you when you next start up is just to leave the app running when you shut down or restart.

#Control mac startup programs how to

This article looks at the differences between these mechanisms, so that you can decide which to use in each case, understand what can go wrong with them, and how to fix them.

#Control mac startup programs software

There are four popular ways of getting software to run whenever your Mac starts up, depending on whether it’s installed as a Login Item, or as a LaunchAgent or LaunchDaemon.