Some of us like to ease into the start of our work day, others might want to get things rolling as fast as you can. If you’re someone who likes to get things rolling you might find it advantageous to activate login items on your Mac.
This feature has been in the macOS for years, and when it first came out it could sometimes affect your computer’s start up. Fast forward to macOS Sierra, SSD drives, flash memory and these concerns become issues of the past. Most of us keep programs running even when we are not using them without any performance issues with our Macs, so there’s little concern with current generation machines of delays from login items.
If you’re not sure what I am referring to, let me take a moment to explain. You can specify through your system preferences if you do or do not want specific programs to automatically launch and run when you log in to your computer. In some cases users have programs automatically launching at login and do not know why. Microsoft Office, Skype and iTunesHelper commonly end up as login applications without users realizing it. That’s why Skype always seems to open on it’s own! In some cases it’s not an advantage to have a program start automatically, but if it’s one that you use every time you use your computer it can be very helpful. I have set as login items Mail, Safari, Calendar and Messages, the four programs I ALWAYS need when I get to the office.
To look and see if you have any applications as login items is quick and simply. All you need to do is go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items.
You might find that you already have items in the list, they could be ones you want or perhaps ones you’ve always wondered why they auto launch for you. You should go through this list every now and then. As mentioned, on occasion applications you might not want as a login item might find its way there. You also might find you have an application as a login item that you no longer need or want to run all of the time.
Here is what you need to know about managing your login items:
Add a login item. An easy way to add an app to the Login Items list is to drag its icon from the Finder into the list. But you can also click the + button beneath the Login Items list and choose the app from the Applications folder. Or, make sure the app is running, Control-click its icon on the Dock, and then choose Options > Open at Login from the shortcut menu.
Remove a Login item. To prevent an app from launching at startup in the future, select it in the Login Items list and click the – button under the Login Items list.
Hide a login item’s windows after startup. Some apps, like Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, fill your screen with their windows immediately at launch. If you don’t want to use an app right after restarting your Mac, you can reduce screen clutter by selecting its Hide checkbox in the Login Items list. That’s the equivalent of launching an app and hiding its windows by Option-clicking on another app.
So, the next time you start up your Mac, get to work faster!