Customizing
Your Windows Start-Up Folder
Tech Tips. Vol. 2004 No. 03
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Consider the routine you go through when you first log on to
your computer. You probably begin by performing some basic tasks,
e.g. reading your email, logging on to an instant messaging
service, checking your weather forecast, etc. These tasks probably
require you to open the same few programs, files, or websites
every time you log on. You can save valuable time and effort
by configuring Windows to automatically launch them instead.
Your start-up folder
Windows automatically creates an individual "Start-Up Folder"
for each user on your machine, as well as one for "All
Users". When a user logs in to Windows, it will automatically
open everything in his/her start-up folder, as well as everything
in the "All Users" start-up folder. You may have noticed
the start-up folder located in your Start menu (Start ->
Programs -> Start-Up); everything from the "All Users"
start-up folder, as well as everything from your personal one,
is located here.
Adding and removing shortcuts from your start-up folder
To add something to a start-up folder, you must first create
a shortcut to the object you wish to add. If there is already
a shortcut to the desired object on your desktop, in your QuickLaunch
bar, or in your Start menu, you can simply right-click the icon
and choose "Copy". (If you don't see a shortcut in
any of these locations, you'll have to create one. See our Tech
Tip "Creating Desktop Shortcuts", Vol. 2003 No. 12.)
Once you have created the necessary shortcut, right-click it
and choose "Cut" (if you want the shortcut only in
the start-up folder) or "Copy" (if you want it where
it is, plus in the start-up folder).
Next, you have to locate the start-up folder in Windows Explorer.
To do this, right-click on your Start menu and choose "Explore":
You should see a folder labeled with your username. If you
have multiple userids on your machine, you should also see
other folders labeled with names of the other users, as well
as one labeled "All Users". Open the folder of the
desired user, then the subfolder labeled "Start menu",
then the subfolder called "Programs", then the "Start-Up"
subfolder.
To add the object, right-click somewhere in the Windows Explorer
window on the right (the one displaying the contents of the
start-up folder) and choose "Paste". To remove an
object, right-click its icon in the start-up folder and choose
"Delete".
Creative ways to use your start-up folder
There are many different things you may want to add to your
start-up folder. To help get you thinking, we've provided
some examples:
- Add Outlook to automatically bring up your email.
- Add the folder containing your current work.
- Add a link to your favorite website or search engine.
- Add a link to your local weather forecast.
- Add a link to a news or stock ticker.
- Add a pop-up blocker so it will already be running when
you open your browser.
- Add a link to your favorite Internet radio station.
Copyright 2003-2005 by Shulman Clark
Associates, LLC. All rights reserved.
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