Micrsoft Windows operating systems proovides the Startup Folder in order to start programs and applications easily when the system or user session starts. The startup folder feature made avaiable with the Windows 95 and gained a lot of popularity between Windows users and administrators. Up to Windows 7 the startup folder was very easy to navigate which was a regular folder but with the Windows 7 the startup folder made as a hidden system folder that is not located in regular location.
What Is Windows 7 Startup Folder?
The startup folder is very similar to the regular folder where it is hidden. As a hidden folder, it will not be shown by the File Explorer by default. In order to show the startup folder the “Show hidden system files” option should be enabled like below. This can be changed from the Folder Options window.
But it is not a must showing the hidden folders in order to open the startup folder. Just typing the path of the startup folder in file explorer will open the startup folder. As every user has a different startup folder the startup folder path will include the user home path with the user name. In the following name is “ismail” which is located under the User.
C:\Users\ismail\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Open Startup Folder For Current User In Windows 7
The startup folder can be opened in different ways on the Windows 7. We can use the following path and put into the File Explorer address bar.
C:\Users\ismail\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartupAlternative way is using the Start Menu where “Start Menu”->”All Programs”->”Startup” will be used. The startup folder will be listed bottom as a directory like below.
There is another alternative in order to open the startup folder using the “Run Box”. The shell:startup command can be used to open startup folder directly.
Add Program/Application To Startup Folder In Windows 7
Now we have opened the startup folder and the last action is putting application or program shortcuts into the startup folder in order to start them automatially during boot or session start. As an example we put the “Cisco Packet Tracer” shortcuts into the startup folder like below. This will start Cisco Packet Tracer application automatically when the user logins to his sessions. We can also put another executable files or script shortcuts or itself too
Windows 7 Startup Folder For All Users
Alternatively we can put some program or application to the startup folders for all users. By defualt there is no permission to read and right a normal user startup folder by another normal user unless it is Administrator. The startup for all users are located in the following path.
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartupwWe can also open this public startup folder with the followin command which will be executed via “Run Command Box”.
