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Post your comments for How to set applications to automatically launch at startup here

[k88dad]

On a related topic, some apps require you to deal with launch agents. This may come in handy when you need to PREVENT an app from launching at startup. Some apps bypass the usual methods of launching at startup. They, instead, place a plist file, within a LaunchAgents folder, within the Library folder. In this case, you can prevent launch at startup in two ways:

1. Move or rename the plist file (if you simply want to temporarily not use the app.)
2. Edit the plist file with a text editor. Comment out the lines related to running at startup, or change any launch variable from true to false.

#1 is something anyone can do, once they've found the file in question. #2 is recommended for those comfortable with finding and editing the text files associated with preferences. Any plist file is just an XML file, and uses plain-English wording. It is commented just as for HTML.

[JulianGrr]

k88dad, on 30 March 2012 - 10:12 AM, said:

On a related topic, some apps require you to deal with launch agents. This may come in handy when you need to PREVENT an app from launching at startup. Some apps bypass the usual methods of launching at startup. They, instead, place a plist file, within a LaunchAgents folder, within the Library folder. In this case, you can prevent launch at startup in two ways:

1. Move or rename the plist file (if you simply want to temporarily not use the app.)
2. Edit the plist file with a text editor. Comment out the lines related to running at startup, or change any launch variable from true to false.

#1 is something anyone can do, once they've found the file in question. #2 is recommended for those comfortable with finding and editing the text files associated with preferences. Any plist file is just an XML file, and uses plain-English wording. It is commented just as for HTML.

[JulianGrr]

I do not have a LaunchAgents folder in my macbookair. Im trying to prevent certain applications from starting automatically. The only option I have now is to "quit" the application before I shutdown the computer.