[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":32},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-en-startup-items":3},{"meta":4,"html":10,"headings":11,"raw":31},{"title":5,"description":6,"icon":7,"order":8,"updated":9},"Startup Items","See which apps and background services start automatically on your Mac, turn off the ones you don't need, and remove obsolete startup settings.","startup",8,"2026-10-28","\u003Cp>Many apps start when you turn on or sign in to your Mac, or keep running in the background. \u003Cstrong>Startup Items\u003C\u002Fstrong> lists them in one place so you can turn off what you don't need and clean up startup settings left behind by deleted apps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"scan\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#scan\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Scan startup items\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Open \u003Cstrong>Startup Items\u003C\u002Fstrong> and click \u003Cstrong>Scan Startup Items\u003C\u002Fstrong>. The scan only reads the current configuration and does not change any settings. You can click \u003Cstrong>Scan Again\u003C\u002Fstrong> at any time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Results are grouped by app. Use the search box to find a program or publisher, or filter by \u003Cstrong>All\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Enabled\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Disabled\u003C\u002Fstrong> or \u003Cstrong>Leftovers\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Items that come with macOS are hidden by default; select \u003Cstrong>Show system items\u003C\u002Fstrong> to see them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you see \u003Cstrong>Check Full Disk Access\u003C\u002Fstrong>, some background login items could not be read. Click \u003Cstrong>Open Full Disk Access settings\u003C\u002Fstrong>, allow access for WashBear, then scan again for more complete results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"details\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#details\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>View details\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Click a row to see \u003Cstrong>When it starts\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Startup type\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Startup configuration\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Runs\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Current runtime state\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Digital signature\u003C\u002Fstrong> and \u003Cstrong>Configuration modified\u003C\u002Fstrong>. You can copy the configuration path and what the item runs, or click \u003Cstrong>Show in folder\u003C\u002Fstrong> to find it in Finder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"turn-on-off\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#turn-on-off\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Turn items on or off\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Use the switch at the end of each row to control automatic startup. If an app has several startup entries, expand it to change each one. When you switch a whole group, WashBear first shows \u003Cstrong>Confirm changes\u003C\u002Fstrong> with the change for each entry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Turning off automatic startup does not uninstall the app or stop a program that is already running. Items marked \u003Cstrong>Startup disabled; still running\u003C\u002Fstrong> stop starting automatically after your next restart or sign-in.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Items in \u003Ccode>\u002FLibrary\u003C\u002Fcode> apply to all users, so macOS asks for an administrator password before they change. If you cancel, nothing changes.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Items managed by macOS are view-only, and WashBear does not bypass system protection. Click \u003Cstrong>Open Login Items Settings\u003C\u002Fstrong> to manage them in System Settings.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Security software, input methods, and sync and backup tools usually need to stay on. If you are not sure about an item, leave it unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"delete\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#delete\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Delete a startup item\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>For startup items stored as configuration files, you can click \u003Cstrong>Delete Startup Item\u003C\u002Fstrong>. The confirmation explains that only the startup settings are deleted and the app's files remain. The configuration file is deleted directly and does not go to the Trash. Some apps create it again the next time they open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"leftovers\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#leftovers\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Clean up leftovers\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>When an app has been deleted but its startup configuration remains, it appears under \u003Cstrong>Leftovers\u003C\u002Fstrong>, and you can remove it with \u003Cstrong>Delete Startup Item\u003C\u002Fstrong> or \u003Cstrong>Delete leftover record\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Some login records can only be removed in the Login Items settings of macOS. Expand the item and follow \u003Cstrong>How to handle this\u003C\u002Fstrong>, then return to WashBear and scan again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"ai\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#ai\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Ask AI about unfamiliar items\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>If you don't recognize a startup item, hover over its row and click \u003Cstrong>AI explanation\u003C\u002Fstrong> to learn which app it belongs to and how turning it off could affect syncing, updates or other features. AI only explains; you decide whether to make a change. See \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fen\u002Fdocs\u002Fai\">AI Explanations\u003C\u002Fa> to set it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time you turn a startup item on or off or delete it, the result is recorded in \u003Cstrong>Operation History\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",[12,16,19,22,25,28],{"depth":13,"id":14,"text":15},2,"scan","Scan startup items",{"depth":13,"id":17,"text":18},"details","View details",{"depth":13,"id":20,"text":21},"turn-on-off","Turn items on or off",{"depth":13,"id":23,"text":24},"delete","Delete a startup item",{"depth":13,"id":26,"text":27},"leftovers","Clean up leftovers",{"depth":13,"id":29,"text":30},"ai","Ask AI about unfamiliar items","\nMany apps start when you turn on or sign in to your Mac, or keep running in the background. **Startup Items** lists them in one place so you can turn off what you don't need and clean up startup settings left behind by deleted apps.\n\n## Scan startup items {#scan}\n\nOpen **Startup Items** and click **Scan Startup Items**. The scan only reads the current configuration and does not change any settings. You can click **Scan Again** at any time.\n\nResults are grouped by app. Use the search box to find a program or publisher, or filter by **All**, **Enabled**, **Disabled** or **Leftovers**. Items that come with macOS are hidden by default; select **Show system items** to see them.\n\nIf you see **Check Full Disk Access**, some background login items could not be read. Click **Open Full Disk Access settings**, allow access for WashBear, then scan again for more complete results.\n\n## View details {#details}\n\nClick a row to see **When it starts**, **Startup type**, **Startup configuration**, **Runs**, **Current runtime state**, **Digital signature** and **Configuration modified**. You can copy the configuration path and what the item runs, or click **Show in folder** to find it in Finder.\n\n## Turn items on or off {#turn-on-off}\n\nUse the switch at the end of each row to control automatic startup. If an app has several startup entries, expand it to change each one. When you switch a whole group, WashBear first shows **Confirm changes** with the change for each entry.\n\n- Turning off automatic startup does not uninstall the app or stop a program that is already running. Items marked **Startup disabled; still running** stop starting automatically after your next restart or sign-in.\n- Items in `\u002FLibrary` apply to all users, so macOS asks for an administrator password before they change. If you cancel, nothing changes.\n- Items managed by macOS are view-only, and WashBear does not bypass system protection. Click **Open Login Items Settings** to manage them in System Settings.\n\nSecurity software, input methods, and sync and backup tools usually need to stay on. If you are not sure about an item, leave it unchanged.\n\n## Delete a startup item {#delete}\n\nFor startup items stored as configuration files, you can click **Delete Startup Item**. The confirmation explains that only the startup settings are deleted and the app's files remain. The configuration file is deleted directly and does not go to the Trash. Some apps create it again the next time they open.\n\n## Clean up leftovers {#leftovers}\n\nWhen an app has been deleted but its startup configuration remains, it appears under **Leftovers**, and you can remove it with **Delete Startup Item** or **Delete leftover record**. Some login records can only be removed in the Login Items settings of macOS. Expand the item and follow **How to handle this**, then return to WashBear and scan again.\n\n## Ask AI about unfamiliar items {#ai}\n\nIf you don't recognize a startup item, hover over its row and click **AI explanation** to learn which app it belongs to and how turning it off could affect syncing, updates or other features. AI only explains; you decide whether to make a change. See [AI Explanations](\u002Fdocs\u002Fai) to set it up.\n\nEvery time you turn a startup item on or off or delete it, the result is recorded in **Operation History**.\n",1793257450005]