How to Enable or Disable Auto-Start for Microsoft Teams

New Teams vs. Classic Teams Behavior

That is one reason people notice Teams opening at sign-in after an update. On some PCs you may have both versions installed, and each one has its own auto-start setting. If Teams keeps opening after you turn it off, check that you changed the setting in the version that is actually starting.

How to Enable or Disable Microsoft Teams Auto-Start

Method 1Windows Startup Settings

The fastest way to manage startup apps is through the Windows settings ⚙️ menu. You can open it directly with Windows Startup Apps. Otherwise, go to Settings › Apps › Startup in Windows 11. In Windows 10, go to Settings › Apps › Startup as well. The page lists every app that can start with Windows, each with an On/Off switch and an impact label. Follow the steps below to find Teams and change its switch.

1. Open Settings.
2. Click Apps in the left sidebar.
3. Select Startup.
4. Find Microsoft Teams and toggle the switch to Off to disable auto-launch.

When you are done, the switch next to Microsoft Teams should show Off. The change is saved straight away and takes effect at your next sign-in. To undo it, come back to this page and turn the switch on again. If Teams is missing from the list, it may not have been run yet under your account, or it may be starting by another route. In that case, use the Teams app settings or the Task Manager 📊 method.

Method 2Task Manager Startup Tab

If the settings menu does not work, use the Task Manager to force the change. The Task Manager reads the same startup list as the Settings app, but it also shows each entry's status and startup impact. That makes it easier to see what is really enabled. The steps are below.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. Click the Startup apps icon on the left.
3. Right-click Microsoft Teams and select Disable.

After the change, the Status column for Microsoft Teams should read Disabled. In Windows 11 the tab is called Startup apps. In Windows 10 it is called Startup. To reverse the change, right-click the same entry and choose Enable. If you see no Startup tab at all, click More details at the bottom of the Task Manager window to switch from the compact view. Also note that a work or school PC may have startup rules set by your IT department. In that case the entry can reappear or be greyed out, and you will need to ask your administrator.

Troubleshooting: When Settings Won't Save

Teams auto-start sometimes won't stay off because of a leftover entry in the Windows registry. Registry Editor is a database for low-level Windows settings. Deleting the leftover Teams startup entry by hand can make your change stick. This mainly applies to the classic Teams app, which registers itself in the Run key. The newer Teams app usually starts through a different mechanism, so the Settings and Task Manager methods are more likely to work for it.

Follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter. If Windows asks whether to allow the app to make changes, click Yes. Registry Editor opens.
3. In the left pane, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. You can also paste the path into the address bar at the top of the window. The right pane lists the programs that start when you sign in.
4. Optional but wise: back up first. Click File › Export, choose a location, and save the file. Double-clicking that file later will restore the entry.
5. Locate the value named com.squirrel.Teams.Teams (or a similar name that mentions Teams).
6. Right-click it and select Delete, then confirm by clicking Yes. The entry disappears from the list.
7. Close Registry Editor.

You don't need to restart. The change takes effect the next time you sign in. This key belongs to your user account only, so other users on the same PC are not affected. If Teams later adds the entry back, it means auto-start was turned on again in the Teams settings. Turn it off there too. To bring auto-start back, switch the option on in Teams, or import the file you exported.

Summary

Controlling Teams auto-start helps your computer run better by limiting which apps launch when you turn it on. Background apps then don't use CPU, memory and network the moment you sign in. You can still open Teams yourself whenever you need it, and you can re-enable auto-start at any time if you want to be reachable as soon as you log on.