View Startup App Impact in Windows 11

How to Check Startup App Impact in 🪟 Windows 11

You can check startup impact in two places. Both read the same list of startup programs, so use whichever you find faster:

1Using Task Manager

Task Manager 📊 gives the most detail. Besides the impact rating, it shows the publisher, the current status, and the total boot delay Windows measured for your last startup (shown as “Last BIOS time” at the top right on most PCs).

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc together to open Task Manager 📊. If it opens in a compact view, click More details at the bottom left. You should now see the full window with a list of tabs or icons.
2. Open the startup list. On Windows 11 22H2 and later, click Startup apps in the left sidebar. On the original Windows 11 release (21H2), click the Startup tab at the top of the window instead.
3. Find the Startup impact column. Each app that starts with Windows is listed with its rating. If you don’t see the column, widen the window or right-click a column header and make sure it is ticked.
4. Click the Startup impact header to sort the list. Click it again if you want the High-impact apps at the top.

Task Manager 📊 shows startup apps and their impact on Windows 11.

The impact rating estimates how much a program delays startup. Windows bases it on the CPU and disk activity the app caused during your recent boots. A Low rating means minimal interference. Medium means a noticeable delay. High means a heavy load that actively drags startup down. Not measured means Windows hasn’t collected enough data yet. This is common for an app you just installed. Restart the 🔄 PC once or twice and check again.

Impact levels explained:

• High impact: Uses a lot of CPU or disk activity while Windows is starting. These are the first apps to review.
• Medium impact: Uses a moderate amount of resources. Worth a look if your PC still feels slow.
• Low impact: Uses very little at startup. Usually safe to leave alone.

2Using the Settings App

The Settings app also shows startup apps. It is simpler than Task Manager and works well if you just want to see the list and flip a switch. It lists each app with a label such as High impact or Low impact next to it, and it has a sort option so the heaviest apps can come first.

1. Click the Start menu (the Windows icon) at the bottom of your screen.
2. Select Settings. You can also press Windows key + I to open Settings directly.
3. On the left side, click Apps.
4. On the right, click Startup. You should now see a list of apps with an On/Off switch for each one.
5. Look at the impact label under each app name. To reorder the list, use the Sort by drop-down and choose Startup impact.

Open Settings from the Start menu.

Click "Apps" in the Settings menu.

Click "Startup" to see startup apps and their impact.

Startup apps and their impact shown in Settings.

What Can You Do With This Information?

High-impact apps slow down your PC at boot. Turning them off stops them from launching when you sign in. You can do this in either place:

• Task Manager: Right-click the app in the Startup apps list and choose Disable. The Status column changes to Disabled.
• Settings: Under Settings › Apps › Startup, switch the toggle next to the app to Off.

Disabling an app does not uninstall it, and you can still open it by hand. The change takes effect at your next startup, so no restart is needed right now. To undo it, right-click the app in Task Manager and choose Enable, or switch the toggle back to On. Be careful with items from your antivirus, drivers, or hardware vendors. If you don't recognize an entry, search for its name before you disable it.

Learn more about enabling or disabling startup apps here: How to Enable or Disable Startup Apps in Windows 11

Summary

• Windows 11 shows how much each startup app affects your computer's startup speed.
• You can check this in either Task Manager or the Settings app.
• Knowing which apps use the most resources lets you decide which ones to keep and which to turn off.
• Turning off heavy, unneeded apps can make your computer start faster and feel more responsive.

Checking startup app impact in Windows 11 helps you stop heavy programs from running in the background every time you turn on your PC. Use Task Manager for the detailed view or Settings for a quick one, then disable what you don't need. You can always turn an app back on if you change your mind.