When you log into your MacBook, various programs, utilities and helpers begin running automatically – known as login items – which use CPU cycles and memory resources, slowing down start up time and performance – remove login items Mac.
To remove login items Mac, navigate to /Library/LaunchAgents and remove suspicious files or applications that you no longer require by moving them directly into Trash. When done, restart your Mac to see if its performance improves.
1. Go to System Preferences
Mac OS X includes an easy and flexible way for you to control startup programs on a per-user basis, making your experience unique to yourself. While this feature can be great for customizing, some apps or utilities can become problematic; especially those which cause sluggish start up times, beachball cursor on login or other issues that hinder productivity. Disabling such login items temporarily is straightforward with an effective trick.
To remove startup programs on an individual boot or login basis, navigate to System Preferences by clicking on the Apple menu in the top-left corner and selecting System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items tab in System Preferences.
This tab shows a list of applications that automatically launch upon logging in to your account. You can customize its order or remove apps by dragging them to their preferred positions before clicking “Remove”. Finally, to confirm your selection click “Remove.”
Use either the Apple Logo Menu or Dock to access System Preferences and navigate directly to “Users & Groups,” then “Login Items,” before finding an app you’d like to disable and clicking Options; deselect “Open at Login.”
Another method of uninstalling apps is locating them in Finder and dragging them directly to the Trash, although this should be avoided due to potentially losing important files or settings. Instead, System Preferences provides the best solution.
Before the release of macOS Ventura, managing startup and login items was limited and difficult. Now with ventura’s introduction, these apps can be managed easily by following these steps or downloading powerful tools like App Cleaner & Uninstaller; which enables quick debloating with just one click for maximum performance and to eliminate unnecessary weight from your MacBook – you can get it free here.
2. Go to Library
Though many apps installed with app installers are meant to open automatically at login, they often end up creating broken login items which put additional strain on your Mac’s processor and memory – leading to slower start times and reduced responsiveness over time. As a result, having too many login items could render your Mac less responsive overall.
However, there are certain programs you cannot disable through System Preferences or application settings. For instance, kernel extensions (.kext files) load automatically with each boot up and provide low-level features, like audio processing or peripheral support; these should be safe to remove if not needed; similarly with some cron and x11 utilities which run at startup; provided they come from trusted developers they should likely cause no issues; still check system folders for suspicious files before running a full virus scan to be sure.
If you are ever uncertain of any login item, visit /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons and search for its name. These processes may help keep the system up-to-date, sync data or protect against malware; while others should be deleted if they have become obsolete or no longer necessary.
To delete them, right-click and choose “Move to Trash”, or use the Gemini shortcuts. When you have removed all unnecessary programs from your startup list, restarting and logging back in should become much quicker; additionally you could run MacCleaner Pro for free to speed up your Mac even further. This notarized Apple software can help your Mac become faster by clearing away unnecessary background tasks, and reducing startup and everyday task times. Download it free here. This app can also handle other tasks, such as defragmenting and repairing disks, deleting duplicates and optimizing memory usage. Furthermore, its “Delay Start” feature helps prevent apps from automatically opening at boot-up, potentially improving MacBook performance and saving power consumption.
3. Go to Trash
If your Mac seems to be freezing up or stop functioning normally, trying disabling login items might help solve the issue. These programs run when starting or logging into your Mac; thus disabling them should speed up startup/login times and reduce potential slowdowns.
System Preferences offers an easy solution to this dilemma by viewing the list of “Open at Login” or “Allow in the Background” items, then unchecking each app by clicking its minus icon next to it in either list. Finally, use Show in Finder to open its file in Finder; alternatively you could keep a copy on your desktop for safekeeping if adding back is something you are considering at some later point in time.
Although you could remove login items manually from your menus, the best way is with a free Mac cleaner such as MacCleaner Pro. This program can detect leftover files from uninstalled apps and even eliminate malware that might be slowing down your computer.
Some programs, like those for printers or other peripherals, may create login items you no longer require. If you use a Bluetooth mouse for example, then it likely does not warrant opening MicrosoftMouseHelper when turning on or connecting your mouse to PC. You could also delete any helpers associated with old, no longer supported or seldom-used applications to free up space.
Care should always be taken when removing login items, as doing so could negatively affect your Mac’s performance. Be sure to back up before making changes, and empty out your Trash after each deletion. If unsure of an item’s significance or value, conduct an internet search to see if there have been reports about its causing problems.
One more factor to keep in mind is that it is possible that there may be malware on your Mac which is creating login items which slow it down, such as Malwarebytes free scanner. If this seems likely, running such an antivirus scan might help identify any potentially unwanted software on your computer.
4. Go to Folder
One of the many great features of Mac OS X and later is its “Go to Folder” tool, accessible with Shift Command G. This allows you to easily enter any location on your drive (even major folders like Users/UserName), click “Go,” and be whisked directly there – saving both time and energy when compared with searching through Finder folder structures for files or directories you need.
Unfortunately, sometimes some apps will sneak their way onto your list of startup items without your knowledge and cause unnecessary load times as they consume both processor and memory capacities while they’re running in the background. There are various methods you can take to eliminate such programs and stop them from automatically opening every time you reboot.
Assuming you no longer use an application such as MicrosoftMouseHelper with your mouse, deleting this is usually easy and will also free up space on your hard drive. Furthermore, delete peripheral devices you no longer need such as printers that you no longer use.
If a login item is causing blue screen errors or other problems, try uninstalling it by going into System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items and selecting its offending entry before clicking “Remove.”
Note that it is impossible to switch off background items this way, despite any that are associated with specific apps installed on your PC. This is because background items are managed via Property Lists installed in LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons folders while Login Items fall directly under your control.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac can help you quickly locate and delete any malicious software causing your Mac to run slowly or act unusually, then remove any unnecessary startup or login items to improve its performance.
