Complete Guide to Adding Startup Items to Your Mac

Are you unfamiliar with the term Startup items? Well, the Startup items refer to the login items which includes, applications, shared volumes, documents, or some other items that users want to startup automatically or launch whenever user restart or sign in to their Mac. Generally, the startup items are utilized for launching any applications which are used by users while sitting down at their Mac. For examples, Safari, Apple Mail, and Messages each time when users are using their Mac. Regardless of starting these applications manually, users can also choose these items as Login items and lets the Mac do their work just for you.

Source:- Guide to Adding Startup Items to Your Mac, Norton.com/setup.

Below we guide you through some simple steps for easily adding the Startup items to your Mac. These steps are simple and easy to follow only if you follow them in the same series as listed below. Here how to do it:

Steps to Add Startup Items to your Mac

In order to add the startup items to your Mac, follow the steps in the correct way to avoid unnecessary trouble and saves lots of precious time. Here is a complete guide for adding them which are as follows:

1. Click on the ‘Sign in’ tab to sign in to Mac with those account which users want to relate with the Startup items.
2. After that, tap on the ‘System Preferences’ option appears in the Apple Dock of Mac menu. Alternatively, choose the ‘System Preferences’ item direct from the ‘Mac Menu.’
3. Next, press ‘Accounts’ or ‘User & Groups’ option available in the ‘System’ under the System Preferences section.
4. Now, press the ‘Suitable Username’ from the given accounts list.
5. Pick up the ‘Startup Items’ tab.
6. Click on the ‘Plus’ (+) tab appeared in the bottom of the Login Items window.
7. Now, a Standard Finder browsing sheet appears on the screen. You need to go to the items that you want to add.
8. Once hit the items you want to choose, and then click on the ‘Add’ tab to added the login items.
9. Finally, the items you have chosen will be successfully added to the ‘Startup/login list. Therefore, whenever users start their Mac or sign in to their account, the items users added in the list will launch automatically.

Apply Drag-and-Drop Method for Adding Login Items

Most of the Mac applications sustain drag-and-drop methods for adding startup items. For this, you simply need long-press on that item which you want to add and then drop it to the Startup list. Alternatively, this way of adding the startup or login items can help attach shared volumes, servers and some other computer resources which might not be an easier way to find in a Finder screen. Therefore, whenever users have completed adding items, they may need to shut the ‘System Preferences’ window. After that, whenever the users boot or sign in to their Mac, the items appear in the list will automatically startup on the screen.

Use Apple Dock Menus to Startup Items or Login Items

Those items which you want to launch at sign in automatically is available in the Dock, for this, one can make use of Dock menus just to added the item to the login items list without starting the System Preferences. Press-right on the ‘Apps Dock’ icon and choose ‘Options and Start at Login’ option from the menu popup on the screen.

Leo Smith  is a self-professed security expert; he has been making the people aware of the security threats. His passion is to write about Cyber security, cryptography, malware, social engineering, internet and new media. He writes for Norton security products at norton.com/setup.