Windows: Use the Command Line to List Applications that Run at Startup

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It is quite helpful to know what applications are running at startup to help troubleshoot any slowdowns in system performance or to help track down malware infections. By using the Windows Instrumentation command-line interface (WMIC), you can easily generate a list of all applications set to run at startup as well as the location of each application. You can even generate a file to print out the information or for later review.

1. Open a command prompt.

2. Execute the following command:
wmic startup get caption,command

A list of the applications that run at startup will be displayed along with the command that executes the application. Check the command listings for the path to the application.

If you want to generate a text or HTM file for printing, execute the following:

to generate a textfile:
/output:d:\Startup.htm startup get caption,command


to generate a HTM file:
/output:d:\Startup.htm startup get caption,command