How to Stop Spotify from Opening on Startup on your Mac & Windows 10

Last updated on January 25th, 2025 at 8:48 am

Spotify is a leading music service provider that can offer an unlimited supply of legal music catalogs and online tracks. Unfortunately, it has one flaw — Spotify automatically starts when you fire up your Mac or Windows 10. 

By default, Spotify is programmed to start with your computer. It is a nice feature for hardcore music lovers but equally annoying for others. 

If you want to stop Spotify from opening on startup, you have multiple ways to do that on Mac and Windows. So, let’s stop your Spotify app from annoying you.

2 Ways to Stop Spotify from Opening on Startup on Mac

Use these solutions:

Using System Preferences 

Apple lets users take control over all items through the System Preferences. Using this setting, you can stop Spotify from opening on startup on Mac:

  • Go to the Apple menu located in the upper left corner and navigate to System Preferences. You can also use the Command + Space keys together and search for System Preferences through it. 
  • Using the System Preferences, go to the Users & Groups option. Select the Login Items tab from the right pane.
System Preferences
  • Now, you will view all the apps that open automatically on your Mac. To alter settings, click on the Lock icon at the bottom left corner and insert your admin password.
  • Once you find Spotify on the list, select the checkbox under the Hide menu to hide it. And, to remove the app, choose the ‘-‘ button at the bottom. Now, Spotify won’t start when you log in to your Mac.
hide menu

Disabling Open at Login from the Dock

Apple offers access to several options from the Dock like Quit, Show All Windows, Force Quit, etc. To stop Spotify from opening on startup, click on the app icon from the app’s Dock. You can use your two-fingers or the right-click to do so.

Disabling Open at Login from the Dock

Next, a small floating menu will appear. Click on the Options. A submenu will appear with three options — Keep in Dock, Open at login and Show in Finder. Simply uncheck the Open at Login option, and Spotify won’t bug you anymore. 

2 Ways to Stop Spotify from Opening on Startup on Windows 10

Windows 10 users can stop Spotify from opening on startup and consuming their time with the help of the following methods:

Enable from the Startup Menu

Once you log into your Windows 10 after the OS boots, the system will automatically load some programs in the background. You can disable these programs from the Windows Startup menu using the following steps:

  • Open Run menu with Windows + R keys command.
run menu
  • Next, type shell:startup in the Run search box. It will show all the programs running during the Windows startup. 
  • Navigate for Spotify in the list. Once you found it, right-click on it and select delete from the contextual menu. That’s it, and your job is done. 
contextual menu

Through the Task Manager 

From Windows Task Manager, you can manage all your apps with one click as:

  • Click on the Windows button and navigate for Task Manager. Another way, you can use the Run menu to search for the Task Manager.
Task Manager
  • You can see several tabs on the Task Manager tab — App History, Startup Users, Details, Process, Performance, and Services.
 Startup Details
  • Click open the Startup tab and look for Spotify from the apps list.
Startup tab
  • Once you located Spotify, right-click on it and choose to disable it from the floating menu. 
disable spotify

2 Ways to Stop Spotify from Opening on Startup on Mac and Windows 10

There are two other ways to stop Spotify from opening on startup both Mac and Windows 10:

Directly from the Spotify App 

Spotify provides the option to change the ‘launch at startup’ feature from the app settings. The app has similar user interfaces on both Windows and Mac. 

  • Go to the Spotify app on your computer. 
  • Open the drop-down menu located beside the profile icon and select Settings. Or, you can use the Command + Space key shortcut on Mac to open the Spotify Settings.
Spotify preferences
  • Scroll down to the bottom and click on the Show Advanced Settings.
spotify Advanced Settings
  • This option will open several other Spotify options. 
  • Hover to the ‘Startup and Windows Behaviour’ option. There you will find the ‘Open Spotify automatically after you log into the computer’ heading. Click on the drop-down menu and change behavior to No, and you are done!
Startup and Windows Behaviour

Third-party Cleaning or Uninstalling Software 

There are plenty of different cleaning and uninstalling software available for Mac and Windows that can help you manage login apps. Additionally, some startup time boosters can help in disabling unwanted startup services. If you want to enable other apps along with Spotify, you can get these third-party tools. 

Bottom Line 

More automatic startup apps are equal to increased startup time. So, if you don’t want to use Spotify every time you log in, it’s better to stop it from opening on startup. 

You can use our expert-certified six awesome steps to stop Spotify from opening on startup on Mac and Windows 10. However, for further guidance, comment below, and if you like our post, we don’t mind a few words of encouragement

Author Bio:

Dinesh Lakhwani

Dinesh Lakhwani, the entrepreneurial brain behind “TechCommuters,” achieved big things in the tech world. He started the company to make smart and user-friendly tech solutions. Thanks to his sharp thinking, focus on quality and the motto of never giving up, TechCommuters became a top player in the industry. His commitment to excellence has propelled the company to a leading position in the industry.

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