Autostart Explorer

With the aid of Autostart Explorer you can quickly obtain a list of all applications whose entries are integrated into the Windows autostart sequence, which means that they automatically run every time you boot Windows, thus contributing to a slower boot time. This way, you can figure out which unnecessary programs can be excluded from autostart.

This is a portable package, so you don't have to set up anything. You can drop the program files in any directory on the HDD and just click the executable to launch Autostart Explorer. Otherwise, you can keep it stored on a USB flash drive to run it on any PC effortlessly. Unlike installers, it doesn't create additional objects on the disk without your permission.

Once accessed, Autostart Explorer automatically identifies all autorstart entries from the registry, startup folders, standard executables, BAT and INI files, along with services and other items, listing all of them in a tree view.

The main window has a classical structure that doesn't put emphasis on appearance. You can explore the tree view and expand categories to find containing autostart files, as well as examine a description of those which belong to Windows. Further details can be learned by opening a file's Properties dialog (just like in Windows Explorer).

Apart from the fact that you can open an item's folder in Explorer without leaving Autostart Explorer's interface, as well as expand or collapse all categories from the treeview, there aren't any other options worth mentioning.

We usually come across autostart managers in our reviews, but this tool is solely designed for viewing autostart entries, which means that you have to resort to other apps for disabling autolaunch apps or adding new ones, such as Monitor WStart, Startup Manager or CCleaner. On top of that, it doesn't implement an option for generating a text document with all autostart items.

Unsurprisingly, the utility didn't put a strain on the computer's performance in our tests. It didn't hang, crash or display error messages. To conclude, Autostart Explorer is a speedy and effective tool to help you discover autostart entries, but it doesn't let you manage them or perform other actions.