Enable AutoPlay

Autoplay menus were developed by Microsoft to help users take action quickly when inserting removable media into their computers, instead of wasting time opening Windows Explorer and accessing the partition.

This function is automatically triggered when inserting a CD, DVD or USB flash drive into the machine, displaying a small window with possible options, such as playing movies or music using your default media player, burning discs, or just opening the folder in Windows Explorer to explore the containing files.

Unfortunately, the autoplay feature became a major security issue for Windows, since it basically made room for rootkits and other forms of malware to infiltrate into the hard drive by auto-running the infected file with the device's configuration settings (autorun.inf).

This is why it's generally recommended to turn off the autoplay feature. If you don't know how to manually do this by accessing the Local Group Policy Editor, then you can resort to third-party applications that perform all the necessary steps instantly and with minimum effort on your behalf.

Such a software utility is Enable AutoPlay, which shows the current status of the autoplay function on your PC and offers to disable it with just one click. You can also turn it on again if you change your mind.

It's not necessary to go through an installation phase, as you can download and immediately fire up the .exe file to deploy Enable AutoPlay.

It reveals a tiny window on your screen, which displays the current autoplay status as well as two buttons for enabling or disabling it. You just have to click the option you're interested in.

Afterward, the tool pops up a message to inform you that it's probably recommended to restart the computer to commit the modifications. This is applicable when you both have to enable or disable autoplay.

Besides the fact that administrative rights are required to be able to use Enable AutoPlay, there's nothing else to say about it. It's lightweight, easy to use and gets the job done.