Why Does MS Teams Open on Startup?

Microsoft Teams is often set to open automatically when you start your computer primarily in an effort to encourage you to use Teams, as stated in the provided reference. Microsoft has set this as the Windows default behavior.

Understanding the Default Setting

Many software applications have the option to launch automatically upon system startup. For Microsoft Teams, this is the default configuration out of the box. This setting is intended to make the application readily available for users who might use it frequently throughout the day for communication, collaboration, or meetings.

However, this default behavior isn't ideal for everyone, especially if you don't use Teams regularly. Having applications open automatically on startup can sometimes consume system resources and potentially slow down the boot process.

How to Stop MS Teams From Opening Automatically

Fortunately, you can easily change this setting if you prefer to open Teams only when you need it. Here are common methods to disable Teams from starting automatically:

• Within Teams Settings:

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Click on your profile picture in the top right corner.
  3. Select Settings.
  4. Under the General tab, find the option for "Auto-start application" or "Open Teams on startup".
  5. Uncheck this option.
  6. Close the settings window.
     (Note: The exact wording may vary slightly depending on your Teams version.)

• Via Windows Task Manager:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager (or right-click the taskbar and select "Task Manager").
  2. Click on the Startup tab.
  3. Find "Microsoft Teams" in the list.
  4. Right-click on "Microsoft Teams" and select Disable.

• Via Windows Settings (Windows 10/11):

  1. Go to Settings (Windows Key + I).
  2. Click on Apps.
  3. Select Startup from the left-hand menu.
  4. Find "Microsoft Teams" in the list and toggle the switch to Off.

By changing this setting, you can ensure that Teams only launches when you manually open it, giving you more control over your system's startup process and resource usage. This simple adjustment, as the reference notes, is like flipping one little switch to prevent it from auto-opening in the future if you don't use it daily.