It’s always been simple to find the startup folder in most versions of Windows to configure an application to start automatically when a user logs in.
Here is how to find the startup folder on Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2016
- Right Click on the start menu and choose run
- Type “shell:startup” and click ok.
- Then the startup folder will appear and you can drop shortcuts or applications into it.
To find the common startup folder for all users
- Right click on the start menu and choose run
- Type “shell:common startup” and click ok.
Easy but quite well hidden. If you found this post helpful, I’d really appreciate it if you would rate it for me.
Abc says
Perfect! Thanks.
Keith says
good guide…useful for me.
TSG says
Many thanks for this , much appreciated.
Gigi Gardan says
top!
Dermot says
Very helpful! Thanks!
Rick says
Excellent!!!
Mashal says
Very good and useful. Yes, easy but hidden.
M says
Both locations are empty but Discord opens with every startup of Server 2016.
Michael Perry says
Thanks, works on Server 2019 as well.
MACIU? ?MIGIELSKI says
THANK YOU!
gespo says
thank you
Moreno says
Thanks!. It sorted my problem
Aashu says
Helpful info. Thank you
Lee Higginbotham says
Excellent post! Thank you this was exactly what I needed!
Atheeque says
Thank You
fastbikkel says
“typing shell:startup” in the cmd/ run screen on my windows 2016 server doesnt do anything. It just says “no results found”
Geoff says
Thank you!
Thierry says
Very ggod!
Thanks a lot….
thomas wrobel says
thank you
Mooya says
Great! Thank you.
Joe Morton says
It’s not “right-click”, it’s “Left-click” and then type the command.
Tony says
Very useful, thank you.
Superior Support says
Excellent article.
Monty says
Just found this in 2021 so still helping people out 🙂
cool says
it’s done if desktop was logon. how to run a program before login Ctrl Alt Delete on server2012 ?
Keith says
Awsome! So easy. Thanks for the info.
Chaitanya Dhareshwar says
Totally fantastic! Did the job perfectly within seconds. I’m adding this site to my virtual workspace management bible!!
no name says
shell:common startup
Bijan Ghofranian says
Finding the startup folder and placing a shortcut to automatically launch a program when windows starts used to be a no brianer… But now I had to Google to find out how to get to it. Microsoft makes everything more difficult as we progress, Why?
At any rate, Shell:Common Startup worked nicely, Thanks Paul!
Boyan says
Really perfect! Short, but it has everything needed!
steve cummins says
Thanks!