WhatsApp is primarily a mobile app, but it has had a Windows version for some time now. It looks a lot like the mobile version and does everything you’d expect, just from your desktop. Today I’ll show you how to make WhatsApp open at startup in Windows 10. That way, you’ll always be able to get in touch no matter what device you use.
In addition to mobile and desktop applications, there are also whatsappweb which allows you to use the chat application in your browser. There is also a Chrome extension to use it. You’d think the company really wants you to use their product…
WhatsApp desktop works fine. It still requires you to pair it with your phone and have the speakers on to play notifications, but otherwise it’s pretty good. I found that the notifications were sometimes intermittent. I would receive a notification on my mobile app but not on my desktop. From time to time, it also turns off for no reason. However, your experience may differ.
Add WhatsApp to startup in Windows 10
Having WhatsApp start automatically when you start Windows 10 saves you time. It also means that you won’t forget to start it when you’re going to use your computer for a while, which is almost as important. You have to be selective about what you add to startup as it delays startup time in Windows, but I’ll cover that later. First, how to make WhatsApp open at startup in Windows 10.
- Download and install WhatsApp for desktop from the Windows Store. If you’re on Windows 10, this link should open the Microsoft site and the Windows Store app together.
- Right-click the Windows Start button and select Settings.
- Select Applications.
- In the next window, click Start.
- Select WhatsApp and activate it.
If you don’t see WhatsApp in the list, you will have to use the Task Manager method.
- Right-click on an empty part of the Windows taskbar and select Task Manager.
- Select the Home tab.
- If WhatsApp is in the list, right-click and select Activate.
This will add it to the startup along with the other enabled apps in that list. Keep that window open for a moment.
If WhatsApp does not appear in any of those lists, we will have to add it to the start manually.
- Select the Windows Start button and search for WhatsApp.
- Right click, select More and Open file location.
- Select Windows key + R to open a run dialog box, type ‘shell:startup’ and select OK. This will open your home folder.
- Copy the WhatsApp shortcut to the Home folder.
The Startup folder is in C:UsersUsernameAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsStartup. Typing ‘shell:startup’ will take you directly there.
Add programs to Windows 10 startup
If you return to the Startup window within Task Manager, you should see a list of programs set to start automatically. On the right, you should see a column that says Startup Impact. This tells you how much impact an app has on startup time. In other words, having that program start automatically slows down your computer upon startup.
The more programs that start automatically, the longer it will take for your computer to start. Many programs seem to think they are important enough to start automatically with Windows. Most of them are wrong. Review that list and see what is set to start automatically. Ideally, you should have only your antivirus, firewall, audio driver, OneDrive if you use it, Malwarebytes if you use it, and any device drivers that run outside of the Windows core. While you read about how to add WhatsApp to Windows startup, you can also leave it enabled. Anything you use all the time is fine to leave enabled.
Everything else can be disabled. The fewer programs you have set to start automatically, the faster your computer will boot. Printer drivers, peripheral functions, other programs and all those “useful” applications that are added to startup can be safely disabled.
Disabling a startup item doesn’t stop it from working when you select it. It also doesn’t uninstall it or stop it working normally. All it does is stop the program from loading in the background when Windows starts. The impact of this is a faster boot time but a delay of a couple of seconds when you open the app. I’d take it any day!
You can use the same method to make any app open at startup in Windows 10. Simply add a shortcut to the Startup folder and it should launch Windows every time. Just be careful how many you add!
