How to Make a .exe File Auto Open
Automating the opening of a .exe file can be incredibly convenient, especially if you frequently use certain applications. Whether you’re looking to streamline your workflow or simply want to save time, here’s a detailed guide on how to make a .exe file auto open on your Windows, macOS, or Linux system.
Windows System
On a Windows system, there are several methods you can use to make a .exe file auto open. Here are the most common ones:
-
Using Task Scheduler:
- Open Task Scheduler by typing “Task Scheduler” in the search bar and pressing Enter.
- In the Actions pane, click on “Create Task…”
- In the General tab, give your task a name and description.
- Under the “Triggers” tab, click “New…”
- Select “At startup” and click “OK” to save the trigger.
- Under the “Actions” tab, click “New…”
- Select “Start a program” and click “Next” to continue.
- Browse and select the .exe file you want to open automatically.
- Click “Next,” review your settings, and then click “Finish” to create the task.
-
Using a Batch File:
- Open Notepad and type the following command:
- Replace “C:PathToYourProgram.exe” with the actual path to your .exe file.
- Save the file with a .bat extension, for example, “autoopen.bat”.
- Right-click the .bat file and select “Properties” from the context menu.
- Go to the “Compatibility” tab and check the “Run this program as an administrator” box.
- Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.
- Drag the .bat file to your startup folder (C:UsersYourUsernameAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsStartUp) or create a shortcut to it in the startup folder.
start "" "C:PathToYourProgram.exe"
macOS System
On a macOS system, you can create a LaunchAgent to make a .exe file auto open at startup. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Terminal application.
- Enter the following command to create a new directory for your LaunchAgent:
- Enter the following command to create a new .plist file for your LaunchAgent:
- Open the .plist file in a text editor, such as TextEdit or nano.
- Enter the following content, replacing “com.yourapp.autostart” with a unique identifier for your application and “C:/Path/To/Your/Program.exe” with the actual path to your .exe file:
- Save the file and close the text editor.
- Enter the following command to load the LaunchAgent:
mkdir ~/Library/LaunchAgents
touch ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.yourapp.autostart.plist
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?><!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd"><plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>Label</key> <string>com.yourapp.autostart</string> <key>ProgramArguments</key> <array> <string>C:/Path/To/Your/Program.exe</string> </array> <key>RunAtLoad</key> <true/> </dict></plist>
launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.yourapp.autostart