How to set programs to automatically run each time your Mac starts

May 5, 2009 by Ross McKillop

If you’re a recent convert coming from Windows to OS X, you may have a bit of difficulty figuring out how to add programs to the “startup list”. Quite a few programs include a “Run this program when OS X starts” feature, but just as many don’t. This tutorial will show you how to add an application to your startup list.

If the program you want to run when OS X starts has a Dock icon, simply right-click (ctrl-click for the single-button mouse folks) that icon and select Open at Login. Now each time you start your Mac, that program will launch.

adding twhirl to the programs to run at os x startup

If the application you want to run when your Mac boots doesn’t have a Dock icon, open the System Preferences by selecting the Apple menu-bar icon in the very upper-left corner of your screen, and select System Preferences… from the drop-down list. In the System Preferences select Accounts in the System section.
Now select the Login Items tab in the Accounts window. Click the plus sign ( + ) button below the These items will open automatically when you log in: box.