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Lync 2013 Client Auto Start Registry Key

  • Article

I have had a couple inquires of how to set the Lync 2013 Client to start automatically when logging into Windows. This can be done multiple ways depending on how many users you need to set this for. If you want the users to do this themselves they can just open the client and go to tools\options\personal and check the box for “Automatically start Lync when I log on to Windows”. This is the same for both Lync 2010 and the 2013 clients.

Now let’s say you need to do this for 50,000 users. With both versions you could use a script or deployment product (SCCM) to create a registry key and set that keys value on all the users workstations. The difference is where the key needs to be created. Below are the values and locations for each client version. By default both of the clients are set to automatically start.

Lync 2010 Client

Registry Location

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Communicator

Registry Key Name

AutoRunWhenLogonToWindows

Registry Key Type

REG_DWORD

Registry Key Value

0 – Lync client won’t start automatically

1 – Lync client will start automatically

 

Lync 2013 Office 15\Basic Clients

Registry Location

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Registry Key Name

Lync

Registry Key Type

REG_SZ

Registry Key Value

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 15\root\office15\lync.exe" /fromrunkey

Notes

The path in the value would be where you installed Office 15. Also if you want to disable the client from starting automatically just delete this key.

 

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Andrew - that's why I put in the notes "The path in the value would be where you installed Office 15". It could be different depending on installation location and bitness. Easiest way to find this is right click the Lync 2013 Client, choose properties, and find the copy the target. @Brian - Not that I know of...What you can do is run process monitor, uncheck the option in the Lync client, start process monitor capturing, check the option in the Lync client and click OK, then look for a RegSetValue for process Lync.exe. That will tell you the key that's being set.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Good thread, thanks everyone for sharing.

  • Anonymous
    September 18, 2013
    2013 Lync 32bit run key for default install is "C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft OfficeOffice15lync.exe" /fromrunkey

  • Anonymous
    September 21, 2013
    Lync 2013 still launches on login even when the key is not present. Is there a REG_DWORD for lync 2013? Thanks

  • Anonymous
    October 23, 2013
    I did try this but Lync still doesnt launch when a user logs in. However if user launches lync after logging in; logs off and then login back again, it launches. Please advise.

  • Anonymous
    October 29, 2013
    I 'd like to change some parameters on Lync and blocking changes, like log conversations, put offline, close lync using task manager, etc. Is that possible ? Thanks in advance.

  • Anonymous
    November 10, 2013
    @Brain Also check in HKU for the registry key.  If the user has already launched Lync once on the machine, then the Run key is copied to their HKU registry store.

  • Anonymous
    March 07, 2014
    FYI if you have a 32 bit client on 64 bit OS you'll have a different run key location
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun

    Also, I needed to change from OCS Communicator starting by default to Lync 2013, and just updated the current run key:
    "C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft Office Communicatorcommunicator.exe" /fromrunkey
    To Lync:
    " C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft OfficeOffice15lync.exe " /fromrunkey

  • Anonymous
    March 31, 2014
    could not find the key and therefore could not stop it from autostart on Windows 2008 r2

  • Anonymous
    April 14, 2014
    So, why in MS's infinite wisdom, did they take a setting that could be present simply in a SINGLE location, set configure it to now use no less that 2 (Wow6432Node, C:Program Files, C:Program Files (x86)? What was wrong with the old method? If it needed to change, WHY WAS IT NOT ADDED TO THE LYNC 2013 ADMX FILE TO BE CONTROLLED BY GROUP POLICY??????

  • Anonymous
    June 13, 2014
    Probably because it sits in two locations and that'd make it harder work for them to control :)

  • Anonymous
    July 03, 2014
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    July 16, 2014
    Just as a follow up, this setting does NOT work if you are running a virtual Office 2013 using the ODT. The key is deep in the "virtual" registry and while it gets "set" it is not set correctly.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftAppVClientPackages\REGISTRYUSER\SoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun

    It is being set as "[{AppVPackageRoot}]Office15lync.exe" /fromrunkey which is not correct.

  • Anonymous
    January 26, 2015
    C:Program FilesMicrosoft Office 15rootoffice15

  • Anonymous
    January 29, 2015
    FYI, Office 365 in our case put's Lync.exe in a "root" subfolder, had to make our gpo reg key path to reflect this: C:Program FilesMicrosoft Office 15rootoffice15lync.exe

    Also as some one else pointed out, this reg key applies the reg settings on first logon but does not actually launch lynk on first login after the GPO is active. On the SECOND login with this GPO the key exists and does launch Lync.

    Shame on MS for not including this in the Office 2013 ADMX, as that was the first thing I did only to be disappointed when it was not there and had to resort to this. Either way this article meets my needs.

    Thanks,

  • Anonymous
    February 19, 2015
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    March 30, 2015
    Awsm man...i really like it...

  • Anonymous
    August 03, 2015
    Yes annoying change!! I'm using 4 different options using preferences to insert the key based on item level targeting which only applies it if the file exists. One reason for the change could be that in a Citrix / RDS environment you might get Lync launching when a published app is run with the old method, rather than the run key which is not processed for remoteapps / citrix published apps...

  • Anonymous
    August 25, 2015
    This is so awkward. Why do we have to all these for such a simple option.? I get so annoyed when Lynch gets automatically logged into my office system without my knowledge. I don't want people to ping me when I am at home.

  • Anonymous
    November 06, 2015
    I found that Key at another location
    HKEY_USERS.DEFAULTSoftwareMicrosoftCommunicator

  • Anonymous
    November 09, 2015
    Is it possible to launch minimised to the taskbar when a user first logs in? I find that users want it to be available but don't want it maximised at login - any suggestions?

  • Anonymous
    November 17, 2015
    We have skype inside a citrix environment and when a call is recieved the volume is set to 0 we found that if we Clear the values under UCCPlatformLyncAudioRender in regedit it hold on the default 40%
    but we have to do this manually, we have tried using a group policy to fix this on start up but with no luck.
    Any one have advice?