Windows 10: How to stop apps from re-launching after a reboot or shutdown?
Applies to:
Windows 10, version 1803
Windows 10, version 1709 (Fall Creators Update) / Windows Server 1709
Does not apply to:
Windows 10, version 1703 (Creators Update)
Windows 10, version 1607 (Anniversary Update) / Windows Server 2016
Windows 10, version 1511 (November Update)
Windows 10, version 1507 (RTM)
Problem description:
Logon re-launches all previously opened apps
Old behavior (Windows 10 1507/1511/1607/1703Windows 8.1/Windows 7 SP1):
- When you shut down your PC, all apps are closed
- After reboot/restart, you have to re-open any app you'd like to use
New behavior (Windows 10 1709 and newer):
- When shutting down your PC, any open apps are tracked via a registry key.
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
"Application Restart*"
- After reboot/restart, these apps will re-open automatically
Cause:
This was a new feature introduced in Windows 10 1709 when restarting or shutting the system down.
It was an extension of a feature that we introduced in Windows 8 called Winlogon Automatic Restart Sign-On (ARSO).
The desire is to create a seamless experience, if you have to reboot or shutdown a PC, you can pick back up quickly from where you left off and resume being productive.
ARSO was in response to customers asking for a feature similar to:
Cache My Work: reopen your Apps after reboot
More information about ARSO:
Winlogon Automatic Restart Sign-On (ARSO)
This feature in Windows 10 was first announced in “Improved Boot Up Experience - Use sign-in info to apply settings after a restart or update”
Winlogon Automatic Restart Sign-On (ARSO)
/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/winlogon-automatic-restart-sign-on--arso-Winlogon Automatic Restart Sign-On (ARSO)
/en-us/windows-server/security/windows-authentication/winlogon-automatic-restart-sign-on-arso
Some folks wanted the original behavior, our Product Group (PG) listened to you.
Work-around:
shutdown -g
Solution:
A design change request (DCR) was filed and accepted, it was first changed in Windows 10 1803 (RS4) to provide IT Administrators group policy to turn this feature on or off.
There was a backport request to be able to disable this on Windows 10 1709 (Fall Creator Update, RS3).
If you are in Windows 10 1803 or newer:
To enable from the UI or GPO:
<Default>
To manually turn it off from the UI:
Turn off: Settings/Accounts/Sign-in Options...Use my sign-in info to automatically.
or
To disable it via GPO:
Winlogon Automatic Restart Sign-On (ARSO)
Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Logon Option
Policy Name: Sign-in last interactive user automatically after a system-initiated restart
Set it to “Disabled”.
If you are in Windows 10 1709 (Fall Creator Update, RS3) / Windows Server 1709:
Part 1)
This was included in the 01C (Third Tuesday, Jan 2018) update, so it's rolled up on 02B (Second Tuesday, in Feb 2018) patch Tuesday.
Part 2)
To enable from the UI or GPO:
<Default>
To manually turn it off from the UI:
Turn off: Settings/Accounts/Sign-in Options...Use my sign-in info to automatically.
or
To disable it via GPO:
Winlogon Automatic Restart Sign-On (ARSO)
Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Logon Option
Policy Name: Sign-in last interactive user automatically after a system-initiated restart
Set it to “Disabled”.
We hope this helps,
Yong