Windows Live Messenger: Prevent from Starting When Windows Starts

Contributor Icon Contributed by shamanstears Date Icon June 19, 2007  
Tag Icon Tagged: Microsoft Vista

By default, Windows Live Messenger starts when Windows does. If you don’t use it on a frequent basis, you are wasting resources by having it run when you don’t need it.


1. Open Windows Live Messenger and login.

2. Next to your name, at the top, click the downward pointing arrow.

3. Select Options.

4. Select General from the left pane of the Options window.

5. Under Sign In, uncheck the Automatically run Windows Live Messenger when I log on to Windows checkbox.

6. Click OK.

Previous recipe | Next recipe |
 
  • Patrick
    You are the man. I could not for the life of me figure out how to stop IM from starting at my boot up. It's so simple, but I had to find your post to get it. Thanks.
  • Justme
    Now how to stop it from opening when you visit Hotmail. Even if you delete it from your computer it reloads if you visit any Windows website.
  • blahberstein
    Justme: You can turn off Windows Live from interacting with other Windows Live sites. It's the bottom check box in the Security tab.
  • larrydh
    It's odd though that you have to SIGN IN before turning off the Auto Startup. What if you don't have a Live ID? There should be a way to prevent a program from auto starting at a program level, not at a service level.
  • Jason
    There is a way to disable auto-start without having to sign in or create an account.

    1. Click on the drop-down arrow next to that stupid question mark image.
    2. Click "Show the menu bar"
    3. Go to Tools -> Options -> Sign In -> uncheck "Automatically run ......."

    Pretty sneaky of them to try to hide this. Took me a while to find...
blog comments powered by Disqus