How to Manage Startup Apps in Linux Mint

You can add or remove apps which launch at startup in Linux Mint when the OS finishes booting. In this article, we will see a universal method suitable for all desktop environments to manage startup apps. Additionally, we will see what Mint's main desktop environments provide for startup app management.

To manage startup apps, you can use just a file manager. Modern desktop environments, and some window managers too are configured out-of-the-box to process *.desktop files in special directories. These directories are as follows:

/etc/xdg/autostart
/home/your user name/.config/autostart

The first folder is common for all users of the operating system. All *.desktop files are launchers for apps, and will be processed for all users. You need to have root access to put files there or remove them.

The second folder is your personal startup folder. Launchers you place there will run at startup only for your personal account.

Here is how to use these folders to manage startup apps in Linux Mint.

Manage Startup Apps in Linux Mint

As you may know, all app launchers (*.desktop files) are stored in the following folder:

/usr/share/applications

So, if you copy the desired app launcher from that folder to your personal ~/.config/autostart folder, this will make the application start every time you sign in to your user account.

If you put the launcher inside the folder /etc/xdg/autostart, the application will be started automatically for every user.

You can use any file manager to copy files between these folders. No extra tools are required.

However, Desktop Environments in Linux Mint provide a GUI configurator for startup app management.

Manage Startup Apps in MATE

1. Open Control Center.
2. Click "Startup Applications" under "Personal":
3. The Startup Applications Preferences window will be opened. Click the Add button and fill in text boxes.

Manage Startup Apps in XFCE

To add a new app to startup in XFCE, do the following.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Session and Startup under System.
3. Go to the tab "Application Autostart".
4. Click the Add button to add a new application to startup.
   The following dialog will appear:
5. There, type the name of startup item and fill in the command text box.

Manage Startup Apps in Cinnamon
To add a new app to startup in Cinnamon, do the following.

1. Open System Settings (Control Center).
2. Click the Startup Applications under Preferences.
3. The following window will be opened:
4. Click the Add button, the click the Choose application item. Alternatively, you can use the "Custom command" item.
   
   The following dialog will appear:
5. Select the desired app and click "Add Application".

Manage Startup Apps in KDE

1. Open System Settings.
2. Click Startup and Shutdown under "Workspace". The following page will be opened:
3. On the Autostart tab, click the button "Add Program..." and choose an app to make it start with KDE.

That's it.