From Windows to OS X

Login Items

Windows: Startup (and Run in the Registry)

OS X: Login Items

As I’m sure you know, if you want a certain program to start when you first logon to Windows, you can place a shortcut to the program in Startup folder in Start-> Programs. To make it easier, some programs do this for you (whether you like it or not). There is even a special key in the Windows Registry that will do the same. It’s called the Run key and is located in the HKEY_Current_User and KEY_Local_Machine keys of the registry.

So where can I place a startup item in OS X? In the Login Items of course. To do this, go to System Preferences and choose Accounts. Once you’re there, select your account and click on the Login Items tab.

Here you will find a list of items that have been added to start when you login to your account. You can add and remove items by clicking either the plus or minus buttons at the bottom of the list. Some applications will have a preference to set it to start at login (which adds it here). You can also add items by ‘CTRL’ clicking (or right mouse click for two button mice) on the open application in the Dock and choosing ‘Open at Login’.